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Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Humming to herself, Ainsley let herself into the house and headed straight for the kitchen. Dare had given her his blessing to come and go as she pleased, and she was in desperate need of coffee this morning.

As promised, Dare seemed to have kept the dog locked up, because there was no sign of him when she entered the kitchen. She’d explored the kitchen a bit yesterday, and she moved from memory, quickly gathering all the necessities to start her coffee.

Turning on the coffee maker, she scooped coffee into the filter, then hit the button to dispense the largest amount possible. Within seconds the hot brew streamed into her cup, the pungent aroma permeating the air.

Dare had rescheduled their shopping trip for this morning, so she pulled a pad of paper from a drawer in front of her and started a list. At the top of the page, she wrote down her favorite creamer and other groceries she wanted to have on hand.

Ainsley planned to cook dinner for both herself and Dare, at least when he was around. She hated cooking for just one person, and this way, she could stash leftovers and eat in the suite if Dare wanted privacy.

The brewer spit out the last bit of coffee and Ainsley spooned sugar and milk into her cup, breathing in the sweet and savory smell. She took a sip and closed her eyes, humming in pleasure. Turning, she caught sight of a figure in the doorway.

Oh, God. He’d found her.

Coffee sloshed over the rim of her cup, splattering her hand and the tiled floor as her heart lurched into her throat. The mug slipped from her grasp, and it shattered on the floor at her feet.

Almost immediately, she realized the man’s build was all wrong. Instead of Joel’s trim build, Dare’s broad shoulders took up a large portion of the archway. Her heart still hammered in her chest, and her gaze dropped to the mess at her feet.

“Oh! I’m so sorry.” She grabbed up the dish towel hanging near the sink and dropped to her knees. “I’ll get it cleaned up right away.”

Dare took a step forward. “It’s?—”

“I know. It was all my fault.” Tears blinded her eyes as she mopped up the brown liquid. “I can’t believe I was so stupid.”

He dropped to a knee next to her. “Ainsley.”

Her hands shook as she scrambled to pick up the pieces. “I—I wasn’t paying attention. I’m sorry, I should have?—”

“Ainsley.”

She bit her lower lip and fought to blink the tears away as she continued to gather the splintered porcelain. He was going to send her away. Or worse, he would?—

Dare grasped her hands, halting her movement, and every cell of her body seemed to freeze in place as she waited for the inevitable. For several seconds, nothing happened. Finally, she lifted her gaze to Dare. He watched her intently, his expression giving nothing away.

Finally, he broke the tense silence. “Are you okay?”

Ainsley gave a jerky nod, heart still lodged firmly in her throat.

“Don’t worry about the mug. I can get a new one. It’s no big deal.”

She watched as he slowly turned her hands over in his. His thumbs lightly stroked over her knuckles before he released her. “Doesn’t look too bad. Run it under some cold water and it should be okay.”

He slowly unfolded from the floor then extended a hand her way, and she tentatively slipped her palm into his. He drew her to her feet and she allowed him to pull her toward the sink. He turned on the faucet, checking to make sure the water was cold, before tipping his head her way.

Her hands trembled as she held them under the tap, the cold water soothing the sting of the burn. Ainsley watched Dare in her peripheral vision, but he remained still, watching her.

After what felt like hours, he spoke. “I smelled coffee and came running.”

Turning slightly, she met his eyes. Dare gave her a small smile, silently conveying his forgiveness and understanding. Relief rushed through her. “I actually just got here. I was going to do a quick stock check of the fridge before we make our grocery run, if that’s okay.”

Dare laughed. “You’ve got a lot to learn about cops. Our diets generally consist of fast food and stale coffee.”

Ainsley smiled at his joking tone. “Let me brew up some fresh coffee for you and we can make a list.”

Several minutes later, they’d cleaned up the broken mug and Dare was seated at the island, a steaming cup of coffee in hand.

Ainsley added a few last items to her list, then folded it up and tucked it into her back pocket. “Do you need anything else from town? We may as well get everything in one trip.”

“Sounds good. Let me grab my keys, then we can head out.”

He unfolded from the chair, his large form towering over her. Ainsley swallowed hard, unable to speak over the lump that had formed in her throat. The thought of being trapped in a vehicle with him, completely powerless and at his mercy…

Her lungs felt too tight, and she forced herself to draw in a much-needed breath. Dare was naturally powerful and assertive and, though her heart knew that he was sincere, her mind fought to separate the two. Ainsley wondered how long it would be before he pressed for more details. He was a smart man—he knew she was hiding something. Did she dare tell him? And what would he say?

Dare was different, she knew that, but betrayal was a lesson hard-learned. She couldn’t afford to let him in any more than she already had. She’d made the mistake of trusting a man once. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—do it again.

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