Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“Already called. He’s coming to the ranch day after tomorrow,” his father promised him. “If it’s all right with you, we’ll get up, have breakfast with Mrs. Kent, and make arrangements for extra security out at the ranch. Subtle security because I don’t want anyone asking why there’s suddenly a bunch of armed guards around.”
Willow Fork wasn’t a metropolis. All new people would be noticed. “It would start talk, and they would look Nicole’s way.”
His father nodded as though he understood and had already fixed the problem. “So we bring in a couple of new ranch hands who also happen to know how to spot security problems. She should be all right on the ranch. When she leaves, we’ll make sure someone is with her, but I’m hesitant to make her feel like she’s in lockdown. From what I can tell the only person looking for her right now is on our side, and she’s smart as hell. Kimberly Kent used to manipulate world leaders. She can handle a couple of assholes from Oregon.”
He had to be patient. He had to give her the time she needed.
And if, in the end, she chose only Grim, he would have to step back and be happy for the two most important people in his life.
Josh listened as his father spoke, but his mind was on the woman in bed.
Chapter Sixteen
“You need anything?” Nicole closed the door to the truck. “I’ve heard you go through a lot of beer lately.”
“We’re fine. And I certainly won’t ask you to do our grocery shopping. The truth is neither one of us has much appetite right now.” Grim hit the button to lock the truck as the new guy got out and shut his door.
The morning after the debacle at Subversion, they’d had breakfast with Kimberly Kent and it had been decided Harlow Dawson would be one of the bodyguards who watched after Nicole when she left the ranch. Harlow was known around town, and everyone would think she was simply there for a visit. She could work remotely and had told Grim she kind of needed a break from Dallas for a couple of weeks.
The other guard was a young man named Landon Vail. He was a handsome twenty-something who’d recently left the Navy and taken a job at the security firm his parents used. He knew how to ride and was quickly being brought up to speed on ranch work.
Two weeks later and he and Josh were still sleeping alone.
Harlow moved in beside Nicole—who appeared to be her new bestie. She gave Grim a grin. “Yes, you looked like you were wasting away at dinner last night. You barely ate a whole side of beef.”
That got a chuckle from Nicole. He noticed her hand coming up to play with the small diamond on her new necklace. “I’m constantly shocked by how much they can eat.”
He wished he’d been the one to give it to her, but Jack had. It had been part of his very generous apology. Nicole hadn’t taken it off in weeks.
“Well, I have to eat with the other ranch hands.” Landon was nearly as tall as Grim and looked right at home in jeans, a T-shirt, boots, and a Stetson. “You know what they like to cook? Chili. I’ve had chili three nights this week. And the old guy won’t let me cook. My father is a chef. I literally learned how to cook in gourmet kitchens, but no, some eighty-year-old dude named Cookie won’t even let me help.”
He felt for Landon in this case. Cookie was stubborn and he could only make a handful of meals, but he’d been around forever. “I’ll let Jack know you’d like to help.”
“Well, you might not ask me to do your grocery shopping, but your mother has no such problem.” Nicole pulled out the list his mom had given her. “I think she’s trying to fatten me up. I’ve been told she usually makes everyone eat super healthy, but she’s got the makings of a lasagna and enchiladas.”
“We’ll work out harder,” Harlow promised. “You boys stay out of trouble. We’ll meet you here in half an hour or so.”
Harlow started for the store, but Nicole looked back. “Text me if you think of something you need.”
She turned and followed Harlow in.
“That woman scares me,” Landon said with a shake of his head. “She’s hot. Super hot, but scary. Are you sure you want her teaching Nicole? I saw them practicing how to take out a man’s balls yesterday.”
In addition to acting as a bodyguard, Harlow was teaching Nicole self-defense, and she’d seemed to have taken to the subject. They sparred on the big lawn under the oak tree that had been there for years.
“I want her safe. Teaching her self-defense seems like the smartest thing we can do. Although I’m not sure I know any of those moves,” Grim admitted. “I was taught to shoot, but the punching part came naturally.”