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.“And how did he manage to build this place without anyone knowing? How did he get the materials here, or get it built? I mean it didn’t just appear so how did he manage to build a place that no one knew about and more important why would he do that? Why the pretense with that crappy house up front and all this here?“Who was my father, Cam and why did he do these things?”Cam reached out to take hold of her arms, just above the elbows.“I don’t know, Ellie, and if you don’t want to know, just walk away.But if there are answers in there, isn’t it better to know whatever the truth is rather than spend the rest of your life wondering?”She looked up at him for a few moments then nodded.“Then open the door, honey.I’m right here with you.”“Gonna protect me from the snakes?”“Always.”One part of Ellie knew it was foolish, that his words were not meant as a real promise or some commitment.He was just trying to comfort.But another part of her succumbed to romantic fantasies and dreams and felt a thrill unlike anything she’d ever experienced.She told herself she was foolish.Cam Marsh was out of her league.Entirely.The idea that he’d want a future with her was crazy.He could have any woman he wanted.Still, she couldn’t obliterate that foolish romantic inside who wished it were possible.“My hero,” she finally said and then inwardly grimaced.That had not come out in the teasing way she’d intended.Cam opened his mouth, and then closed it.She felt his hands loosen on her for a split second and in the next moment, he pulled her to him and covered her lips with his.And time stopped.The universe held its breath and all that existed was frozen in that moment.There was only the feel of his lips on hers, the way his hands tightened on her arms and the heat of his big body as he pressed closer.As hard as she tried to fight it, she was lost to the power of his touch.Her hands worked up, as if of their own accord to press against the firm swell of his chest.She didn’t know how long it lasted, but when he pulled back, she felt a bit like a plant denied the warmth of the sun.The world was just a little colder.“You ready honey?” he askedShe nodded and he released her.Hoping that what lay on the other side of the door would not bring pain into her world, she opened it.“Oh, Cam.” She breathed as she walked in.It smelled of cinnamon and sugar, of fresh baked cookies or cake, of Sunday morning latte in bed, of late night hot chocolate on a cold night.It smelled…magic.“Damn, what is that?” He sniffed.“You’d think it would smell musty, being empty for this long.”“It’s not even dusty.” She noticed as she wandered into the living area.“It looks like it was just cleaned.It’s… it’s beautiful.”“Yes, it is.”She moved through the room to the kitchen.“Cam, look!” She called after opening the door of the refrigerator.He came into the room.“It’s stocked.”Ellie opened the adjacent door to the freezer section.It was stocked as well.Cam turned and pointed.“Pantry.” He opened the door.Like the refrigerator, it was stocked as well.“This is strange,” he said.“Maybe he’d just been to the store before…”“That was months ago, Ellie.”“I know but… but let’s finish looking at the rest of the place.”A short hallway led off the back of the kitchen.A door to the right led into a laundry room.A door on the left led to a storage area.At the end of the hall was a stairway.They took the stairs and emerged on the second floor landing.Another staircase led down into the front room and there was one door that led to an enormous master suite with floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the lake.There was a large bathroom along the back wall, complete with a giant garden tub and large walk in tiled shower.They took the front stairs back downstairs.Ellie walked to the window and looked out.“This is… it doesn’t seem real, you know.”“I hear ya,” Cam agreed.“Hey, wonder where that door leads?”She turned and looked in the direction he indicated.There was a door on the back wall.She went to it and turned the door handle.Nothing happened.“Okay, another oddity.” She looked at him.“No lock and it doesn’t open.”Cam tried it.The handle turned but the door would not open no matter how hard he tugged on it.“Nope, it’s not budging.”“So how do we open it?”“Aside from removing the hinges, I don’t know.”“So let’s remove the hinges.”“Probably gonna need a screwdriver or something to let the lock pin in the hinge pried up.”“I have one at the other place.We could go get it.”Just then, Cam’s phone chimed.“Sorry,” he said as he looked at it.“I need to take this.”“Detective Marsh… Yeah, on my way.” He ended the call.“Sorry, I’m needed at the department.I don’t want you staying alone here though, so how about I take you over to the ranch?”“I don’t know.I mean, I’ll be fine.And I still need to figure out a way to pack up all the paintings.”“I’d feel better if you went to the ranch.”“Okay, how about this? Call and make sure it’s okay with Clint and Lily.I’ll find some old blankets to put in the bed of my truck and I’ll load the paintings up and take them over there.It’ll only take a few minutes.They’re all right there in the front room.”“And you’ll wait for me there?”“Yes.”“You promise?”“I promise.”“Okay.” Together they made the trek back to his truck.Cam stopped and turned to face her.“We’ll get to the bottom of all this Ellie.”She nodded and smiled and he leaned down to give her a soft kiss.This time her arms snaked up around his neck and she was the one to initiate a deeper connection.His toes damn near curled and for the length of the kiss all thoughts of getting to the department fled from his mind.His big head gave up control to his little head, making him want to scoop her up, take her inside and make love to her all day.She pulled back and smiled up at him.“I’ll see you later, Detective Marsh.”“Oh, you will, Miss Whitehorse.You definitely will.”Her smile brightened a notch and she stepped back.“I’ll be waiting.”Cam returned the smile and climbed in his truck.He watched her wave as he pulled off.That kiss was really something.He’d been attracted to her since the first time he laid eyes on her, and last night had ramped up the chemistry big time.Now he was having a hard time feeling comfortable in his pants.Cam was definitely looking forward to getting back to her.A soon as he could.Chapter EightLily put the last of the paintings in the back of the truck and spread a sheet over them.She used some concrete blocks she’d found stacked at the rear of the house to secure the sheet.It should hold until she got to the Marsh Ranch.She headed in for her keys and while inside decided she’d pack up her tablet.Since she was going to be stuck on the Marsh ranch until Cam returned, maybe she’d try her hand at drawing one of the horses.That led to another idea and she ran to the bedroom to get her camera case from the closet.She threw clothes into her old suitcase along with her few toiletries.She had the camera case strap hooked over one shoulder, the suitcase at her feet that she pushed along with her foot and was sliding her tablet into its case as she returned to the kitchen where she’d left her keys.She didn’t see the big figure of a man in her way until she was standing beside the kitchen table.He stood in the doorway, a huge man in both height and girth, dressed in dark slacks, with a black hoodie and a ski mask.That struck terror in her.She placed the tablet on the table to free her hands and started backing up [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]