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Liam took Cate on a tour of the cabin’s peri sure she knehere every trap was located so she’d knohere not to tread Not that he had any intention of letting her wander around outside without his protection, but just in case

They opened some cans and heated up the contents for dinner, then ate sitting on the front porch steps As before, Cate sat silent and nearly still while she ate, but Liam could tell she appreciated the pristine beauty of her surroundings

He did, too He’d spent much of his adult life away from the mountains—first in the Marine Corps and then wherever the DSS posted hirown up in the Rockies, and he hadn’t lost his love for mountain country He wondered if Cate was as enarown up in Zakhar—he knew that elina, his new sister-in-law—and Zakhar was see but mountains, sort of like Switzerland Still

“Have you ever seen the Rockies?” he asked abruptly

Cate glanced at hi in Denver when ICE arrested me,” she said “Didn’t you know?”

He shook his head “I know al your case Alec didn’t tellNot until—” He broke off, unsure how much to reveal

“Not until you were forced to becouard?”

Lia, Cate I’aze “When it coht down to it, I’m on vacation—you know that already I could have just turned you over to Callahan and headed back to Denver if that’s what I wanted—Cody invited me to stay with my sister and him But that’s not what I want” He stood up, took her plate and utensils frorasp and walked into the cabin before he could add, Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be Because he wasn’t quite ready to admit that to her

He placed the dishes in the sink, ran some hot water and added a little dish soap, then took his frustrations out on the dirty dishes Hell, he told himself as he stacked the rinsed dishes on the dish rack to dry, it’s not just that you’re not ready to admit to her how much you care You’re afraid she’s not ready to hear it That she’ll never be ready to hear it

For a ht-errant, it was devastating to realize his daht not want to be rescuedby him

Night had fallen Cate showered and got ready for bed while Liamhe’d be gone that he was doing it to give her sohtfulness The folding screen beside the bed would give her privacy, too She’d argued with Liam about the cot he’d set up for himself near the fireplace, but she’d known even before she’d started it was a battle she was destined to lose Despite the fact that he was bigger and taller than she was, he wasn’t going to take the bed, and that was that

She was already tucked under the covers, reading one of the books he’d bought her thatwhen she heard the front door open “Don’t worry, it’s me,” Liam told her in the deep voice that resonated inside her in a way she’d never thought possible

She tried to concentrate on her book, but she heard hih he tried to be quiet about it When he went into the bathroo If she was any other woination would be piqued by the idea of a naked man in the shower No, not just a naked man A naked Liam Especially since she knew he’d be even more splendid naked than he was clothedand he was pretty impressive clothed

But she wasn’t a normal woman And she could never have a normal woman’s reaction to a s could be different for her That she could let herself be touched in inti Part of her wanted Liam to touch her, kiss her, caress her Part of her wanted Liaood man wanted a woman—with desire, but also with respect But she’d told him the truth on the drive up here She was afraid to try, because she couldn’t bear to fail And even worse, she was afraid she’d freeze up or scream if Liam tried to make love to her He didn’t deserve that He deserved a woman who could let him touch her without fear

Cate closed her book, turned off the la else But her eyes burned with unshed tears as traumatic memories came back to her, memories she desperately wanted to suppressbut couldn’t