needed to think with his head this time instead of his heart.
That she was speechless surprised him. I never wanted to see you again. He hadn’t thought he could ever be that heartless. But she’d stirred up all the memories he was trying to forget. At least he hadn’t said the words aloud. That would reveal entirely too much emotion. He didn’t want her sudden appearance to affect him so much. It was his problem that it did. But she didn’t have to know it.
As it was, he’d already overreacted. It’s funny that this was his reaction to a woman he’d been willing to die for mere months ago. Hands on his hips, he released a shaky breath. Seeing her here had truly stunned him.
He’d try a different tactic. “Let’s start over. You look good, Rae.” She wore her blonde hair shoulder-length now. Soft and . . . pretty. Her blue-green eyes were definitely bluer today and filled with passion. He couldn’t let the memories of her in his arms get to him.
Hadn’t she caused enough trouble? Enough . . . heartache? “I don’t know how you found me”—he forced gentleness into his tone—“but I just need to move on. Okay?”
Her brows slowly furrowed as she nodded.
Okay. They were clear. She understood. He could walk away now.
He turned and took a step, then another. Yes. He could do this. He was doing it. He was actually walking away. But she followed.
She caught up to him and kept pace. “I’m not stalking you, Liam. At least not like you think, but I did hope to find you.”
He heard the hurt in her tone, as if he had meant something to her. She had used him in the worst possible way, and he’d shown himself to be the fool. He stopped and slowly turned to face her again. How could she even say his name like that, as though she was hurt and cared about him.
He tapped down the rising anger. “You found me. Now, what do you want? How did you find me anyway?” Oh yeah. Reporters were good at that. On the other hand, he thought the whole valley might be at this new resort for the grand opening.
“I saw your name on the Emerald M Guest Ranch website. I admit, I kept tabs on you just to make sure you were all right after everything. So I drove all the way out there looking for you and met this wonderful lady. Evelyn. She was happy to tell me I could find you here if I hurried.”
Oh, I bet she was. Liam ground his molars. Evelyn had no idea what she’d just done. Nor would she ever find out. Evelyn kept after him to find a nice young woman. He’d gone out of his way to keep what happened to himself, but Evelyn had some sort of uncanny matchmaking radar about her. And that didn’t bode well for Liam where Rae was concerned.
“Liam, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t need your help. Someone’s life is at stake. Several lives, actually.”
Her striking eyes had snagged him before at the worst possible time. He couldn’t let that happen again. “I think I’ve given you all I can give.” Months of his life after throwing himself in front of a bullet. “But I’ll bite. Whose life are you here to destroy besides mine?”
Okay. That was rude. Much too harsh. She hadn’t destroyed his life. Not really. Maybe. Sort of. He squeezed the bridge of his nose and took a deep, calming breath. The last thing he needed was to make a scene in the very resort where he might become head of security. Or not. Plus, he represented Emerald M Guest Ranch wherever he went—how many times had Heath drilled that into his head?
Rae blinked a few times. Blinking back tears? Oh, so the woman had a heart.
Maybe she was playing him again. Regardless, he couldn’t stand behind his attitude. “Look, I apologize if I sound rude. Rae, please, just go. I’m sure I can’t help you.”
There. He’d apologized, and now he would try again to walk away.
She touched his arm as if a simple touch would stop him in his tracks. But his legs slowed despite his best intentions. He angled his head at her, waiting for her explanation.
“For what it’s worth, I lost my job, Liam.” She fought the tears that welled in her eyes. Rae was strong and had seen more than most people—she’d been in the trenches just