windows and peer out at the driveway more than once. I’d also watched her double check the locks on the doors several times.
On the first night she’d worked for me, she’d asked if I had an alarm system, or security cameras.
“Yes,” I’d said. “I have both. And Sadie’s a pretty decent security system by herself.” My dog didn't attack strangers or even necessarily bark, but she did come and get me if anyone's car turned in the driveway, including the mailman's.
“I guess someone would have to be crazy to come mess with the sheriff,” Ava had said.
I didn’t add that messing with a former Navy SEAL was the real threat. “They’d definitely have a death wish,” I’d said.
I hadn’t shown her the weapons and the ammunition I kept within reach of my bed. I didn’t want to scare her. Maybe I should show her now, and try to get a feel for what she was so scared of.
Her eyes had widened when I said the phrase ‘death wish.’ Maybe I needed to choose my words more carefully. So many years in the service, around only other members of the military sometimes made me forget the way civilians thought and spoke.
If she was running from an abusive ex, maybe she’d feel better if I reassured her that nothing was going to get through me to harm her.
The thought of someone hurting her made me want to fucking break his neck. And maybe she’d tell me the name and location of this abuser. I could pay him a little visit and make sure he never came near her again.
Fuck. When had I started feeling possessive toward her?
I looked up to see my sister waving her hands in my face. “Hello? Are you listening to me?”
“What was the last thing you said?”
Abigail rubbed her temples. She was clearly annoyed with me. A memory of her at seven years old, stamping her foot because I wouldn't take her to get a snow cone at nine o’ clock at night ran through my mind.
“I said you need to take Ava out. Let her get to know people.”
“I showed her the town right after I hired her.”
My sister stood up and leaned forward, placing her hands on my desk. “Yeah right. I bet that was a perfunctory tour to her. You didn't even mention that I was your sister. And I was the one who sent her your way.”
She was probably right. Although I wasn't going to admit that. Eventually she got tired of harassing me and went back to the library.
Now it was evening, and on my sister’s orders, I was going to take Ava out and show her the town. There wasn’t much to show, especially if she came from a larger city. Dammit. I didn’t even know where she was from. I’d have to ask her that tonight.
I came home early to catch her before she cooked us both a big meal.
She wasn’t cooking yet, but was vacuuming the living area. She had on fitted white pants and a sleeveless black blouse. Her arms were toned and tan, and the white pants hugged her backside just right. She looked like she should be in a business office somewhere, not cleaning my living room. But I wasn't going to complain. She looked amazing.
I stood in the doorway and waved my arms so I didn’t scare her.
She hit the power button and the vacuum went silent. “Hi. Do you need something?”
“Why don’t you take a break tonight?” I asked.
“Do you need me out of the house?” she asked.
“Now what makes you ask that?”
She put her hand on one hip. “I thought you might be having people over. I can make myself scarce.”
My eyes followed the line of her arm propped on her hip. Blood rushed to my cock. I wanted to unbutton that blouse and peel it off of her. “I’m not sure what gives you the impression that I have people over. I don’t.”
My mother and my sister had been inside my house, but that was only because they'd shown and walked in. I had not formally invited them over, not even once. “I just thought you might like to get out of the house,“ I said.
“What brought this on?” She crossed her arms and stared at me.
“Come on, don’t ask me that. Just pretend that it was my idea.”
“Was it your sister?”
“Yes.” I might as well admit the truth. Abigail would end up confessing anyway. “My sister told me I was keeping you