Colton K-9 Bodyguard. Lara Lacombe
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by then.”
Without another word, Fenwick turned on his heel and stalked out the door. The room seemed to deflate after he left, the tension dropping dramatically in the wake of his exit. As if responding to some invisible signal, Bea’s siblings moved as a group to surround her bed. They began talking to her in low, soothing tones, and Micah could tell by the way Bea’s features relaxed that she was happy to see her sisters.
He moved quietly toward the door, wanting to give the family some privacy. The thought that Fenwick might be lurking in the hallway gave him pause, but he cast off the concern and left the room. He’d actually rather face the mayor than infringe on Bea’s time with her siblings.
Fortunately, the older man was nowhere to be found, so Micah finally had a moment’s peace to think.
He walked over to the small waiting area just down the hall from Bea’s room and sat, his mind racing. How in the world was he going to protect Bea when there was so much left unsaid between them? He knew from experience how dangerous it was to be distracted on a mission, and he wasn’t sure he could simply set aside his emotions where Bea was concerned. Could he stand to be around her, knowing his heart had never really moved on?
But could he risk saying no? Bea had made it very clear she’d only cooperate if he acted as her protection. If he didn’t at least try to push his emotions aside, Bea wouldn’t have anyone looking out for her.
The thought of Bea in the crosshairs of the Groom Killer was enough to strengthen Micah’s resolve. Right now, she was the best lead they had in this case, and he owed it to the people of Red Ridge to do whatever he could to bring the Groom Killer to justice. If that meant spending time with Bea, then that’s what he would do.
Hopefully his heart would understand.
* * *
Maybe this isn’t such a good idea, after all...
An orderly had helped Bea into a wheelchair and had taken her as far as the hospital entrance. Micah had taken it from there, pushing her through the dark parking lot and over to his car.
“Almost there,” he said quietly.
The evening air was cool, and she could feel his body heat at her back, enveloping her like a comforting blanket. The hospital had planted rose bushes around the building, and their perfume filled the air. But Bea could still smell Micah’s scent—warm, male skin, some kind of woodsy soap and the barest hint of laundry detergent. It filled her head and made her feel soft inside.
Am I really going to be able to handle being around him 24/7?
It was something she should have thought about before she’d made her knee-jerk decision. But when Micah had told her she was a possible target of the Groom Killer, she’d acted out of fear. Micah had always made her feel safe, and that hadn’t changed in the years since they’d been apart. Her insistence on his being the one to guard her was an instinctive reaction, and she hadn’t stopped to consider the consequences for her heart.
It’s just a job to him, she reminded herself. Micah had only agreed to protect her because he was working on the Groom Killer case. As long as Bea remembered that, she might be able to get through this with her dignity intact.
“Here we are.” Micah stopped next to a dark SUV, and Bea noticed the windows were down. “Let me get you settled in the front, and then I’ll take care of Chunk.”
“Chunk?” Bea echoed. But as soon as Micah opened the passenger door, she understood.
A basset hound was curled up on the backseat, looking quite at home in a nest of blankets. “Oh, hello,” she said, a little surprised at the unexpected sight.
The dog lifted his head and regarded her curiously. He sniffed at the air and, apparently finding her harmless, laid his head back down on his paws.
Micah helped Bea to stand. “That’s my partner,” he explained as he guided her into the passenger seat.
Bea was so distracted by the dog she was surprised by the feel of Micah’s hands on her skin. Even though there was nothing personal about his touch, her body still responded, sending sparks down her limbs.
“I didn’t know you worked with a dog.”
“Yep.” Micah pulled the seatbelt out for her, and she buckled herself in. “I’m with the K-9 Unit. Chunk’s a cadaver dog, trained to find bodies. He’s actually the one who found you.”
Bea frowned. “But I’m not dead.”
A shadow crossed Micah’s face, barely visible in the glow of the streetlight. “No, thankfully you’re not.” He shook his head, as if to cast off a bad mood. “Chunk is actually trained to detect blood, so sometimes he’ll find a victim who is still alive. Like you.” He offered her a tight smile before shutting the door.
Bea twisted around to regard the dog as Micah opened the back door. “Then I guess you’re the one I really need to thank,” she said.
Chunk lifted his head again, his dark brown eyes gentle. He turned to nose Micah, who was busy dumping a bowl of kibble into a storage bin. “Has he been here all evening?”
“Yeah,” Micah responded, turning to dump out a bowl of water. “He’s used to hanging out in the SUV if I go somewhere that isn’t too dog friendly.”
“Aren’t you worried about him getting too hot?”
“Not in this weather,” Micah said. “It’s still cool enough that when I park in the shade with the windows down he does okay. I don’t leave him alone if it’s warm outside. It’s not worth the risk.” He stretched his arm out, handing her something small. “Here. He’s usually pretty friendly, but if you give him this he’ll be your best friend forever.”
Bea glanced at the object to find Micah had passed her a dog treat. She laughed softly. “Fair enough.” She reached into the backseat, extending the gift. Chunk took one sniff and leaned forward, retrieving the biscuit from her hand in one surprisingly delicate bite. His breath was humid on her hand, and he gave her a quick swipe with his tongue as if to say thanks.
Micah climbed behind the steering wheel and started the engine. “Ready?”
Bea wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or the dog, so she answered for the both of them. “Yes.”
He put the truck in gear, then stopped and turned to her with a worried look. “Uh, you’re not allergic to dogs, are you?”
“No,” she replied.
Relief flashed across his face and he returned his attention to driving. “That’s good,” he said. “I hadn’t thought to ask you about it before.”
“I take it Chunk is your roommate?”
“Something like that,” Micah said, turning on to the main street in front of the hospital. “Mostly, though, I’m more like his servant.” He didn’t sound like he was bothered by this arrangement, and Bea smiled.
“Sounds like a good deal for Chunk.” She glanced back at the dog, who was stretched out on the seat again. He was longer than she’d expected, but then again, Bea had never been around a basset hound before.
“Trust me, he’s got nothing to complain about.”
“Except for maybe his name,” Bea remarked. “Chunk isn’t a very dignified name.”
The dog in question snorted, as if agreeing with her.
“Well, that’s more of a nickname,” Micah said. “His given name is Chase, but no one ever calls him that.”
“Too bad,” Bea said. “It’s a nice name.”
“It is,” Micah agreed. “But you have to admit, he is a little...stout.”
“That’s hardly his fault,” she protested.
Micah laughed softly. “You don’t