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his progress with hyperawareness, unsure how to draw a boundary and not quite recalling why she should.
    â€œI’ll be fine,” she assured him, though it was probably easier to feel invincible with those strong fingers resting on her skin.
    â€œI’d like to make sure of that.” Beneath the table, his knee brushed hers briefly, distracting her. “How about I sleep downstairs tonight to keep an eye on things?”
    Everything inside her stilled.
    â€œYou want to stay here? ” In the same house as her?
    Her pulse raced even though she knew that was a bad, bad idea. And—curse him—his thumb rested on a placealong her wrist where he’d probably feel the manic rush of blood through her veins.
    â€œI could pitch a tent out front if you’d rather.” Relinquishing her arm, his easy reform of the original suggestion made her feel like a heel for not agreeing in the first place. “That would send a message that someone’s looking out for you if anyone decides to come back tonight.”
    The warmth inside her chilled at the thought. Did she really want to be here alone while someone bold enough to tear up the lawn and break her windows still lurked free?
    â€œI hadn’t thought about that,” she admitted, looking at Brad’s prominent muscles with new eyes. They weren’t just for show. Who would dare to mess with him? Besides, she had the animals to think about. She’d feel better with help to watch over the place. “Actually, the house has plenty of rooms to spare if you really don’t mind—”
    â€œHonestly, I’ll sleep better knowing I’m already on site if anything happens.” Standing, he blocked one of the torches from view, his big, imposing body backlit like an action-movie poster. “If I go home tonight, I’d only be lying there with one eye open anyhow.”
    â€œThat’s really kind of you.” She couldn’t imagine why he’d gone to so much trouble on her account today. “Thank you.”
    â€œNot a problem.” With a nod, he turned on his heel. “I’ll just go grab a few things.”
    In no time, he was jogging across the lawn toward his house, his little brown dog wagging its tail but not following, almost as if the scruffy furball knew his owner would be right back.
    Nikki forced herself to pick up the plates instead of staring after him like his adoring mutt. What was she thinking to have a man she hardly knew stay in the house with her tonight?
    A man she’d drooled over when he’d thought no one was looking.
    If he’d flirted with her more, she might have been more guarded about letting him stay. But how could she argue with a man who’d done nothing but help her out today? Besides, she was genuinely worried about the troublemakers returning.
    While Nikki would make sure Chloe’s wishes were honored, Chloe wouldn’t want her to sacrifice her personal safety to fulfill that promise.
    Brad Riddock would keep her safe. He was a one-man protective detail.
    She trusted that completely. She just hoped she could trust herself around those sexy stares of his that came out of nowhere and lit up her insides like a Christmas tree. Between the postvandalism adrenaline, the physical exhaustion from all the work of the last week and the memories of what she’d seen of Brad through the branches of her locust tree five nights ago, Nikki didn’t know how she’d begin to scavenge any distance from a man who’d slid past her barriers faster than anyone she’d ever known.

3
    A N HOUR LATER, FIST RAPPING on Nikki’s back door, Brad reminded himself that his reasons for sleeping over had been semi-altruistic. He genuinely wanted to keep her safe because he hated the idea of some redneck yahoo four-wheeling through her yard and destroying the property she’d been working so hard to restore. Someone obviously hoped to scare her, and Brad had a