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douche of an ex-boyfriend did to her, but at least she
could joke about it and she was taking care of it. She couldn't do that now.
Her father was in danger. Her hero. Nothing would make her feel better about
that.
    "No, Ash. I'm not going back today. Your dad is safe as
long as he is there. I'm going to stay here with you until he can get back.
Then, we are going to figure out what to do from here."
    "Should I leave? Go back to Ohio maybe. Then I won't be
an issue at all."
    He had already thought about that. He couldn't let her
leave, though. If not for the fact that there was a possibility someone had
already found out she was back and her being alone anywhere wasn't safe,
then for the fact that he couldn't let her go again.
    What could he say? He was selfish, even when it would only
make him more miserable.
    "You need to stay. Just in case they already know. I -
we - don't want anything to happen to you when we aren't close by to protect
you."
    She nodded and looked away again. "Well then, I will
need you to go to the store. I'm making a lasagna tonight and need a few things
and since I can't be seen…"
    His stomach rumbled at the thought of her lasagna and his
eyebrows raised to his hairline.
    She chuckled weakly. "Seems fitting I guess. Need
something to cheer us all up."
    "You're taking this well."
    She shrugged, "Do I have a choice? No point in fighting
it."
    He smiled at her and she smiled back.
    The air between them sizzled and suddenly his tie felt like
a noose around his neck. They gazed at each other a little longer, neither
really wanting to look away first. Warmth spread through him and his fingers
itched to reach out to her. To take what he always wanted to be his.
    But he couldn't. He wouldn't. Not right now.
    He stood quickly and ran a hand through his hair. "If
you'll write down what you need. I'll hurry and get it. I hate to leave you
alone, but just keep the doors locked and be vigilant until I get back,
okay?"
    "Okay," she whispered and stood from the couch,
smoothing her skirt down, then walked over to the stairs. "I guess I'll go
change."
    "I'm sorry about all of this. I know you probably
wanted to get settled into a job and everything soon. It will just have to wait
a bit longer."
    She looked down at him with a resigned look in her eyes and
shrugged. "I'll be right back with that list."
    He watched her climb the stairs, grazing over her long legs
and her perfect… and remembered the short lecture her father gave him this
morning after he smacked him in the back of the head for staring.
    "She needs some time, Luke. Don't force anything.
You'll only push her away."
    He had replied with a denial. "I'm not planning on
doing anything at all, sir."
    "Well, these things never start with a plan, son."
    The man was always right, he thought. He never planned on
seeing her again, never planned on still feeling the same way he did seven
years ago, but he did. If anything, the feelings for her had gotten stronger with
the distance, something he hadn't realized until he had seen her this morning
for the first time. Now that this case had taken a dramatic turn, there was
nothing he could completely plan for and there wasn't really time to do
anything about those feelings.
    That didn't stop him from wanting her.
    Nothing could stop him from wanting her.
    But he had to keep her safe, keep her father safe. He had to
solve this case soon, before he lost something or someone he couldn't live
without.
     
     

Chapter 3
    Ash
    "I'll be just fine, Conall. Lucas will be here when Dad
can't be. No one knows I'm back, so I really don't think I'm the one everyone
should be worrying about. The threat was to Dad."
    Lucas had called my brothers to let them know what was
happening and to make sure they kept an eye out for themselves. We didn't know
how much these people knew about my family, but you could never be too careful,
right?
    I had already spoken to Fergus to calm him down and was now
having a very similar conversation