That idea lost its allure.“It’s not aboutmebeing happy,” she said.
“Stop right there. I know where this goes. What you really want to do is wrap up my life the way you want it and put a little pink bow on it. You’ll find me love, dress me… am I your wittle baby?”
She giggled.
He opened another video, resting his head against his arm. She noticed how broad those arms were. She also knew exactly how they felt around her. She sniffed, distracting her thoughts with a list of races. She was just about to try her luck by pushing the hay slide again when she heard the video stop.
“What’s this?” Cole turned the screen to show Eva that her stalker had written to her again. Fortunately, she’d renamed the stalker “stupid ol’ Ashley” on the off chance that Cole would be using her phone. “Ashley is texting you again,” he said. She put her hand out for her phone. Cole didn’t return it. “She just said that she found you.”
Sudden worry tangled up her insides before she shrugged off the threat as another empty one. “No!” she scoffed. “She’s… lying.”
He studied her face. “I’m not sure I want to go out with this girl.”
“That’s a different Ashley and you know it!”
He briefly smiled at her reaction then licked his lips. “Hey, um, how serious is this?”
“Not at all.”Ashley was bluffing because she–she… wanted Eva to give herself away.How to make that sound less threatening?Ashley’s too lazy to actually come after me.No! “Ashley’s just a big jokester.” She smiled reassuringly and tried to snatch her phone out of Cole’s hands.
It wasn’t an easy task. He wasn’t letting it go easily, but finally he released it. “You can trust me enough to tell me the truth, can’t you?” he asked.
Not yet.
She gulped. “You’ll tell West.”
“Probably not.”
She didn’t like that disdain in his voice. She gathered her plans and stood. It was really time to get some sleep. “Lizardman,” she called out. The puppy leaped forward like her most willing servant. After this latest scare, she’d snuggle him extra tight tonight. The puppy was like having a piece of West with her, which was a good thing because her feelings for Cole were getting far too confusing and out of control.
Her skin still tingled from wrestling her phone from him. What was happening to her? She couldn’t seem to catch her breath as he implored her with his eyes to take her into his confidence.
For a moment, she wanted more than anything to give in.
She hadn’t even told West about that stalker.
She gave Cole a weak wave. “Time for bed!” Keeping this to herself was for the best. She couldn’t in good conscience do anything else that might bring her closer to Cole than she was with West. “Lizardman can protect me.”
He sat up. “I can too… if you confide in me.”
Her throat felt tight at the offer. His brow was creased with genuine concern. She was both touched and anxious about making this into a bigger deal than it was. She ruffled the top of Lizardman’s head. “I’ll confide in you when there is something to confide.”
His gaze felt like it was penetrating into her soul. He wasn’t buying it, but after a moment, he nodded. “If I hear another peep out of Ashley…”
“You won’t…” she said quickly. Eva was blocking her stalker again tonight. She sped up the stairs to her room—the one next to Cole’s. She felt some comfort from that, though maybe she shouldn’t.
What did her stalker mean by saying that he had found her?
Of course, he hadn’t.
But as she settled under the soft patchwork quilt on her bed, every muscle felt stiff, every nerve prickled. The wind outside was picking up. She startled.
Lightning lit up her room. She stifled her cry and squeezed Lizardman tighter. He whimpered out in annoyance and jumped off the bed to be alone.
She chuckled.
This was crazy! Her stalker wanted her to live in fear. She’d never let him win.
She picked up her phone, wanting to fight back. “Yeah, right,” she texted him. Eva knew she shouldn’t feed the fire, but she was so fed up. Thunder cracked outside as her fingers flew over her screen. “You’re such a loser.”