Chapter 6 #3
After being chased through Miami and their opposition showing up at every corner, Hunter would be surprised if the Caldwell mafia didn’t follow Savvie out to Montana. “I’ll show her to the room,” he said.
Mr. Jacobs nodded. “Thanks. I have some things to check on.” He tipped his head toward Savvie. “I left a variety of toiletries in the bathroom, figuring you might not have had time to pack your own.”
“Thank you.” Savvie smiled at the man. “Let me know what I owe you for them and the room.”
“Hank has you covered,” Mr. Jacobs said. “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Hunter led the way across the open lobby with its massive fireplace and comfortable seating and climbed a staircase to the second floor.
“The lodge is beautiful,” Savvie commented as she looked out over the lobby below.
“Apparently, when Mr. Jacobs bought it, it was run down and needed a full remodel. He’s done a lot of the overhaul himself.” Hunter cupped her elbow and steered her down a hallway. “He said it had good bones and hated seeing it deteriorate.”
Hunter appreciated the older Jacobs’ attention to detail. He’d done his best to restore the original wood accents while adding sleek modern updates that blended old and new seamlessly.
Savvie ran her hand over the smooth wooden railing. “He’s done a lovely job.”
“There are still rooms that need work, but he gets to them when he can. We help when we have downtime. It’s nice to work with your hands and see the results.”
“Building versus killing?” Savvie sighed. “I can understand the appeal. I had similar thoughts in mind with my retirement from the organization.”
“Oh yeah?” Hunter stared down at her. “Have you ever worked in construction?”
She laughed. “No, but I love watching the do-it-yourself shows that renovate old houses. I imagined doing one myself someday.” Savvie shrugged. “They make it look easy.”
Hunter grinned. “Some tasks can be fairly easy. Others…not so much.” He stopped in front of a door.
Savvie looked up at him, her gray-blue eyes searching his. “You’ve worked in construction?”
He lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “As a junior and senior in high school, I worked summers helping my uncle flip houses.”
“Oh, wow,” her eyes widened. “Then you have skills.”
He laughed aloud. “Most people would be more impressed at my range and accuracy as a sniper with Delta Force.” He shook his head. “Nothing like someone in the same line of business to bring you back to the real world.”
Savvie grinned, the first full smile of joy he’d seen that wasn’t just a polite acknowledgment. It transformed her face from the serious beauty with small lines around her eyes to a younger, more carefree woman who didn’t have years of experience as an assassin.
Hunter could almost imagine her before being recruited. Before she’d become a killer. At that moment, standing in the hallway, he wanted to kiss those pretty, happy lips.
As if drawn to her like a moth to a flame, he leaned closer.
The smile slipped from her face. Her gaze slid from his eyes to his mouth, and her chin tipped upward.
So close.
A door opened down the hallway, and the sound of voices made Hunter and Savvie’s heads come up.
He stepped back at the same time as she did.
“Uh…” He dragged his mind back to the task at hand. “This is your room.” He shoved the key into the lock, twisted it and pushed the door open. “I’m in the room next door.” He tipped his head to the right. “If you need anything, you know where I am. Or you can just yell.” He winked. “I’ll hear you.”
He handed her the key.
When their hands touched, an electric shock blasted through his system.
Her eyes flared for a moment, and then she lowered her lids. “Thanks for everything,” she murmured and dove through the door, closing it between them.
For a long moment, Hunter stood, staring at the wood-paneled door, wishing he’d taken that kiss but knowing it would likely have been too much, too soon for Savvie.
He forced himself to enter his room.
Something about this woman had him thinking dangerous thoughts.
Thoughts about getting involved with a woman.
Chest-tightening fear raced through his body. He knew it, recognized it and had spent the better part of his adult life fighting its crippling effects.
The fact that she was an assassin didn’t faze him in the least. He’d been a sniper. Many times, he’d dropped a specific target. Wasn’t that the same thing? He wasn’t afraid of her or the skills she’d honed over the years in the trade.
What he was afraid of was caring for her, like he’d cared for others and lost them despite his attempts to save them.
Starting with Sarah.
Hunter strode into the bathroom, stripped out of his clothes and dropped them into the laundry basket. When he turned on the shower faucet, he left the temperature on cold, needing the wake-up call to reality. He’d help Savvie as much as he could, but he had to leave his heart out of it.
She was starting over, free of her former career, open to starting a new life. If she let someone close, it needed to be someone who wasn’t afraid. Someone who could commit his heart and soul to her.
That someone wasn’t him.