Some boxes containing a few photos and keepsakes had been taken off the shelf running along the north wall and opened. Their contents scattered all over the top of her dresser and floor.
The thing that stood out to Sophie the most was the blood stain that had soaked into her light beige carpet.
I could’ve died right there, in that very spot.
“I wish like hell I’d been able to catch the bastard,” Jason bit out through clenched teeth.
Sophie blinked and glanced up to find him staring at the dark crimson stain, too.
“Me, too.” She put a hand on his arm. “But I’m also glad you scared him off, so he didn’t have the chance to shoot me again.”
Heavy emotion swirled behind his eyes, and she realized everything between them had changed.
A week ago, he was a man she secretly pined over. An hour ago they were making love and talking like there was a future between them.
And now, the man who’d seemed more machine than human most days was staring back at her in a way that said he cared far more than she’d ever believed possible.
“We should check the other rooms,” she suggested. Mainly to tear him away from his somber thoughts. “See if any of them look like this.”
Sophie turned to leave, only then noticing the picture window that had been shattered was already fixed. “I didn’t even...who...how in the world did that get fixed so quickly?”
“I told you, I asked Jake and his team to take care of it.”
“Yeah, but”—she glanced at her watch—“it’s not even noon.”
“They’re the best at what they do for a reason, sweetheart.” He leaned down and kissed her temple. “Jake sent a text while you were still sleeping. Said this had been completed and they’d be out this afternoon to install the security system.”
“Boy, they sure work fast.” Another thought had her feeling a sliver of disappointment. “Wait, if that’s fixed and the system is being put into place today, then why am I packing my things?”
“Because we still don’t know who attacked you or why.”
“Right, but Jason...that could take months. And that’s assuming the police even find the guy.”
He simply shrugged “Then it takes months.”
“I can’t move in with you for that long.”
“Why not?”
“Why...” She chuckled. “Because we’ve barely even begun to date.”
“This is about me keeping you safe.” He turned to face her directly. “You said you trusted me.”
“I do.”
He nodded. “You also said you wanted to be with me.”
“Again, I do, but—”
“What better way to get to know someone than by living with them?”
Sophie blinked. “You’re serious.”
“I am.” He put his hands on her hips and sighed. “Look, I get that I’m going from zero to a hundred right now, and I honestly don’t mean to. So let’s back up. For now, you’ll stay with me for your safety and protection. Period.”
“And after?”
“After the cops catch the son of a bitch, we can revisit the discussion about us and see where we want to go from there. That sound like something you can get on board with?”