Forged in Steele (KGI #7)(65)

Horses grazed in the open pasture, but surrounding Steele’s home on the three sides not facing the road they’d come in on were thick woods. It was as if he’d cut a hole out of a forest and plunked his home right in the middle. In a word, it was gorgeous.

And he was right. She twisted in her seat to look behind them. It was private. The road leading to his driveway was a narrow county road that didn’t look as though it got much traffic.

She nearly sighed in anticipation. Peace. Tranquility. Caldwell would have to look damn hard to find her here. Not that she didn’t think it was a possibility. In the short time she’d been his pampered prisoner, she’d figured out that he had immense wealth and resources. If he wanted to find her, it was likely he could and would. She just hoped she was a novelty that would wear off with absence and distance and that he wouldn’t feel she was worth the risk of coming after. And there was the fact that she had Steele—and KGI—at her back. She’d take those odds any day of the week.

“It’s beautiful, Steele,” she said as they pulled to a stop in front of the house. “I love your porch. It’s so perfect. It’s screaming for a swing, though. You know, one of those that suspends from the roof. Oh, and a wooden rocker. Definitely. Can’t you picture it?”

He chuckled, and she enjoyed the sound as it vibrated through her ears. Deep, masculine and warm. Not a word anyone usually associated with Steele. He wasn’t a warm person. But he seemed so different. Ever since the second time he’d come to see her, that time without any reason other than he wanted to. She liked that a lot. She held hope that she meant something more to him than just physical release.

He’d been anything but cold and remote with her. While the first night had been hot and passionate, she treasured the second visit infinitely more because nothing had forced him to come. No injured teammates. No need for medical care. He’d wanted her.

Damn pregnancy hormones were screaming for mercy. Just thinking about it elevated her temperature about three degrees.

“You think I’m the type to sit on the front porch in a rocking chair?” he asked.

She pretended to consider the matter and then nodded, keeping her face perfectly straight. “I can so see you taking up knitting.”

He laughed outright and then got out. She opened her door and slid out as he was walking around to get her.

“I’m fine, Steele. Perfectly capable of getting myself out of the car and to that awesome front porch.”

Still, he tucked her against his side, and she didn’t complain. Not when she was pressed to that delectable body. Given the fact that he might not take the news of his impending fatherhood well, and she might never find herself this up close and personal again, she was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

They mounted the steps and he punched in a code on the keypad of the door. Her brows scrunched together and she glanced up at him.

“High tech just doesn’t go with this house. It has all this rustic charm, you have a porch screaming for a rocking chair and a swing and then you get to the door and it has an electronic entry.”

He shrugged. “I have a state-of-the-art alarm system complete with booby traps. If the wrong code is entered . . . Well, let’s just say you want to memorize it or make sure I’m with you to open it for you.”

Her eyes widened. “Booby traps? Holy shit. You mean I could get seriously maimed if I enter the wrong code? Steele, I should tell you now, I suck at numbers. Phone numbers, account numbers, you name it.”

He grinned. “Just kidding. But the look on your face was priceless.”

She stared at him in stupefaction. “You cracked a joke? Maybe I should step back in case lightning strikes.”

He scowled at her and then pushed her inside. She snickered and then inhaled deeply, savoring the tangy smell of cedar.

She hadn’t lied about the rustic charm. It reminded her of walking into a mountain lodge. He guided her into the spacious living room and she rotated in a circle, taking it all in.

“I love it,” she breathed. “It’s so . . . you.”

“Glad you approve.”

A huge stone fireplace was the focal point of the living room. Above the mantel hung a mounted elk head and as she took in the rest of the décor, she saw several other stuffed animals. In front of the fireplace lay a bear rug, and several wildlife paintings hung on the walls.

She wrinkled her nose as her gaze returned to Steele. “Beautiful animals, but somehow I think they’d be even more beautiful alive and in the wild.”

“I’m sure you saw your fair share of wildlife during your time in Africa.”

“Oh, I did!” she exclaimed. “It was fantastic. Africa was fantastic. Well, until the whole hostage thing. Then, not so much.”

“What do you want to do first? We should have stopped and gotten you some clothes somewhere, but you were sleeping and I hated to wake you. But if some of my sweats and a T-shirt will tide you over, we’ll go into town later and get you what you need.”

“What are my choices?” she asked lightly.

“Well, you can sit and I’ll fix us lunch. Or you can go take your hot bath and soak while I cook. Or you can make your phone calls and then do either of the aforementioned options, or you can eat and then call your folks. But somewhere in all of this, you and I have some things to discuss,” he said quietly.