He glanced toward her. “Think of me as a protective friend.”
The way she’d already responded to him made that idea laughable. “I don’t even know who you are. I mean, beyond Commander Walker. Are you like Hawkeye, no first name, no last name?”
“It’s Jacob.”
“That’s nice.” Strong. It suited him. “Is it a family name?”
“No. It was one of my mother’s few contributions to childrearing before she disappeared from my life. Haven’t had any contact with her since…” He paused, as if deliberating how much to reveal. When he continued, his tone was flat. “It’s been a long time.”
“Oh God.” The more she knew about him, the more he wound his way into her emotions. To keep herself safe, she couldn’t let that happen. “That had to have hurt.”
“My grandparents made sure I didn’t miss her much.”
Was that true, though? “Is she still alive?”
“Yeah.” He set his jaw and turned on the radio, telling her the conversation was over.
Over the next hour and a half, she dozed, only to be jolted awake when he drove over a cattle guard.
“Sorry about that, Sleeping Beauty.”
She blinked and forced herself to sit up a little straighter. “I wish I could see the surroundings.”
“I’ll give you a tour tomorrow. Or, rather, later today.”
Jacob stopped in front of a massive iron gate. The truck’s headlights allowed her to make out an ornate W in the middle.
He pressed a button on the dashboard, and the entrance swung open.
They continued along a dirt road for several minutes before the house came into view, fully lit. The home, constructed from beautiful pine logs, was massive, with several different wings. Numerous cozy-looking chimneys climbed toward the sky. “This is stunning.”
“It’s big. Too big for one person. My great-grandparents had a large family. And they took care of the ranch hands. It was a gathering place.”
He pulled to a stop, and she gratefully climbed down from the passenger side. In the distance, the sun was casting its first rays, painting a few clouds pink.
Jacob grabbed his duffel bag before pressing a button on the remote to lock the vehicle. “After you.”
She climbed the five steps to the porch. A swing, covered in pillows, hung near the door. Two Adirondack chairs were angled so they faced the distant mountain peak.
It appeared to be a perfect spot to sit and read.
Which she’d probably have plenty of time to do. Her stomach twisted into a sudden knot of resigned annoyance.
A loud hiss ripped through the still morning air. She glanced back at Jacob. “Uhm, do you have mountain lions or something out here?”
“Or something.”
Suddenly, a massive animal leaped up the steps in a single movement, landing next to her. Screaming, she jumped sideways.
The creature crouched down, still hissing, staring at her. Contemplating if she was going to be breakfast? “Is that a lynx or something?”
“No. It’s a Waffle.”
“What is it, exactly?”
“A cat. Maine Coon, we think. She showed up one day as a kitten and refused to leave. We had no idea she’d get so big or be so loud. The vet says that breed vocalize more than others. Lucky us.”
“Interesting name.”
“Well, my housekeeper’s little girl dreamed it up because of the cat’s various markings. She looks like a waffle with syrup on it. And whipped cream on the nose.”
“I can see it.” For the first time in hours, her tension eased, and she smiled.
He shrugged. “Better than Pancake, I suppose.”
“You said you have a chef?”
“I like to eat, and I don’t always have time to cook.”
Waffle hissed again.
“She’s harmless.”
Elissa crouched, and the fur on the back of Waffle’s neck stood on end—then she arched her back and moved back several feet. “Harmless? Are you sure about that?”
“You could say she has an interesting personality.”
The moment Jacob stepped on the porch, the feline dashed toward him, then wound herself between his legs, rubbing and purring. “At least she’s got good taste in humans.”
Elissa rolled her eyes as she stood. “That’s up for debate.”
“She’s not fond of Hawkeye.”
“In that case, I like her more and more.”
With a grin, Jacob reached across her to enter a code on the keypad and opened the door. “Seven, six, three, nine, five, two.”
“What?”
“The security code.”
“You mean I’m allowed to leave?”
“Of course. Despite what you said, I’m not your jailer, Elissa.”
She frowned at him. “So I can go to Steamboat for a cappuccino? Maybe do a little shopping?”
“If I’m with you.”
Remembering the ridiculous maneuvers he’d gone through to protect her identity at the fuel stop, skepticism raced through her. “And you’ll take me?”
“Sure.” He shrugged. “Later in the week, if things remain calm.”
“That’s a carrot, right?”
“Meaning?”
“You know, management techniques. Carrot and the stick. Positive versus negative reinforcement. If you promise me a reward, maybe I’ll behave better.”
“Yeah. That’s it. You figured me out.” He studied her in silence.
Annoyingly, her feminine instincts stirred again. She blamed her exhaustion as well as the night’s extraordinary events.
After some sleep, she’d be herself again, back in control. There was no way her abductor could be this tempting.
“Go ahead inside.”
She took a couple of steps only to have Waffle dart past her. The animal jumped onto a nearby table, looked back at Elissa, and hissed again.
“Mind your manners,” Jacob told the cat before closing the door and dumping his bag on the floor. He stroked a finger between the cat’s ears, and she turned her head into his hand. “Ms. Conroy will be with us for the foreseeable future.”
The cat hissed, not seeming any happier with the news than Elissa was.
“I’ll show you around.”
At lightning speed, Waffle dashed away.
Elissa followed him to the inviting yet cozy living room with furniture arranged in a U shape. A large couch faced the flagstone patio and wide-open meadow. Another was placed in front of the oversize fireplace and television. She imagined sitting here and relaxing, maybe with a glass of wine.
Beyond it was a sliding glass door leading to the patio.
“The kitchen is through here.”
Maybe because he was a bachelor and the home had been standing for so long, she expected it to be dated. Instead, it was modern, with restaurant-quality appliances and gorgeous marble countertops. “I could spend days in here. It’s a chef’s delight.”
“Glad you approve. You’re exactly right. Eric designed it himself.”
“That’s your chef, I assume?”
“It is. He comes in a couple of times a week.” Jacob filled a bowl with cat food and placed it on the floor. From nowhere, Waffle appeared and delicately picked out a single piece of kibble. “He hopes I’ll start entertaining one of these days. Maybe open the house to guests.”