I wake up feeling disoriented, and I panic for a minute until I remember I’m at Heath’s, so I’m safe—safer, anyway—and it’s Sunday. A scheduled day off, and I’m not on call.

Okay.

And I’m not naked. Yay for t-shirt and panties.

Taking a deep breath, I look around the room and spot my purse sitting on a chair in the corner. I get up and grab it, along with my jeans, climb back into bed, and pull out my work phone. I unlock it and scroll through my contact list until I get to the office number.

“Hello?” It’s Jeanie, one of our weekend dispatchers.

“It’s Georgia. I need to speak to Sandy. It’s urgent.”

“Hang on, I’ll put you straight through.”

A few seconds later, the line clicks. “Gee. What’s going on?”

“Someone broke into my apartment yesterday, and I think I might have been compromised.”

“Shit.”

My gut churns hard with suspicion and worry. Did Katie go back to Jim? Did she tell him I helped her? “That mutual friend I brought in a month ago. Is she still at Amy’s House?”

“Hang on a sec, and let me check.” I hear clicking in the background. “Yes, she’s still there.” Relief flows through me. “Do you think she has something to do with it? If he were going to do something, I would have expected it to come much sooner.”

“No, you’re right, if it were him, I’m sure he wouldn’t have waited this long.”

“I’m going to pull you from the rotation just to be safe. Do you want me to set you up with a place, or do you have somewhere you can lie low?”

Fuck. No work means too much time to live inside my head. That’s never a good thing. But it’s protocol. And really, if it’s not Katie’s fuck of a husband, it’s possible it’s related to some other person I’ve brought to Amy’s House. Or, it could be completely random, and I’m off work for no good reason.

“I can sort something out.”

“Okay, good. Let’s give it a week or two and see where things stand.”

“Sure. And can you send someone to move the van? It ought to be fine, but…”

“No problem. Just make sure you take care of yourself and stay safe.”

“Will do.”

I end the call and slip into my jeans. I really want a shower, but that can wait. First, I need to go in search of some coffee so I can think.

I smell it as soon as I open the bedroom door and follow the heavenly scent down the hall into a large kitchen full of what looks like every appliance and gadget ever invented.

I clear my throat and Heath turns around. “Morning. Did you sleep well?”

I try to smile, but I’m just not feeling it. “I slept.”

“Fair enough. Coffee?” he asks.

“Oh, God, yes.”

He reaches into a cupboard, pulls out a huge mug, and fills it with lovely, lovely coffee, and hands it to me.

“Thank you.”

I shuffle across the room and sit down before taking my first sip. Heaven.

He brings his own coffee over and takes the seat opposite me. “You drink. I’ll talk, okay?”

I nod, then take a long sip.

“I’ve arranged for a new door and locks, as well as a crew to go into your apartment and take care of the mess.”

Part of me wants to be angry at him for being so presumptuous and paternalistic, but damn if it doesn’t feel good having someone take care of things for me for once.

“That’s really nice of you. And thanks for letting me stay the night. Once I’m finished my coffee, I’ll head back to my place and—”

“You can stop right there. Even with a new door and locks, your apartment is not just uninhabitable, it’s not safe. I think you should stay here until we can find you a safer place to live.”

What the fuck? “Look here, Heath. I appreciate you coming to my aid, but if accepting some help from you somehow means you get to control my life, you can fire your crew and I’ll take care this shit myself, just like I did last time.”

His eyebrows nearly hit his hairline. “You’ve been broken into before?”

“Yeah, but not like—“

His eyes narrow and he leans in. “Not like, what?”

“Never mind. Thanks for the coffee and everything else. But I think you’ve done enough, so I’ll be going.”

“Georgia, wait. I’m concerned okay?”

“Why?” I’m genuinely confused. This is someone I barely know beyond how amazing his cock feels inside my body.

“I don’t know. I can’t explain it. I just am. And I want to help. I’d prefer it if you’d stay here.”

“I want to live in my own apartment.”

He pauses a moment. “Okay. But I need you to give me a week to get everything in order. Can you do that?”

Can I handle a week in close quarters with him? I guess I’m about to find out. “One week. Then I’m moving back into my own space, regardless of what state it’s in.”