He took her hand and led her inside. “Well, someone’s definitely been camping out here.”

She hadn’t visited the cabin in years, but she remembered the couch and there hadn’t been a pink and gray afghan thrown over it. Nor was the coffee table strewn with magazines about healthy living, decorating how-tos, and living on a budget. She eyed the basket next to the rocking chair, noted the yarn and knitting needles poking out. “What’s going on?”

“Don’t know yet, but we will.” Nate made his way to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator. “Looks like our trespasser has a fondness for cherry yogurt and cheese sticks.”

Christine peered into the fridge. “Eggs, orange juice, wheat bread, grapes, apples. Hmm.” The last time she’d looked in this fridge, it had contained nothing but a box of baking soda.

“Wait until you see the bathroom.” Nate shook his head. “It smells like a vanilla factory. You can take a look yourself because that stuff gives me a headache.”

“I don’t know whether I’m more angry or impressed that she took over the place and turned it into what obviously is her new home.”

“Yeah, well save the impressed until we meet her. She could be a nut job and that’s not going to go well for her.”

“What if she has a weapon?” The possibilities escalated. “Maybe a gun or a knife. Even a bow and arrow.”

“Babe, relax.”

But she couldn’t relax because the unknown scared her, not to mention a potential trespasser who might be armed and watching them this very minute. Christine glanced out the window, squinted. Nothing but trees and brush, so much of it, too much to tell if a person were camouflaged among them.

“Hey.” Nate stood behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her left temple. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, okay?”

“I’m not worried about me.” She clutched his hand, pushed out the truth she knew would not sit well with him. “I’m worried about you.”

“This again?” The sigh said he was struggling to maintain patience. “There’s nothing to be worried about.”

“I do worry, Nate. I worry that you aren’t afraid, that you’ll put yourself in danger because you aren’t afraid.” She sucked in a breath, tried to steady her voice. “You have a family now and you have to think about us.”

“Babe, you’re acting like you think I’m as reckless as Cash used to be. I’m not; I know what’s at stake.” His voice dipped, turned rough. “And you’re wrong if you think I’m not afraid of anything.” Another kiss on her temple. “I’m petrified something will happen to you or the girls and I’m not going to do anything to risk that. Trust me, okay?”

Christine turned to face him, stroked his jaw. “I do trust you.” She leaned on tiptoe and brushed her lips against his. “Thank you for always being here for me.”

“Welcome.” His dark gaze settled on her. “Now why don’t you check out the rest of the house while we wait for our ‘guest’ to return? I’ll take a quick look around the property and be back in a few minutes. If you find anything you want to pack up, let me know and I’ll grab the boxes.”