Pleased with her, Dare turned toward one of the bedrooms. “I did.”

“Oh, that’s right.” She twisted her mouth. “Chris said you were good at everything.”

“Chris is paid to be biased.” The dogs forged ahead of him, trying to anticipate his destination.

“But you two are friends, too. You said he’s not just an employee.”

“We’re good friends, have been for years.” Over twenty years, actually…but that was a story for another time.

Dare went into the second largest bedroom and set his duffel on a queen-size four-poster bed. It was made up with soft, warm, hand-sewn quilts and luxurious sheets.

The dogs circled the perimeter of the room, trying to watch both Dare and Molly as she looked lost and he unloaded the few clothes and toiletries currently in her possession. It wasn’t much, but right now, here with him, she didn’t need much.

Attempting to hide her anxiety from him, she patted the dogs and then went to peek into the bathroom.

She would be comfortable here, Dare told himself.

So why was he feeling guilty?

Hands on his hips, he tracked her every movement, trying to gauge her mood, to determine a way to reassure her without crossing boundaries. Hell, he’d already crossed so many lines it shouldn’t matter anymore…but it did.

“Go ahead and put your stuff in the drawers, set up however you want, make yourself at home. The television remotes are on the shelf. There are DVDs in the library if you want to hunt through those. You can bring a bunch up here if you want.”

“Thanks.”

Damn it, she sounded so lost. “The computer is hooked up to the internet, so feel free to surf, to entertain yourself. But don’t check any personal accounts. I don’t want you to sign in under your name for anything. It’s too easy to track.”

“Okay.” She showed little interest in the TV or the computer.

More frustrated by the second, Dare narrowed his eyes. “If you need anything else, just ask.”

She went over to look out the French doors that opened onto a small deck overlooking the yard below—which led down to the lake. From the deck, she could just see Chris’s residence and the dock beyond there, the boathouse, the reflection of the moon off lightly lapping water.

Silence filled the room.

“Molly.”

She leaned against the doors and avoided looking at Dare. “I know it’s late…”

“Not that late.” She’d slept throughout the flight, so she probably wasn’t ready to retire yet. Was that what caused her worry? Did she think he’d bring her here and then abandon her? “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry for real food. Why don’t you take a few minutes to yourself and then meet me downstairs in the kitchen. I’ll get us something to eat.”

Tension fell out of her shoulders. “Okay.”

She didn’t deny being hungry. Again. But Dare was almost positive it was the reprieve from being alone that had relaxed her. Why didn’t she just tell him that?

Confounding woman.

“You have time to take a shower if you want.”

She inhaled and let out a long breath. “Okay. Thanks.”

Dare crossed his arms. “Damn it, Molly, if you have something on your mind—”

She spun around with a false smile. “No, I’m fine. Everything is…fine. Terrific. Go get your food. I’ll freshen up and be right down.”

He waited, wondering if he should press the issue. She’d been through so much that there had to be awful, residual effects. What did he really know of how a woman reacted to these things? So far, everything he’d expected from her had been off. No hysterics, no uncontrollable sobbing or raging anger.

“Really, Dare. I’m fine. Looking forward to a shower, actually.”

Dare didn’t believe a word of it, but standing there staring at her wasn’t going to help. “Towels are in the bathroom. Come on down when you’re finished.”

“I hope I don’t get lost.” She tried a smile that didn’t quite make it to her warm brown eyes. Moving to the door by way of encouraging him to leave, she said, “I’ll only be a few minutes.”

“Take your time.” He started out, but the dogs hesitated, whining, looking from Molly to Dare and back again. He rolled his eyes. “She’ll join us soon enough. Come on.” He patted his thigh, and finally the dogs came to him.

Together, they left, but Dare didn’t like it. Surely Molly wanted the privacy of her own bedroom, her own bathroom. It wasn’t like he was leaving her alone in a strange place. He’d be right downstairs.

But, damn it, he didn’t want to be.

If it hadn’t been so inappropriate, he would have dragged Molly down onto the bed and just held her. All night.

As if they felt his mood, Tai and Sargie kept giving him sympathetic glances.

“It’s a hell of a thing, isn’t it? Trust me, I don’t like being confused any more than you do.”

The dogs whined in return.

By the time he stowed his duffel in his room and joined Chris in the kitchen, his mood had soured even more. With it well past their bedtime, the dogs went straight for their favorite spot in the attached morning room. They each had a padded bed placed before the wall of windows. Only moonlight shone through, but they flopped down to wallow in it, and they were soon asleep.

Chris handed Dare a cup of coffee, which was always the first order of business. “Is Ms. Apple Dumpling turning in for the night?”