Page 11 of Bride By Committee

“I’m not sure.”

“Would you like to try and see?”

Her hesitation roused his protective instincts, instincts that vied with the urge to go after what he wanted. Resisting that stronger, darker urge proved next to impossible, but he succeeded. Barely. He might chase his desires with every ounce of determination he possessed, but never at another person’s expense. Especially not a woman caught between desire andfear.

She chose that moment to agree, unwittingly intensifying the silent, internal battle he waged. “Okay. Let’s try sitting together.”

“Let me get my coat. That should help warm you.” He spoke as he moved so she could track his progress. Spooking her now wouldn’t be his wisest course of action. “Say something so I don’t accidently step on you.”

“I’m here.”

He crouched nearby. “And I’m right next to you.”

“I can hear you breathing.”

“Yeah, well, it’s sort of automatic with me.”

She laughed at that, the sound a bit edgier than he’d have liked. “I’m being an idiot.”

“No, you’re not.” He sat beside her, leaving a gap of a couple of feet between them. No doubt she’d appreciate his restraint, if not the frustration that restraint exacted. “My mother was claustrophobic.”

That caught Madison’s attention. “She was?”

“Yup.”

“How did she handle it?”

“Not well. Igather that elevators don’t bother you under normal circumstances?”

“I’ve never liked them, but they’ve never sent me into hysterics before.”

“You don’t know how lucky you are.” Though right at this minute, he doubted she considered herself any such thing. “Mom couldn’t ride in one without me or Dad. Ican remember as a little kid Dad would sort of scoop her into his arms and she’d close her eyes and hang on until we were out again.”

“Poor woman. What did she do when your dad wasn’t around?”

“She’d hold my hand and have me talk to her the whole way.” That single act had instilled an overprotective instinct that troubled him to this day—especially when it interfered with achieving his objective.

“Talk? Like you are now?”

“Yes.” He wished he could see her. He’d never realized how much he used body language and facial expression to analyze a person’s thoughts and attitude. “Are you still cold?”

“I’ll survive.”

“Here.” He shook out his suit jacket and handed it to her. “This should warm you.”

She fumbled in the dark for several seconds and he reached for her, his hands colliding with hers. “Let me help.” With a gusty sigh, her hands fell away and she held still. Ever so gently he draped the coat around her shoulders. To his surprise, she scooted closer and he wrapped his arm around her. Strike three, came the errant thought. Only, instead of being out, she was caught.

“You feel sort of big,” she commented, clearly surprised.

“There’s a reason for that.”

He sensed her smile. “Is the reason that you are sort of big?”

“Not sort of, I’m afraid. Definitely big.”

“I thought you said you didn’t look intimidating.”

“I didn’t want to make you any more nervous than you already were.”

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