Page 154 of Lethal Danger

The dog immediately let go and assumed a watchful position a couple feet from Cracklen.

“You’re right, it is ironic. It all ends for you at our Tri-City Fair.” The triumph in Jazz’s voice was weakened by the emotion Hawthorne saw glistening in her eyes.

The sight of those unshed tears cracked his heart.

And he suddenly knew. He loved this woman.

His fear of being trapped must have been powerful indeed to have stopped him from knowing it before. Because now his heart felt like it might explode with love for her, with the desire to go to her, hold her, and comfort her until a smile replaced those tears. To tell her he was sorry for rejecting her. To tell her how very wrong he’d been to push away the person he had the feeling could change his life forever in the best ways possible.

“We’ll take care of him for you.” Sofia and Bristol appeared seemingly from nowhere, and the petite raven-haired woman pulled Cracklen’s arms behind his back, none-too-carefully, to tie his wrists with a zip tie. She hauled him to his feet and pushed him in front of her. “March right back into the fair. Don’t try to get clever or my K-9 will eat you for a late supper.”

“Thanks, Sof.” Jazz gave Sofia a smile that looked much weaker than her usual one.

“We got your back. Not that you need it.” Sof gently punched Jazz’s arm with a grin, then herded Cracklen toward the fair, her German shepherd and Bristol staying with her.

Jazz stared at the concrete sidewalk where Cracklen had lain.

Rain mingled there with the blood from his wounds, washing it away.

Was she in shock? “Jazz?” He took a step toward her, not wanting to startle or crowd her.

Flash walked to Hawthorne and swished his tail as Hawthorne leaned down to give him a quick pet. At least Flash forgave him. That was a good sign.

“Jazz, are you all right?”

She finally looked at him, but the humor and vibrance in her eyes seemed dimmed. No wonder. She’d been through a lot, though he didn’t know all of it yet.

She nodded, but the way she crossed her arms over her open, soaked jacket said she was in need of comfort.

Would she let him give it to her?

He slowly took another step, then another.

Her eyes stayed on him, but she didn’t back away or speak.

So he closed the remaining distance between them, his arms outstretched.

She fell into them, fitting against his chest as perfectly as she had after the explosion on the trail.

She shivered against him, her hands gripping the front of his jacket next to her face.

He stretched his arms farther around her back, trying to give her all the warmth and solace he could. And he didn’t mind a bit the way the contact sent sparks of heat through him, too.

Questions about her uncle swirled in his mind. Why had he tried to kill Jazz and Rebekah? Why was Jazz even at the fair tonight?

But he tamped down his desire for answers and focused simply on holding her instead. On being there for her for as long as she’d let him.

The rain finally slowed and dwindled to a light sprinkle as they stood there.

Jazz pulled away and stepped out of his arms, sniffing as if she’d been crying. Her face, already wet from rain, didn’t prove it one way or the other. “I’m sorry. I know you don’t want…”

His heart constricted. Had she been about to quote him? When he’d said he didn’t want her? Oh, Lord. Please, help me make it up to her somehow.

“No.” He shook his head, slowly, adamantly. “I do want you, Jazz Lamont.”

Her eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline.

He breathed out a sigh. “I know what I said. I was wrong. So very, very wrong. I was afraid and didn’t realize I’d become such a selfish person, only caring about what I wanted to do. I was afraid I’d lose my freedom if I cared for you.”

---