Page 144 of Protective Heroes

What was she supposed to do?

Resigning from the Grant family construction company, Black Oaks, was the best thing for her, but she wouldn’t deny it hurt more than she thought possible.

She’d click her boot heels together if only it would take things back to the way they were. Guess that kind of magic only worked in the movies.

Every time Nathan returned, they slow-danced around one another, never really taking their obvious attraction to the next level. She would advance and he would retreat, pushing her away before she could get close enough to figure out what kept him just beyond her reach. Because he couldn’t make up his mind she’d done it for the both of them and planned her final retreat no matter how much it hurt.

But the unthinkable happened. Nathan’s father passed away before she could get Chicago’s skyline behind her, and now here she was. Sitting outside Nathan’s house at a quarter to eleven and no exit strategy in sight.

Snow piled up fast. She reached over and turned up the radio dial to hear the forecaster announce a large winter system so big even Santa wouldn’t be able to get through it for a month.

Trees and wide-open spaces and not another person for miles in all directions lay beyond her hood. And snow. Knee deep in some areas and rapidly piling in others. It started the second she left city limits and hadn’t let up since.

Worry formed a heavy lump in the pit of her stomach. What if she couldn’t go through with it? Walking away from Nathan seemed cruel at a time like this.

She hadn’t planned it to work out this way, but it was too late to back out now. Or was it? She hadn’t turned in her resignation yet or sent in her job acceptance letter to the other company.

Frustrated, she abandoned her search for her facial powder and tossed her purse on the seat with a heavy sigh. Why the hell did he want to see her now anyway? Shouldn’t he wait a few days before tackling the workload his father had left behind? Pure Nathan style, he would probably want to charge head-on. Only he didn’t realize he’d picked the day she’d sealed both their fates with a pen stroke.

Not even an hour had passed since his number flashed across her screen, taunting her to pick up. She’d been tempted to let voicemail take it, but something had her finger reaching out to press that little green button.

Several months had passed since her last visit, but everything looked the same, considering the change of seasons. In the height of summer, the fields were alive with wildflowers of all kinds. But the wintertime was her favorite. In past visits she would sneak out during holiday gatherings to watch as beams of moonlight played in the snow-covered fields to create an illusion of a million diamonds. Each sparkle like a dream waiting for her to make each and every one her reality. All she wanted was him. Her entire body shivered with the need for his touch, his body, his lips claiming hers.

She straightened her back and raised her chin, sealing her rampant thoughts. Later, when this meeting was over, she could go home alone and fall into her fantasies where she dreamed of being Nathan’s. Of letting him take her tight virgin pussy.

But right now, she needed to shove those desires back into the closet before anyone got hurt.

If her brother could see her now he’d tell her in his none-too-hurried drawl that she needed to shut that shit down. He’d made damn sure she understood Nathan was the type of man she couldn’t handle. The echo of his harsh words cut deep, resounding with a final warning of forbiddance. Guess big brothers didn’t know everything, after all. Because the minute he’d said she couldn’t, it was all she dreamed about.

She had no desire to be holed up with a man she couldn’t have, but if it came down to it, was she prepared? Could she weather such a powerful storm and come out on the other side with her heart intact?

She reached for the handle and opened the door, the thumping of her heart like a bass guitar in the tight confines. If only there was some other way out of this without hurting Nathan, but that time had come for her to decide.

Either stay and lust for a man that didn’t love her or move on and try to rebuild her life.

Or worse, stay and watch him fall in love with someone else.

Her heart clenched and she rubbed a hand across her chest. Leaving was the only option because no matter how much she craved his touch, she wouldn’t survive the heartache of seeing him with someone else.

She pushed the door wide and stepped out into the cold. Mind set on what she had to do, Willa opened the rear door and grabbed for her briefcase. She needed her copies of the contracts Nathan requested if she was going to help him with this one last task. No matter what, come tomorrow, he would find her resignation in the mail and the whole avalanche would come barreling down the mountain. She doubted he’d want to be in the same room with her, let alone go over contracts by then.

Willa waved her hand around in the area she always placed her satchel but came up emptyhanded. How could she have forgotten the one thing she needed to bring? Then again, easy enough, considering the man consuming her every thought.

With a deep sigh, a sinking feeling formed. Yes, her stomach sank. Sank right to her toes and lurched. She flicked on the back seat light, desperate for a better look.

“¡Ahí por Dios! ¡Que más!” Fear brought out her native language with a vengeance. Curses rolled like waves on a Hawaiian beach she’d rather be sitting on right now. And when they hit her stomach rolled and tumbled right along with them.

The briefcase in question held more than just the contracts. She’d also placed her newly-minted resignation alongside a letter from Black Oak’s rival, accepting her new job in California.

Realization hit and cold air rushed into her lungs on a long gasp. She’d left it at the office. This night had just gone from bad to worse with a second helping of fuck me sideways.

She swallowed hard.

But she couldn’t get past the fear lodged deep in her throat. She clenched and unclenched her fingers.

Breathe, Willa.

If she thought on it much longer she’d start shaking.

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