Page 39 of Island Whispers

They’d never know. “Isn’t that why morning sex was invented?” She snorted, but he wasn’t joking this time. “I woke up reaching for you,” he admitted. She shivered and he moved to stand closer, protecting her from the wind, hoping the weather wasn’t the only reason for the reaction. “Not for the obvious reasons. Well not just for that.” He nudged aside her long hair so he could rub her shoulders. Her muscles were tight. She carried so many responsibilities on her fine-boned frame. “I woke up wanting to know your name along with everything else about you.”

She twisted to look up at him. “You’re serious.”

Hell, yeah, he was serious. He’d been given a second chance and he refused to blow it. “To me, it was a weird miracle that you were my new assignment.”

“Me too,” she confessed. “I got home that morning and wished I’d left a note at least.”

“I stayed in that hotel room all day hoping you’d come back.”

She dropped her head gently to his chest. “If only I’d listened to my gut. I’m so sorry, Boone. You made me so happy and I didn’t handle it well. I freaked out.”

“Are you freaking out now?”

“A little. Maybe.”

He linked his hands at her back, doing his best not to rush her in any way. “I’m only here to protect you.”

“Is this particular embrace an official tactic?”

“In certain instances.” His main regret was that they’d specifically chosen not to introduce him as a romantic interest. “Want me to let go?”

She stroked his arms. “No.”

That was a plus. “Do you want to kiss me?”

“Yes.” Her breathless reply was so soft, he thought he imagined it. “But we shouldn’t.”

Yet she stayed right where she was. Possibly moved closer. “I won’t push, Nina.” Despite the desperation urging him to make her his. “But you should know I’m ready and willing to make things personal. When and if you’re ready for that.”

She licked her lips and he stifled a groan. “Why aren’t you mad at me?”

The question startled him. “Because you didn’t do anything to make me mad.”

“I left.”

What kind of guys did she date? Not his business. Not the point. “Right. And it didn’t feel great,” he admitted. He steered a lock of her hair away from her face. “But you had every right to leave. We were consenting adults when we went to my room. Sex didn’t change that.”

“I’m so awkward with this stuff.”

“You don’t seem awkward to me.” She fit him perfectly. Why couldn’t she see it?

“I’ve been so careful,” she said, stepping out of his embrace. “Small-town gossip can be damaging. Mistakes can balloon out of control overnight. My parents are anchors here in Brookwell and they raised us to be good examples in the community.”

“So you played nice. Didn’t rock the boat,” he guessed.

“That’s right.” Her chin came up, then fell. “Unfortunately, I never mastered how to let the inevitable chatter roll off. It’s always bugged me too much.”

He could understand that. “I’m sure you’re not the only person who feels that way.”

“No, of course not.” She dragged her toes through the wet sand. “But running off to Charleston for a hookup probably wasn’t the best coping mechanism.”

“As one of those hookups, I respectfully disagree.”

She whipped around, laughter in her eyes. “What a guy thing to say.”

He held up his hands in surrender. “Guilty as charged.” He lowered his arms, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Ignoring the morning after, I’m glad we had that night together.” He cleared his throat. “Knowing that walking out wasn’t easy for you soothes my ego a bit.”

“My one good deed, I guess.”

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