Page 8 of Untouchable

“Okay… how so?”

“Police in Texas are looking for him in connection with a murder of a young woman.”

I gasp and suck in small breaths of air. “What?”

“They only want him for questioning, but I’m guessing from what you’ve told me and the record he has that there’s a serious possibility that he’s the man they’re looking for.” He groans and stares at me. “That means we stay together. You don’t leave the trailer without me. Do you understand?”

No. I don’t understand. My mind is reeling. How did I trust a man who could do something like that to someone, and how am I dumb enough to leave my location on my phone?

I narrow my eyes at the giant. I don’t want him to leave… ever. In fact, I never want to be trusted to make a decision ever again. Hell, even this decision feels like it needs a second opinion. That said, there’s no way I’m spending the night alone. “Yes, you can stay with me.”

“Okay,” his tone softens as though he’s picking up on my fear, “I’ll call a couple of buddies and let them know what we’re dealing with. I want to have someone ready if we need backup.”

“Do you really think this is him?” I don’t know why I don’t want to believe it. “I mean, this guy is certainly Paul, but I didn’t get a great look at the man that’s following me. It could just be a coincidence or maybe I imagined the whole thing. When I told this story to the cops, they certainly gave me a look like it was possible.”

Ox narrows his gaze and lands his hand on top of mine. His rough skin has my clit throbbing again.

This is not the time, clit.

If his hand alone sends me into overdrive, I don’t want to sleep next to this giant. I’d be a pheromone factory pumping out levels that could kill a man.

“I’ll take care of you. Okay? You don’t need to worry. I’ve got this.” His tone is so soothing.

My chest expands, and warmth fills my stomach. ‘I’ll take care of you.’ I’m not sure I’ve ever heard those words so genuinely spoken, at least not from anyone other than my parents and that’s not the same as a giant man oozing masculinity.

“So, what do we do?” I whisper. “The police report says this guy should be considered armed and dangerous.”

“I’m going to wait. Based on what you’ve told me, he’ll come back. And if it comes to a gun fight, I’ll win. His background is in finance. Mine is military. I was trained for this. He’s an amateur.”

I swallow hard at all this violent talk. I literally feel bad when I squash bugs. I usually just scoop them up and carry them back outside. Shooting anything sounds crazy. Then again, feeling protected at all costs sends a vibration through my body that I’ve never experienced before.

I like it.

“Anyway,” he groans and stands from the bed, “we should get some shut eye. It’s late. If you need anything tonight, just let me know. I’ll be right here.” His heavy frame crawls onto the opposite side of the mattress.

Ox maneuvers his way around the bed but stays on top of the covers. And though that’s very gentlemanly of him, there’s a part of me that wishes he were sinking beneath them.

Chapter Four

Ox

I have a feeling I’ve ruined Jo’s beauty sleep. It’s two a.m. and though we’ve both pretended to fall asleep, I can tell she’s wide awake. Every two and a half minutes, the bed creaks as she rolls to the left or the right and then back again.

I wasn’t going to say anything, but the last sigh seems like a cry for help. “You okay?”

She fakes a groggy tone as though I’ve woken her up. “What? Yeah, you?”

I try not to laugh. “You’re tossing all over the place so I figured you couldn’t sleep.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Well, there’s a stranger in my bed and he’s got a gun on his hip. Forgive me if that’s not part of my typical nighttime routine.”

“Can’t change that, little one. You want a glass of tea?”

She sighs and rolls to face me. “You said little one again. Why are you calling me that?”

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