Page 22 of Guarded from Corruption

Blinking at me, her lashes and cheeks damp, she hesitates before saying quietly, “Okay.”

Then she surprises me. “Niall?”

“What?”

“Can I… hug you? Just. For a second?”

It feels like all the breath leaves my body. “Of course you can.”

And then.

She leans into me. Tucks her head under my chin. Her arms snake around my waist.

A soft sigh brushes my neck.

Her hair is silk against my skin.

My arms come around her, and it’s like nothing I’ve felt before.

Something inside me settles.

Something clicks.

Oh.

This. It’s what I thought of, but never dared do anything about.

Everything else fades in importance to holding Jade. Feeling her small sniffs and hot tears and rubbing her back in slow circles, murmuring, “It’s okay. I’m here.”

I’m not sure how much time goes by before she lifts her head to look at me with glassy, pink-tinged eyes. Her gaze dips to my neck, which is decidedly wet. “I’m sorry. I didn't mean to…”

“It’s fine.” My voice is gruff with emotion.

“I feel bad. Crying on you. Freaking out over a coffee stain. Forcing you out of your bed.” Swallowing hard, she says, “I heard you guys talking about a client apartment. Maybe I should… to give you space…”

“No.” It’s immediate. Adamant. “You’re not leaving. You’re staying here.”

“But…”

There’s no way I’m letting Jade stay alone in that apartment.

“Jade, honey. I want you here. Alright?”

Chin wobbling, she slowly nods at me. “Okay.” A pause. “If you’re sure I’m not in the way?”

I hug her to me again. “You are absolutely not in the way.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

JADE

Thank goodness Niall gave me his Kindle to use.

With a Kindle, he can’t tell I haven’t read a full page in the last ten minutes. He doesn’t know I’ve been staring at the same paragraph long enough for it to blur into unintelligible words.

If I were reading one of his many paperbacks, he’d have seen through my ruse already.

Although Niall’s supposed to be working on an equipment order, he keeps sneaking quick glances at me from his end of the couch, each time with the same narrowed gaze and worried expression. Every fifteen minutes or so, he looks over and asks if I need anything—if I’m hungry, thirsty, cold, hot, is there something else he should add to the Amazon order—and I tell him the same thing every time.

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