Page 11 of Silver Hills' Christmas Miracle

“Fuck,” I breathed out in relief. “Why did they crash down the door?”

“Because I didn’t answer my phone quickly enough. I fell asleep.”

I eyed Rook, and a small smile crept over my face. “You fell asleep.”

He raised one brow. “I guess last night had that effect on me,” he teased in a low voice, but there was warm affection in his eyes.That was possibly the first time I’d ever been able to read his look. “Get dressed.”

Then he was gone and I was left alone with my thoughts.

Last night really happened.

It really fucking happened.

Smiling to myself, I slid from the bed and bit back a moan as all the muscles at my core pulled tight. It had been such a gamble to tease Rook like that, and I’d expected him to remain as stoic as ever. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he'd simply handed my bra back to me and went to bed.

Instead, he joined me in the shower. It had felt so dreamlike that waking up with him next to me merely felt like an extension of the fantasy. Instead, it was real. And he still looked me in the eye.

As I dressed, my thoughts ran rampant, replaying the shower sex. He had felt so fucking good, and the excitement of being with him had been erotic enough to turn me on so fast that it had teetered on painful. Never have I hungered for someone the way I hungered for him, and his reaction had to mean he felt the same.

Why else would he risk his job, riskeverythingjust for a quick fuck?

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but he was interested in me. He had to be.

I combed my fingers through my hair, spent a quick five minutes in the bathroom, and then wandered into the lounge. It was now heaving with members of my father’s security team led by Anders, who immediately looked me up and down.

“Miss Morgan, are you alright?”

I glanced at Rook who stood nearby. He was back to looking utterly unreadable even when our eyes met.

“Yes,” I replied to Anders. “I’m fine. Rook did an excellent job of taking care of me last night.”

Even that comment didn’t elicit a reaction from Rook. He really was a master of playing it cool.

“We apprehended the man who assaulted you in the grocery store, and your father has already pressed charges,” Anders explained. “It’s safe to take you home now.”

“Wait, pressed charges?” All thoughts of Rook and our amazing sex faded from my mind as my reality returned like a cold slap in the face. “Why? He didn’t hurt me.”

“He threatened you, ma’am,” Anders replied stiffly.

“Yes, because he was upset and scared. His business is crumbling and he needed to lash out at someone. I don’t blame him for that!” Yes, what he did was scary in the moment and he had dark intent. I was aware of that. But I also understood that he was in pain. He was like all the other people I was fighting for who faced losing their future when this town died.

“That doesn’t excuse his actions,” Anders replied, and he swept one arm out toward the door. “I suggest if you have strong feelings on the matter, you should take it up with your father.”

“Oh, I will,” I snapped, quickly growing infuriated by Anders’ know-it-all approach. Deep down, I knew he was just doing his job and following the protocols put in place by my father, but it made me feel odd when I thought about that man ending up in prison.

“Shall we go, then?” Anders asked.

“Fine.” I stormed past one of the security guards and hurried outside as Rook faded into the background once more. I would talk to him later, but first, I needed to tear into my father.

“He was scared!” I slammed both my hands down on my father’s desk. “I’m not excusing what he did, but arresting him?Charging him? How does that fix anything when there are a hundred other people like him in this town?”

“Kitty, please try not to be so dramatic.” My father sat before me dressed in a silver suit. “He is a criminal, and criminals are dealt with by the law, not me.”

“But it’s your choice to press charges.”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t.” Dad lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at me. “Someone tries to harm my daughter, and you think I will sit back and let that happen? Don’t be so ridiculous.”

“He is losing his business because of you! Because your construction buddies don’t care about the waste they’re churning into the water to create that stupid highway or the ecosystems they’re destroying to make way for their trucks and camps. He’s a desperate man. I’m not saying he shouldn’t be punished, but if I’m the victim here, then let me decide.”

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