Page 40 of Her Redeemed Protector

“How wonderful!” I say, my heart lifting, reflecting the joy of new life.

For a moment, the conversation lulls, and we find ourselves adrift in a sea of unspoken thoughts about beginnings and family, the clinking of cutlery against plates the only sound that fills the room.

Dad continues the conversation, “Red Mark agents seem like a tight group.”

“Without question,” Huxley replies. “We’re a tight-knit brotherhood, with no room for anyone who doesn’t hold their weight.”

“No room for assholes then?” Dad quips.

“Absolutely not,” Hux affirms.

Post-dinner, over glasses of rich port, Dad announces his retreat. “I’m turning in.”

“Night, Dad,” I call after him.

“Leave the dishes. I’ll tackle them in the morning,” he offers, already halfway out of the room.

“No need, we’ve got this,” I reply, my words slipping out before I can catch them, ‘we’ implying Huxley’s inclusion in the domestic fold rather than as our guest. He doesn’t balk at the assumption.

Together, we clear the table in comfortable silence.

“It was good of you to come by,” I say, the suds from the dishwater creating a miniature barrier between us.

“To be honest, I wasn’t ready to head back to an empty place,” he confesses, his voice open.

My mind ignites with reactions that sparkle like Christmas lights, and I offer impulsively, “Why don’t you stay the night?”

Hesitation flickers across his features. “Uh… I’m not sure that’s?—”

I backtrack slightly, trying to temper my forwardness. “I meant the couch is available,” I clarify, although that wasn’t my initial implication.

There’s a pause before he finds his voice again. “Actually, I was… I’ve been meaning to ask you out.”

My pulse races, though I try to maintain a semblance of calm. My answer is swift, nonetheless. “I’d really like that.”

“Yeah?” His surprise is genuine.

I laugh, light and easy. “Rancher to rancher, let’s keep it simple.”

His laughter joins mine, and I find his fingers wrapping around my palm, engulfing it. His touch is so warm it’s as if I’m wearing a woolen glove. What do they say about men with long fingers?

Clearly, my man-starved brain fails to keep it simple.

But this is no ordinary lover’s touch. There’s a sincerity in it that speaks louder than words. He guides his hand to the small of my back, pulling me in and then keeping me in place. Our eyes lock, and something unspoken and electric passes between us. In his gentlemanly style, he dips his head, meeting my lips so I don’t have to do anything but receive his gift.

The contact undoes me, prompting me to do more than welcome him. I’m on the offense, channeling my passion through every press and twirl, and he responds to me by matching my intensity, letting his need show.

As it grows wilder, the kiss is a revelation. How had I ever thought I could be content before this? How could I have managed without the astonishing warmth of this man, who feels less like a miracle and more like coming home?

“You sure about the couch?” he murmurs. Our lips have barely left each other.

“I’m…” My voice trails off, the words caught in the sudden intensity of the moment. “Let’s… talk upstairs,” I manage to say, my gaze locked on his.

He nods, and we both make our way toward the stairs, the wooden steps creaking beneath our feet. Each thud seems to serve as a slow and steady countdown to surrender.

Finally, we reach the top, and the hallway is bathed in the faint glow of the nightlight, a detail that had never caught my notice before. Pausing at the door to my bedroom, I hesitate, my hand hovering over the doorknob. I turn to face Huxley, searching his eyes and seeing a reflection of my own tangled emotions.

With a step forward, he closes the distance between us, and we are separated only by a whisper. My back presses against the solid wood of my door. I have nowhere to escape as Huxley kisses me once more. It’s a collision charged withimpatience and adoration, leaving me feeling treasured and alive. The sight, smell, and sound of this stunningly handsome man, who is impeccable inside and out, awakens a sense of urgency that surpasses any I’ve felt before.

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