Page 74 of Billionaire Protector

Never had a punch felt so good. The brute had attacked first, in what was officially assault. Which meant – it was now self-defense. The man was lucky for Cole’s iron-control because although the blow brought him teetering to his knees, he refrained from breaking his nose, knocking him out or sending him flying to the moon. But if it happened again… “Don’t touch, talk or look in her general direction.” Cole’s command was deceptively quiet, and all the more powerful for it. “Or I will not hold back.”

The drunkard sputtered a hundred apologies. Two security guards dashed forward, and after a quick explanation from Cole (along with a flash of his badge) they led the man out. Cole gripped Sarah’s hand. “Let’s go.”

“Wait a second.” The vendor ran to them, holding the ring of red roses. “Here’s your prize.”

“I didn’t win,” Cole voice emerged harsh. He forcibly softened it. “I didn’t even play.”

The vendor pushed the flowers into his hands. “Jerry’s been scaring away my clients all day. You’ve more than proved your strength.”

“Thank you.” Cole turned to Sarah, frowned at her pale countenance. She hadn’t said a word since the incident. Now she watched silently as he placed the rose crown on her silky tresses, ruby red brilliance on midnight-black locks. She remained quiet as he took her hand and led her away, as they treaded over the fragrant ground. So did he, for all the words were gone, save for the echo of the past. Of course, he couldn’t blame her.

He had, after all, declared her his.

CHAPTER 15

Sarah Sloan’s Review

Cole Carter’s Shocking Declaration:Unfathomable Stars

Cole said I belonged to him. Does he actually believe it? Or were they just empty words, given in the heat of the moment? The former seems impossible, the latter likely, and yet he gazed at me like an apex predator.

Did Cole Cart just claim me?

He thought of her as his.

Preposterous. Unbelievable. Unreal.

And yet, a fact.

Sarah wandered through the fair, watching and yet not really seeing. The muscular man next to her usurped her thoughts, senses and moments, seizing all attention. With his choice of a princess dress (was that really how he saw her?) he’d astonished her once and then again. She’d never seen such controlled power as when he’d defended her to that drunken thug, like a knightprotecting his queen. Of course, that paled compared to the most shocking revelation of all:

He’d claimed she was his.

He hadn’t been kidding when he said the words so somberly, so darkly, to the man who’d attacked her. And then he’d captured her, staking his claim. What did he think was between them?

Whatwasbetween them?

And did she feel the same way? As they strolled through fantastical grounds, nearly every female turned to the would-be king in their midst. Cole commanded a presence like no other, a power that drew attention wherever he went. It was obvious in Harmony Creek, and even more so here, where most people were strangers. And if she were honest, she wanted to tell the women to back away because he belonged to her, too.

Not good.She couldn’t, wouldn’t and shouldn’t be thinking such impossibilities. Cole wasn’t hers, and she certainly wasn’t his, no matter what he thought. She would get through the day, return home and remind herself of all the reasons they couldn’t be together. Now she needed to find some (non-suggestive) entertainment to keep them occupied.

She opened the program and right away dismissed Wenches in Mud, Suggestive Sword Play and Bawdy Ballads. They passed a stage with curly-haired teenage girls dancing to a lively Irish tune, Miss Coleen’s Celtic dancers.Perfect.“How about we stop here?” She pointed to the rows of wrapped hay doubling as seats. “They’re pretty good.”

Cole nodded and sat down next to her. The uneven seating made her fall closer to him (or at least gave her an excuse when she may have purposefully fallen into him). The girls’ skill and lively music made for an enjoyable show, and soon she was swaying along to the Celtic tune. Unfortunately, it didn’t lastlong, and minutes later, the beaming girls took their final bow to a standing ovation.

“That was fun.” Sarah stood up, wiping a few strands of excess hay from her dress. “Let’s find something else.”

Cole studied the program. “Another show is starting in a few minutes. Why don’t we wait here?”

Sarah glanced at the brochure. The next act was the Angel Musicians, a quartet consisting of a harpist, cellist, pianist and singer. Once again, a perfect match for their innocent afternoon. “Sounds great.” Only as the new performers started arriving and ascending the stage, something didn’t seem quite right. “Hey, Cole?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you ever seen a cellist in a pirate costume?”

“No.” He tilted his head. “I’ve never seen a harpist with a parrot on his shoulder, either.”

“Good afternoon, lords and ladies,” a beefy pirate with an eyepatch, striped shirt and carpet-thick black beard boomed. “I know you guys were expecting the Angel Musicians, but there was a little issue with the harpist during the last Mud Show. And, no, you don’t want to know.”

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