Page 48 of A Pen Pal for Christmas

I shifted in the armchair I’d claimed as my bed for the night, trying to get comfortable, but the ache in my shoulders wasn’t from the chair.

I’d been trained to handle high-pressure situations. Combat, disasters, even the intensity of recruiting duty. But none of that compared to the feeling of watching Sofia fall apart tonight. Seeing the fear in her eyes had sparked something primal in me—something that made me want to burn the whole world down until she felt safe again.

And that scared me more than I wanted to admit.

I scrubbed a hand over my face, exhaling quietly so I wouldn’t wake her. How had I let it get to this point? Weeks ago, she’d been a stranger—a name I recognized as Tommy’s sister. Now, I couldn’t think about her without this knot forming in my chest. Protecting her wasn’t just about doing the right thing. It was personal.

Too personal.

My eyes drifted to the faint outline of the letter she’d folded and placed on the nightstand. The words she’d written to Dane all those years ago were a painful reminder of everything she’d been through—and everything she was still facing. Dane wasn’t just a mistake in her past; he was a shadow creeping into her present. And now, whoever he’d been arguing with in town had added a new layer of danger.

Had Dane done the break-in himself, or had he hired that guy to do it for him, and that was what they’d been discussing?

I leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling. It wasn’t just her safety that had me tied in knots. It was the way she’d looked at me earlier—so vulnerable, so open. The way she’d let go of her fear long enough to kiss me. Like she trusted me completely, even after everything she’d been through.

Was it wrong of me to kiss her after she’d gone through something like this? I wasn’t sure. In the moment, letting herlead the way felt like the right thing—and no part of me wanted to tell her what she was and wasn’t ready for when it came to what she did with her own mouth.

But still, on the edges of my mind, I knew I had to stay realistic. If Sofia woke up and told me that kiss was some kind of trauma-response and she didn’t want to do it again, I’d respect that. Even if it would crush me.

A soft sound drew my attention, and I glanced over to see her shift slightly in her sleep. Her brow furrowed for a moment, and I wondered if she was dreaming about tonight—or worse, about Dane.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees as I watched her settle again. Whatever it took, I’d make sure she was safe. From Dane, from the man in the grocery store parking lot, from anyone who thought they could hurt her.

Because somewhere along the way, protecting Sofia had become more than just a promise. It had become my purpose.

CHAPTER 17

Sofia

I woke up slowly,the haze of sleep thick and clinging, like it didn’t want to let me go. My body felt heavy, my mind even more so, and it took me a moment to remember where I was. The faint scent of something woodsy—something veryHudson—lingered in the air.

His room.

The memory of the night before came rushing back in pieces: the break-in, the panic, Hudson’s steady hands pulling me through the worst of it.

And then… the kiss.

My lips tingled at the thought, and I lifted my fingers to them, brushing the tips lightly over the spot where his had been. My eyes drifted shut again, not to sleep but to relive it. That kiss hadn’t just made me forget the fear and the mess Dane had left behind—it had obliterated every trace of him in my mind, at least for those few moments.

And the way Hudson had looked at me before he kissed me? It was like I was something precious. Something worth cherishing and protecting, and while it struck me that it shouldn’t have been the first time I’d seen that look on a man’sface considering how much of my heart I’d given away in the past, it was.

It was a first, and it was epic, and I’d loved it.

And yet… there was still that nagging fear. Opening myself up to someone again felt like inviting disaster. Sure, Hudson seemed solid, but could I trust my instincts after being so wrong in the past?

A soft sound pulled me out of my thoughts—the rush of water. My eyes flicked to the bathroom door, where steam curled through the narrow crack he’d left. I smiled to myself, wondering if he’d left it open on purpose so he could hear me if I needed him. It was such a small thing, but the idea made warmth bloom in my chest.

And then my brain caught up to the fact that Hudson was in the shower, and I immediately regretted following that thought. I squeezed my eyes shut and covered my face with both hands, feeling the heat creeping up my cheeks. I told myself to get a grip, but the mental image had already taken root, and I groaned into my palms.

Lowering my hands, I sat up. My body felt stiff, like the weight of the night before hadn’t fully left me, but at least my mind was a little clearer. The sound of the water reminded me that Hudson was real, that he was here, and that last night wasn’t just some bizarre stress dream.

It also reminded me that I had no idea where to go from here. Did he regret the kiss? Would he want to talk about it—or act like it never happened?

I glanced back at the bathroom door, half hoping he’d come out and save me from my own thoughts, half hoping he’d stay in there for a long time so I could get ahold of myself before he came out.

But then the sound of the water stopped, and it left an oddly loud silence in its wake before the shower curtain grated against the metal bar, followed by the rustling of his towel.

My eyes darted to the bathroom door just as it cracked open wider, and Hudson’s head popped out. His dark hair was wet, and water dripped onto his shoulders. Shoulders that were, for the record, very bare.

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