Page 13 of Sworn to Protect

“I distinctly remember you trying.” Nate quickly reminds me, but I wave him off as he shuts the door and continues to the hallway.

“As a single mother, I’m used to doing things on my own.” Which is true. However, my skills fall short when it comes to pipes and valves. “But I know my limits and when to cave.”

A beat of silence passes as we come to a halt in front of the bathroom. Nate’s arm brushes against mine. That, along with his tall presence beside me, awakens a need deep in my core. It’s as if the air became electrified as he stares down at me. His clean scent, a fresh citrusy blend of lemon and lime, wafts around us, threatening to pull me in deeper. I dare to look up at those rich, domineering eyes.

He sucks in a breath, but his expression remains stoic. “You can’t be too cautious with who you let in.”

I wasn’t sure how to take that. Did he mean inside my house or my heart? Either one applies, though the latter one shouldn’t.

“No. I can’t.” My voice comes out almost as a whisper. I could really use that water right about now. Or maybe something stronger.

I shake off the jitters this man causes and lift the corner of my mouth into a smirk. “But the gossip birds pegged you as difficult, so that’s all the excuse I need to take up your offer.”

His mouth twitches. “Difficult, huh?”

“Not overly friendly, to be exact.”

He grunts. “That about sums it up.”

I shake my head. I get the feeling this admission does not shake him. “Well, I’ll let you get to it.”

“Shouldn’t take me too long.”

“I’ll try to keep the kids away.”

He waves me off. “That’s unnecessary. They won’t be a problem.”

I stare at him momentarily, speechless, before nodding and stepping away. I try to make myself busy, but face it. I can’t concentrate on anything as that mysterious man works in the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, Nick’s pleading eyes stare up at me as he waffles from foot to foot, concern growing with each passing moment. “Mom, I have to pee.”

I glance over at the only toilet in the house and wince. The lid lies off to the side on the floor, flanked by some black bulb thing. Nate is elbow-deep in the tank. He glances over his shoulder at me and takes in Nick’s desperation.

“He can still go. We just won’t be able to flush,” Nate says.

“No, he can go outside.”

“Mommy, I can’t go out there. The neighbors will see.”

“It’s okay, Nick, I’ve gone outside plenty of times.”

My mouth tightens at Liam’s confession. I notice Nate stifling a laugh. Smart man.

“It’s one perk of being a guy, buddy,” Nate says.

I roll my eyes, but really, Nate has a point. The advantage guys have at relieving themselves practically anywhere isn’t fair. It’s been a sore talking point since our senior year when we snuck away drinking. My boyfriend never had to worry about finding a workable bathroom. I, on the other hand, was not as fortunate. I’d end up hanging off the bumper, trying not to piss onmy shoes.

“Okay, but let’s not make this a habit.” I give Liam a stern look. “One time won’t hurt.”

I shuffle Nick out the door and find a secure, private place between two pine trees. I try not to think about the guy inside working on my plumbing, but he has a presence about him I can’t seem to shake. I know it’s wrong. He’s older than me. But by how much, I don’t know. I can tell by the way he conducts himself. The mature way he handles situations drives me to believe he’s pushing forty. Even I have to admit his ripped pecs and bulging biceps don’t reflect his age. Those sculpted abs are every bit as delicious as a younger man’s. But it’s more than his appearance that sends me to Lustville. It’s the way he goes out of his way to help. Behind that brooding guy lies a gentle bear. I snort at the cliché thought, but it’s true.

We come in from the outside, and voices carry down the hall. Nick runs toward them, but I hang back to eavesdrop on Liam.

“But why do you have to do that?” my sweet, curious boy asks.

I prepare for the irritated sigh and glib answer, but it never comes. Instead, Nate feeds into Liam’s curiosity by fully explaining how fill valves and plungers work. Liam enjoys learning. Whenever Ethan was around, Liam would drill him with questions every chance. But unlike Nate, Liam’s curiosity drove Ethan crazy. Patience wasn’t his best virtue, and he never took the time to explain anything. We lived off base, and our rented house had a postage stamp-sized yard. The mower blades had needed sharpening. A chore Ethan hated doing. Liam asked him so many questions that day.

“How can you tell when the blades need sharpening?”

---