Page 21 of Fergus

“The doors open out onto the balcony, but it’s a little cool still.” Fergus stepped toward the top of the bed and removed all the throw pillows before placing them on the chair near the window. “If you give me your pillowcase, I’ll wash and dry it while you’re resting.”

Tears stung Thea's eyes at his thoughtfulness in recognizing she might have an aversion to cuddling up to something that had been in her stalker’s possession. She couldn’t remember anyone else ever being this thoughtful about her feelings.

“There’s no reason to cry.” Fergus gently wiped away a single tear after it had escaped her lashes and fallen down her cheek. “From now on, I’m going to be the person protecting you.”

“I thought that was Declan.”

Fergus smiled slightly. “He might be head of the team, but I’m one of the owners of the company. Which means he answers to me,” he grated. “I don’t intend to leave your side again until this situation has been settled.”

A statement that immediately caused Thea to begin crying in earnest. She had been on her own for most of her life, it seemed, with only herself to rely on. Certainly for the past ten years, her mother never having forgiven her for threatening to expose her machinations toward Fergus.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Fergus enfolded her into the warmth of his arms to hold her against his chest. “I’m here now.”

Thea only wished that were true. But she knew it wasn’t, not in the way she wanted after those sensual kisses they had shared earlier.

But her whole life had been one of concessions and accommodation, usually in the other person’s favor. Accepting what Fergus had to give, for however long he wanted to give it, would just be one more compromise she’d make in a long line of them.

Although Thea had a feeling that eventually having to walk away from him was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done.

CHAPTERSEVEN

Thea cameto a halt at the bottom of the stairs when she heard the sound of voices. Which, considering the digital clock on the nightstand beside the four-poster in her bedroom indicated it was after midnight, seemed an unusual time for Fergus to be having a visitor.

Unless Fergus had been lying and hedidhave a girlfriend after all?

One who had arrived to spend the night after Thea had gone to bed?

She had managed to sleep this afternoon after taking the first painkiller, waking up in time to eat the dinner of steak and salad Fergus had prepared.

He was a good cook, the steak juicy and perfectly grilled, the salad having a mustard dressing that he told her he had made himself.

There was something very sexy about a man who enjoyed cooking, for himself as well as guests.

After Thea had complimented him on the meal, their conversation had become… Stilted was probably the best way of describing their discussion of the attractions of Paris.

Neither of them seemed inclined to talk about what had happened earlier. Thea was avoiding it because Fergus was, not because she regretted it.

Kissing Fergus had been the single most erotic experience of her life. Creating a fierce need that had almost burned out of control.

But Fergus’s distant behavior during dinner told her it wasn’t going to happen again anytime soon.

She had made her excuses and gone back up to her bedroom shortly after they had eaten. She’d showered before going back to bed and finally falling into a fitful sleep. Only to wake up again a couple of hours later, unable to return to that disturbed slumber.

Coming downstairs in search of a glass of water, she hadn’t expected to hear Fergus in conversation with someone.

Thea slowly walked in the direction of those voices, realizing as she drew nearer, and the voices became louder, that they were both male.

Not a girlfriend, then.

Then who?—

“Mag, will you shut up and just listen to me! You don’t seem to be appreciating the importance of what I’m saying.”

“I accept it’s important to you.”

“Because I feel as if I’m losing my fucking mind! I have to be to have kissed the daughter of the woman who once tried to blackmail me into marrying her or paying her off.”

The harshness of his tone and the truth of his words made Thea wince.

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