Page 57 of Guarding Bristol

She swallowed.“I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You did great.You’ve got one hell of a swing.Remind me never to piss you off when your bat’s nearby.”One side of his mouth kicked up in amusement, transforming him from sexy-aloof to irresistible.

The situation wasn’t remotely funny.She was still worried as hell, but an answering smile tugged at her lips anyway.Except a second later the tug inexplicably turned into a wobble.

She sucked in a breath, covered her face with her hands and squeezed her eyes shut before she fell apart, struggling to hang onto the last shred of her control.That guy had somehow tracked them down, broken in, would have killed TJ and probably her as well if they hadn’t stopped him.So presumably, when the guy didn’t check in with whoever had sent him, they would send someone else.

Don’t cry.Don’t cry.

“Hey.”Long fingers circled her wrists with warm, gentle pressure.“It’s okay now.It’s over.”

Was it?He had no way of knowing that for sure.

She sucked in a shaky breath, then another.Come on.Stay strong.You can do it.

When she was reasonably sure she had most of her composure back, she wiped the heels of her hands under her eyes, and he let go of her wrists.He was still so close, those dark eyes delving into hers in the dimness, pulling her in with an invisible magnetic force, and she was powerless to resist.

When she leaned toward him, he didn’t pull away.His heavy arms banded around her and held her tight to his chest, her cheek resting in the muscular hollow of his shoulder.The feel of all that masculine strength surrounding her was such a relief, a little shudder ripped through her.

“You’re okay,” he said in that same hypnotically calm, deep voice, his grip sure and firm.

Bristol nodded, closing her eyes and breathing him in.Focusing on the feel of him holding her and blocking everything else out.He felt amazing.Warm and solid, holding her as if he’d needed it as much as she did.She forcefully cleared her mind and drifted on the sensations, holding onto the feeling of security he gave her, even if it might actually just be an illusion.

She didn’t notice the change in him right away.The gradual tension that crept into his muscles until she finally noticed that his whole body was rigid.Confused, she opened her eyes, lifted her head to look up at him.

Her heart stuttered at the intense look on his face.The raw desire in his dark eyes that echoed inside her and made the breath catch in her throat.

A heartbeat later, he released her like she’d scalded him and stepped back, expression suddenly guarded.As if she’d only imagined what she’d just seen.

Except she knew she hadn’t imagined it.

“We need to leave,” he said brusquely.

The abrupt shift in his demeanor was like a bucket of ice water dumped over her.“Leave?To where?”

“Somewhere they can’t track us.We can’t stay here, this location’s compromised.”

It sure as hell was.“Is your handler—”

“She’s handling the situation with our intruder.Beckett and Jase are trying to find us another place nearby.”He turned away.And she wished she could turn the clock back to when she’d been cradled in his arms just moments ago.“Get your stuff together.We have to move.”

He left her standing there, confused and aching for him.For something he clearly didn’t want to give her.

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