Page 51 of Stormswept Colorado

“A lot of people might be surprised the chief of police approves of troublemaking.”

“Well, sometimes I do. Your bravery blows me away. You stand up night after night in front of thousands of people and you show them who you are.”

“Do I? What if I don’t know who I am at all?” I couldn’t believe I’d admitted that to him. Maybe it was the quiet stillness around us, the shadowed light. And the kind things he’d said.

“All I can tell you is what I see. You are…Ayla, you’re breathtaking. No one can take that away from you.”

A small whimper escaped my lips. Why did praise from him feel so much more significant than anything I’d ever received? “Thank you.”

“I hope I don’t remind you of someone who hurt you.”

“No.” I shook my head emphatically. “You’re pretty much the exact opposite. Military guys tend to make me nervous, not going to lie. That’s been true for a long time. But I know you’re nothing like him.” Nothing like Sergeant Carpenter either.

Teller wasn’t like anyone I’d met before.

“You didn’t know that at first, though,” he said. “When we met, I was kind of an ass.”

I laughed, even though I still felt raw and vulnerable from everything I’d confessed. “I know you better now. You’re one of the good ones, aren’t you?”

“Trying to be. Every damn day.”

I dipped my head, feeling shy again. “I might even like you.”

“You like me, huh?”

“Might.”

“Well, I like you too,” he rasped. “Very much. Maybe too much.”

“How much is too much?”

“Enough that I’m not sure I trust myself.”

“I trust you.”

“I know. And I know what an incredible gift that is.Youare a gift.”

The whole SUV was probably covered with snow by now. We were in our own tiny world, just us. My breaths were shallow, taking in the scent of him with every breath. Pure masculinity.

Teller was a very attractive man, and I’d noticed that before, but suddenly I couldn’t think about anything else.

In my regular life, I was surrounded by good-looking men on a daily basis. Models and back-up dancers, movie stars and fellow musicians. But none of them ever made me respond this way. A flood of intensewantthat tightened my nipples and throbbed in my clit.

In my past, feeling small had been the same as feeling worthless. Weak. But not with him. Not even close.

Teller’s size and his sheer presence overpowered me in a whole new way. He mademefeel powerful because this strong, charismatic yet gentle man had every ounce of his attention fixed on me.

I could follow anywhere he would lead, and he’d make sure everything was alright. He would take care of me.

Tentatively, I brought my hand to his broad chest. Moved itupward to his shoulder, where I’d been massaging him earlier. “You have scars here too?”

“I do.”

“You said your scars don’t hurt. But what do they feel like?”

“The skin is desensitized now. I can still feel plenty, though.” There wasn’t anything flirtatious about how he’d said that, yet another pulse of arousal made its way down my body.

“Does it feel nice for someone to touch you there?”

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