Page 27 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

Hazel thought that was quite sentimental of him. She liked that.

Just then Evie bounded into the room in her pj’s.

“Are you ready now?” Callum stood and went to the sofa. Evie grabbed a book from the coffee table and sat right next to him.

Evie’s easy acceptance of Callum troubled Hazel. What if she got too attached and then the time to part ways came? Regardless, seeing her daughter bonding with a father figure warmed her and made her yearn to give her that all the time.

She watched as Evie tipped her head to the side to see the pages better and listened to Callum’s deep voice reading the children’s book. She could feel his affection, hear it in his animated tone. She cleaned the kitchen with a soft smile, not wanting to fall for Callum but afraid she would if he continued to befriend Evie.

Thirty minutes later, Evie’s head rested on his shoulder, her eyes closed. Callum put the book on the sofa beside him and carefully lifted the child, cradling her and standing. He looked to Hazel, who led the way to their room. She pulled back the covers and Callum laid her down. Hazel tucked her in.

Then she joined Callum at the foot of the bed. He wore an awed look, no sign of his usual tensing. Evie was working her magic on him. Hazel wasn’t sure if just any child could have done that for him. She hoped he would someday get over whatever had happened to make him decide not to protect women and children.

“She’s something,” Callum said.

“Yes. Of course, she is to me. I’m her mother.”

“She seems smart for five. Her understanding of words is really good. Advanced.”

His fondness sank into her as she sensed his genuine reaction. He sounded like a proud father. Hazel had noticed Evie was a quick learner, too.

They stood there awhile, until Hazel’s awareness of him changed. His feelings for Evie melted her, lowered her guard. An intimate connection grew out of their mutual appreciation of her daughter. Her insides reacted, sparked, and instinct nearly made her move closer. But with him she needed to be careful. She would not make the same mistake she had made with Ed.

She couldn’t look away. He lifted his hand and curled it behind her neck. Unprepared for this, she let him lean in and kiss her. His mouth pressed firmly to hers as inexplicable chemistry took over. She put her body against his as she slid her hands up his chest. With that encouragement, he turned the kiss into a flaming ball of passion, pressing harder as they added tongues to the erotic play.

Hazel could barely catch her breath as he devoured her. Callum had his hands on her back, holding her against him. He all but danced her around and guided her through the doorway, into the hallway—and away from Evie—until she came against the wall. Hazel had enough presence of mind to be thankful for that.

Now his hands were free to caress her elsewhere, and he wasted no time running them over her breasts. She had a crazy thought that making a baby with him would be wild and wonderful. He unbuttoned her blouse. Exposing her bra, he touched her again.

He worked the front clasp and once he had her bared, he stopped kissing her and lowered his head to her left nipple. Next, he lifted her off the floor to bring her more to his level, planting his mouth on her right nipple. Hazel wrapped her legs around him and gripped his head, urging him to her mouth. She wasn’t ready to stop kissing him.

Callum pressed his lips to hers and she fell into a whirlwind of torrid desire. She fumbled with his shirt, needing more than anything to have her hands on his chest—a chest she had only been able to look at up until now. Slipping her hands under the material, using the wall for support, she had to draw away to catch her breath.

As she reveled in the hard panel of muscle under smooth skin, Callum kissed her neck and jaw before taking her mouth again.

“Mommy?”

Jarred from this uncontrollable state of sexual frenzy, Hazel jerked her hands from underneath Callum’s shirt as he abruptly stepped away and her feet lowered to the floor. He stared at her, visibly stunned but his gaze still lustful.

Appalled by her behavior—just outside the room where Evie slept—Hazel put her clothes back together and rushed into the room, trying to calm her racing heart and breath.

“Yes, honey?”

Evie blinked up at her sleepily, thankfully oblivious to what had occurred in the hall. “Will you turn off the light?”

Seeing the lamp between the two queen beds was on, she bent and turned it off. Then she went to Evie and kissed her forehead. “Go back to sleep, sweetie.”

But Evie had already done so, slumbering peacefully. Hazel pulled the blankets up over her tiny shoulders and then returned to the hall, where Callum still stood. He looked much more composed now. In fact, he looked downright aloof.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yes. She just wanted the light off.” She studied him carefully. His eyes were a mask now, almost cold they were so remote. He had withdrawn. Granted, that hot encounter had shaken her to her core as well, but he seemed to have withdrawn much more than was warranted. Didn’t he marvel over how spectacular it had felt? She did. And she felt slighted that he might reduce it to something meaningless.

“Look... I’m sorry about...” Callum began.

He couldn’t even put what happened into words. Maybe he refused to, because doing so would add meaning to it.

“Good night, Callum.” Miffed, she went into her room and shut the door, wishing she could slam it. But she didn’t want to wake up Evie.

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