Page 14 of Fearless Protector

A man like Nick could never understand her and her past. He’d been so clear on just how much his family meant to him, how loyalty was a credo he’d tattoo on his muscular body if he had to. The O’Malleys were gritty... and fighters... but they were in it together. Something she couldn’t relate to.

So if she rolled over, faced him, and placed a hand on his scruffy cheek, she’d be starting something that couldn’t possibly end well. Lighting a firework that might sail high into the sky but ultimately burst and burn out. Maybe even set a few things on fire that she wouldn’t be able to extinguish. Nick was going to go back to Boston. He was going to be a brother and a friend and all the things he was good at. Cleo would go to Portland and work hard for the Kinross family. Continue to pour herself into the career that fed her soul. Not because it was life-affirming but because it reinforced what she believed. There was right and there was wrong. The law gave a clear path on every issue. There was no debate over what to do. It was all there in black and white.

There was no law guiding her this morning though. Just the gut instinct that rolling over and kissing Nick would start something she wouldn’t have the power to stop. It was better to show restraint and to ignore her most basic instincts.

“You awake?” he finally whispered, and she pretended not to be at least for another moment or two.

“Hm?” she cooed. “Oh, yeah. I’m up now.”

Nick pulled his arm off of her and stretched with a groan. “I can sleep through all sorts of city noises, but these damn birds are putting on a concert out there.”

“I don’t think you and I are built for nature.”

“So you grew up in the city too?” He was chuckling before she could even argue. “What city exactly?”

“Lots of different cities,” she answered as she rolled out of bed and peered out the curtains to the river. “That water is beautiful. It makes me wish I did like nature.”

“You moved around a lot.” He sat up and snapped his fingers. “A military brat. Of course, how could I miss that? You love order. You know how to handle a weapon. Your father was in the military.”

Cleo was allowing him to chip away at the walls she’d put up. “Why do you assume it was my father? My mother could have been military. You know women serve in the military too.”

“Damn,” he slapped his hand to his forehead. “I really do try to be an ally, but I’m part of the problem most of the time. Right, it could have been your mother.”

“Well, it was my father.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere. So you moved around the country a lot.”

“The world.”

“I knew you were worldly. You have that look about you.”

“You’ve been guessing literally everything about me for the last month, and you’ve been mostly wrong. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Don’t pat yourself on the back too much.”

He shrugged, still looking proud of himself. “I’m going to shower. I have a feeling the water pressure in this place is going to leave something to be desired.”

“In the light of day,” she said coolly as she ran her hand over the wood logs that made up the wall. “I actually think it’s really charming.”

“You’re only saying that because we’re leaving.”

“You haven’t changed your mind on this getaway?”

“Not even a little. We’ve got nothing to do but wait around for DNA results. I’m getting out of here, and you’re coming with me. I need to know more about this military brat existence you had.”

“You’ve got all that you’re going to get out of me. Curiosity killed the cat. You know that, right?”

“Is that a veiled threat?”

“I’m sorry,” she hummed. “Did that threat sound veiled? I meant it to be direct. Don’t dig around for things when you won’t be happy with what you find.”

“Look at you,” he said, impressed with the harsh glare she was giving him. “I like it. The dark and twisted past is really going to shock me?”

“We’ll never find out because I don’t plan to tell you.”

“Plans are tricky things.”

“So are poorly planned road trips. Go take your shower. I’m going to be googling all the gas stations in every direction. We need to make a stop for supplies too.”

“Fine,” he shrugged as he headed for the small bathroom. “I’m down for a compromise. As long as I’ve got this town in my rearview mirror for a couple of days, I’ll be happy. We have a nice rental car and a company credit card. Brian texted last night. He insisted we do this. He’s feeling guilty as hell for keeping us here any longer. Here.” He tossed her his phone.

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