Page 44 of Mine to Protect

He laughed that rich, deep rumble of his that landed in the center of her gut and filled her insides like the warm sun coated her skin.

“I found your fears endearing. And you’re not alone. Being frightened is a healthy thing.”

“You don’t seem to have any fear.”

He cleared his throat. “I have plenty and I’m looking at one of them.”

She pointed at the center of her chest. The blood from her heart pumped faster. “Me? Why on earth would I scare you?”

He inched even closer. “Because when I’m with you, I tell myself that I’m not going to do certain things. Like this.” He pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her softly. It wasn’t a powerful kiss, or even a passionate one.

However, she found herself gripping his shoulders for support.

“I lose all control when I’m with you, and that’s frightening.” He leaned back. His chest heaved up and down as he breathed deeply. “That’s not a feeling I welcome.”

“You make it sound like you don’t enjoy being with me.” Shit. What a stupid, immature thing to say when she wasn’t even sureshewanted to be withhim. Loving him wasn’t the issue. Of course, that was still crazy. She’d written in her diaries that she loved the idea of him but that she couldn’t be sure she really loved him.

Or could she?

“Au contraire.” He smiled, batting her nose. “Being around you is like taking a breath. It’s easy. It’s natural. And it’s necessary. But it’s so much more because my heart races, and my blood turns hot, and it becomes hard to take a deep breath.” He patted his chest. “It hurts right here, and suddenly I don’t know which end is up. I don’t know if I’m coming or going. But what scares me the most is that I want that feeling to level off. I don’t want it to be the rush I get when I jump from a plane or swim with sharks. I want it to be constant, and that’s a frightening place for me to be.”

She opened her mouth, but no words slipped out. Her tongue grew thick and heavy. She tried to swallow, but her muscles wouldn’t cooperate. She couldn’t relate to his analogy. She’d never been a thrill-seeker, except for maybe those three weeks in Key West.

Rhett had been following some guy, and the man had gone on one excursion after another. Shelby went with Rhett, not only because he asked and she wanted to spend time with him, but because doing those wild and crazy things made her heart beat a little faster.

She’d felt alive for the first time in her life.

For years, she’d only existed.

Even though she was utterly terrified for Chris and Jackie, sitting on this sofa, she realized that it wasn’t only the thrill-seeking adventures that’d created those sensations.

It was Rhett.

She knew that because her blood had pumped through her system differently ever since she’d laid eyes on him again. It was a heightened awareness of self and her surroundings.

It did feel as though she was a bit out of control. However, that could be because of the situation.

Or maybe because she fought her feelings.

“Can I ask you something?” She wanted to trust her emotions and believe that she and Rhett had half a chance.

“Sure.” He leaned forward and grabbed his wine glass, but he didn’t scoot away. He remained close, with his knee pressed against hers.

“Have you had a serious relationship since we saw each other in Key West?”

“No,” he said rather quickly. “When I came back, I knew I needed some time alone. I didn’t date anyone, not even for sex, for maybe fifteen months or so.”

“You love sex.” Her cheeks heated, remembering how insatiable he’d been, and how she hadn’t wanted to deny him. She’d never known how boring her sex life was until she met Rhett. And when she started dating again after Key West, she fell right back into what her father had called the accounting type of guy.

He’d always teased her about her taste in men. He called them safe, and her father was right. She picked guys that were reliable but not very exciting. And she got bored.

Rhett brought his hand to his forehead and chuckled. “You make it sound like I’m a horndog.”

“I’m just saying that you liked starting your day with it, and often wanted to end it the same way.”

“Only because I was spending time with the sexiest girl in the world.” He leaned in and kissed her neck, right under her earlobe.

She shivered.

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