Page 19 of Mine to Protect

He rolled to the side, pulling the covers over their naked bodies. He couldn’t take back what they’d done. And to be fair, he didn’t regret it. There was real, raw emotion between the two of them. That hadn’t changed.

But neither had the circumstances when it came to Shelby.

She draped her arm across his middle and kissed his chest. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re really good at that?”

He chuckled. “You might have mentioned it the last time we were together.” He pressed his lips to her temple. “But you’re the one who brings it out in me.”

She rolled, resting her chin on his chest. “Do you remember the first time we met?”

“Oh, yeah.” He’d never forget. “I made a complete ass of myself by trying all my best lines on you, and you flat-out told me to try them on someone else.”

“You turned your back on me and literally gave it your best shot with some bimbo who slipped you her room key,” Shelby said. “I couldn’t believe it. She’d been sitting there listening to you hit on me for an hour and was all like, ‘If she won’t fuck you, I will.’Well, no way was I letting you go off with that tramp.”

He burst out laughing. “For the record, I never would have. She wasn’t my type. But I also didn’t expect you to shove your tongue down my throat five seconds later and drag me off to your room.”

“Yeah. That was a bit unexpected and not something I would normally do.”

“I got that impression.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “I didn’t plan on us being together when I walked into your bedroom tonight. It’s obvious that we have a serious attraction for one another.”

“There’s no denying that,” she said. “But I’m not ready for this.”

“I get it.” And he did. He understood her better than he wanted to admit.

“However, I don’t want to be alone tonight, and I feel horrible asking you to stay.”

“Don’t. If I didn’t want to be right here with you, I’d leave. But I want to be with you, so I’m not going anywhere.” He rolled over and shut off the reading lap. “Now, close your eyes and try to get some sleep.”

She snuggled in behind him, holding on tightly.

He let out a slow breath.

It would be a long night.

CHAPTERFIVE

Shelby hated to admit that she’d slept like a freaking baby. Being with Rhett again hadn’t just been sexually gratifying, it had been emotionally fulfilling. She cared for Rhett. More than any other man she’d ever been with.

If she were being honest, she’d fallen in love with him five years ago, and it appeared those feelings rose to her heart like a submarine charging to the surface of the sea.

When she woke up alone, her heart had frozen. She’d thought she might have dreamt the entire experience, but then she found a sticky note on the pillow with a smiley face. He’d always been so cute with things like that.

She padded from her room to the kitchen in search of caffeine and maybe some toast. The second she opened the door, the scents of sizzling bacon and coffee assaulted her nose. And if she wasn’t mistaken, French toast.

He remembered.

“Good morning,” she managed as she approached the island in the middle of the room. She pulled up a stool and tried not to stare at Rhett as he flipped a piece of egg-soaked bread onto the griddle. He wore a dark T-shirt and a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips. He pretty much wore that every day.

Unless he was at the beach or near a pool.

He looked good in anything.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked.

“I figured you could use the sleep.” He paused in what he was doing with the breakfast food to pour her some coffee. He put in a dash of sugar and a couple of drops of cream.

Amazing that he hadn’t forgotten anything about her after five years. Most people would have. But not Rhett, and she wasn’t sure where to store that in her brain.

Or her heart.

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