Page 47 of Mine to Protect

She wrapped her arms around him and let her lips do the talking. The kiss was soft and tender. It was different than anything she’d ever experienced with him. It was more sensual. More loving. While it carried the same promise of what was to come, it had so much more attached to it.

“Follow me,” he whispered in a raspy voice.

“Where are we going?”

He didn’t answer.

Her heart hammered in her chest as he tugged her through the kitchen.

“I thought we’d take this into the master.”

“I’ve never seen your room.”

“You didn’t even peek when you had the place to yourself?” He pushed open the door and let her go first.

“That would have felt like an invasion of your personal space.”

“I hope you never feel that way here again.”

Her breath left her lungs as she stared at a king-size bed pushed against the far wall. A couple of throw pillows with boat-themed decor were tossed about over a navy-blue comforter. He had a chair in one corner that faced doors that opened to the pool deck, where he had a perfect view of the hot tub.

“This is amazing.”

“One of the reasons I bought the place.” He tossed the pillows to the side and pulled down the covers.

She stared out at the blue pool lights dancing in the water.

“The first night I slept here, I thought about you as I was dozing off.” He inched closer to her, toying with the hem of her shirt.

All her fears, every single one, floated from her gut like a big white puffy cloud. They were no longer heavy storms that weighed her down. They were still there, but he helped her take them, compartmentalize them, and put them where they belonged.

She didn’t have to take on everyone’s problems all the time. It was okay for her to have her own life. Her own world.

And it was okay to enjoy it.

She rested her hands on his shoulders. “Flattery isn’t necessary. I’m going to get naked and climb into that bed with you.”

“It’s not about that.” He took her chin with his thumb and forefinger, brushing his lips like a feather over hers, never taking his gaze from her eyes. “I lay in that bed, wondering if you had a boyfriend or if you were married. I thought maybe it was time to reach out and see where you were in life.”

For a brief moment, it felt like her heart had stopped beating. She had done for others her entire life. She always put herself second while attending to the needs of her family. For the most part, she had no regrets. She felt good about being there for her father. She’d had precious time with him in his final days, and she wouldn’t trade that for anything.

“I want you to know that when I bought this house, all I could see was you in it. And now that you’re here, I don’t want you to leave. I know this sounds crazy, but when this thing with your brother is over, I want to give us a real chance. I don’t want to date you casually. I want to be in a relationship with you. I let you walk out of my life once. I have no intention of letting that happen again.”

The words she wanted to say were stuck in the past and she couldn’t pull them into the present. She searched his deep, intense eyes and saw no hesitation. He was all-in, and she loved him for that confidence.

She wished she had it.

She needed time to make peace with all the hours and days she’d spent wondering and fantasizing about him so she could turn those dreams into realities.

And that started tonight.

The only way she knew how to answer him right now was with a passionate kiss. She was absolutely willing to give them a chance. But she didn’t know what that looked like, and she couldn’t think about it until after all this business with her brother and Jackie was cleared up.

“I take it that’s a yes,” he whispered in her ear as he lifted her shirt.

She took a step back, removing her top and tossing it across the room. She unhooked her bra and let it drop to the floor. “This will sound like a contradiction since I’m going to take off my pants now, but we need to take things slow.”

He chuckled. “We’re past that in the bedroom. But I understand, and I agree.”

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