Page 64 of Sheltered By Love

“He’s a volunteer firefighter too. But for coin he teaches surfing to Flatlanders or helps Jax out, and occasionally he helps us all out.”

“Doing what?”

I spread my hands. “This sort of thing. But Levi’s more interested in women than in a career.”

A wry smile flickers on her lips. Lips I’m staring at way too much. “I gathered that.”

My back stiffens as a wind gust makes the window shake. “He didn’t try anything?”

Her eyes shift from the window back to me. “He didn’t kiss me if that’s what you mean.”

That burns. If Jax or Garrett had been stuck here with her, there’s no way they would have messed up so badly.

“You were having a panic attack. I was trying to help. If you’d been a guy I would have hit you.”

She barks a laugh. “That’s your solution? Sex or violence?”

I shake my head. “Who said anything about sex?” I mutter.

I don’t know if I’m trying to convince myself or her. My instinct to try to calm her down may have been right, but I’m not so sure what my motives were.

She knows it. I know it.

And even if she doesn’t say a word, Garrett’s astute enough to figure it out sooner or later.

I’m done talking about this, talking about it will only make it worse, after screwing up so bad my best option is avoidance.

“If you’re going to be in here, I’ll get the fire going, make us a sandwich then head upstairs.”

Her face creases into a frown. “To sit in the dark and freeze while you stare out the window.”

I shrug my shoulders. “That’s what I’m here for.”

She glances at the window and then at the other seat in the room. A high-backed chair with a view of the street.

“You could bring your laptop in here. Where it’s going to be warm.”

I start to shake my head but as another wind gust batters the house, her face tenses. “This is ridiculous. We kissed. Why does it have to be such a big deal? No one got hurt.”

There is a possibility she’s scared. Wouldn’t be the first time someone from away was. After a while, the winds can drive the sanest man crazy.

“Yet,” I say.

“Is that what you believe? I’ll hurt you?”

“Or vice versa. Doesn’t really matter. The outcome would be the same.”

Her eyes stay on me, but her face tightens. “You really think that little of people? Or is it just me?”

I take my time answering, using the increasing gales to stall before I give her my answer so quietly she won’t hear.

“Just people who aren’t honest,” I say.

Felicity

With the wind increasing, it’s now impossible to speak, making it even harder to find a distraction.

Not for the first time since moving here, I’m wondering what on earth I’ve gotten myself into.

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