Page 59 of Dreaming About Forever

“Why?” she asked, curious and thankful he was talking about something to take her mind off the pounding in her head.

“I heard you moving around, but it didn’t sound like the quiet rustling of someone just waking up.” He swallowed, and she felt the movement of his throat. “I know it’s my job to protect you, but I get this sinking fear whenever things aren’t normal.”

His chest swelled against her cheek as he paused. “I would do anything to keep you safe–would give my life for yours, and not because I signed a contract. I’m not a violent man, but I want to hurt the people who hurt you. They deserve it for making you cry.” He tightened his hold on her, squeezing her to him. “This is something I can’t chase away, and I hate that there’s something out there I can’t protect you from. I wish I could tell you to forget about what strangers on the internet think about you or that your parents don’t care about you the way they should, but I know it’s not that simple. I just wish those problems didn’t have to exist.”

She pressed her eyes closed and bit her lips between her teeth. The tears dripped onto her cheek anyway. “They really don’t have to exist. Not here. I love that about this place. As long as I’m not checking my emails or the news apps, I can almost forget that people either love me or hate me.”

They sat in silence while she listened to the beat of his heart. When the rhythm had soothed her, she sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Breathing in his comfort and strength, she whispered, “Thank you for caring about me this morning.”

“I always care about you. I just can’t let anyone know.”

The pain in her chest rivaled the panic attack. She wanted Jordan just like this all the time, but there were barriers between them.

He tightened his hold on her but didn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure how long they stayed there, but the rustling of his mom in the kitchen downstairs pulled them out of the private moment.

“I guess I’d better go see if Mom needs help,” Jordan said.

Alicia unwrapped herself from the tangled web they’d made and wiped her cheeks. “I’ll come with you. She said she’d show me how to make breakfast sausage this morning.”

“My favorite,” Jordan said with a wink.

Good grief, did the man have to be incredibly thoughtfulandridiculously attractive? It really wasn’t fair that the one man in the world she wanted was the only one she couldn’t have.

Alicia stood from where she’d been draped across his lap and pushed her hair away from her face. It was a complete mess, and no one had seen her like this in years. “I just need to freshen up a little. I’ll be right down.”

Jordan stood and made his way to the door but stopped before walking out into the hallway.

“Alicia?”

“Yeah?” Whatever he was about to ask, she would do it. He could ask her to quit her career and move to Redemption Ridge, and she’d probably do it.

That realization was both startling and thrilling.

Jordan looked around the room before leaning against the doorframe. “There’s a barn dance at Redemption Ridge Ranch this weekend. I was wondering if you’d like to go.”

“A barn dance?”

Jordan smirked. “It’s exactly like it sounds, buttercup.”

She’d been to a lot of events, but she’d never been to anything remotely close to a barn dance.

“With you?”

Good grief, she should have thought twice before asking that. She might not like his answer.

“You kinda have to go with me.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Funny. You know what I mean.”

There was a beat of silence between them, but his stare didn’t falter. “Yeah. With me.”

She let out a tense breath. Okay, that was the answer she’d wanted, but now what did she do with it?

He’d have a pile of work to do on security checks, but he obviously wasn’t bothered by that if he was asking her. “Sure. I’d like that.”

Jordan rapped his knuckles against the doorframe. “Good. I’ll see you downstairs.”

With the tension of the panic attack gone, she fell back onto the bed as soon as he disappeared around the corner. He’d been through so much–lost so much. Yet, he hadn’t laughed at her when she couldn’t control her spiraling anxiety over words on a computer screen.

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