The Guarded Widow by K M Gaffney

he’d have his best shot with her by just telling the plain truth.
    “Olivia, I need to speak with you, alone.”
    His lips threatened a grin as he continued on. “While I was waiting for you to answer the door, I noticed Maddy through the window. Since she’s here, maybe we could go for a drive and talk.”
    He watched her eyes flash angrily. Knowing the answer before she even uttered a single word, Gavin decided it was worthwhile to risk igniting her temper. So he leaned in, very close, and whispered against her ear.
    “I’m sorry about last night. Not about finally kissing you, but because of how I treated you afterwards. I was so overwhelmed by how intensely I wanted you that I behaved badly.”
    Then he tilted her chin up with his hand so he could look deep into her eyes and she saw the intense fiery gaze which had been obscured in the shadow of his baseball cap. Suddenly, Olivia was acutely aware of the fact that her anger and resolve had simply melted away.
    Gavin made immediate note of the subtle changes in her eyes and body language as her mood shifted and literally felt a wave of relief slide over him.
    Olivia heard the boys shuffling and stomping down the hallway, to see who was at the door, and with difficulty, she managed to finally drag her eyes away from his.
    “Why don’t we take a walk down the lane instead?” Gavin suggested as he greeted the boys with a wide smile and leaned over to the tousle their unruly heads of hair.
    “I need to talk to you about some information I acquired yesterday. I think it’ll best if we speak in private.”
    Olivia lifted her gaze and glanced around to find her sister curiously leaning against the wall in the foyer.
    “Maddy, I’m going for a short walk,” she stated without making eye contact with her.
    “Fine with me, take your time. I’ll keep an eye on dinner,” Maddy assured her with a brilliant smile. Grabbing her jacket from the hall closet, Olivia followed Gavin down the porch steps.
     
    They walked in silence, side by side, until they were well out of sight from the house. As she opened her mouth to ask him what he wanted to talk to her about, her words never made it out.
    I’ve waited long enough, Gavin rationalized before rapidly reaching out to bring her to him. The moment his lips brushed hers Olivia noticed the difference in the way he touched her now, versus last night. She melted as he slowly, gently moved his mouth over hers and then coaxed her lips open with his tongue.
    How can he do this to me? Scatter my thoughts so quickly, she wondered, reaching for him.
    Gavin turned his lips from hers, brushing them softly over her cheekbone, they came to rest in her hair. What is this woman doing to me? He wondered, swearing that he’d literally felt his heart quiver inside his chest.
    “Olivia,” he murmured with a sigh, drawing in the scent of her hair and playing with the curling tendrils which had slipped from her loose pony tail.
    Oh no, I’m in trouble, Olivia silently admitted and pulled back to look up into his arresting blue eyes.
    “Is that your way of making sure I’m compliant when you speak with me, Officer Rafferty?”
    His smile was charming as he drawled out, “I do find this works well, from time to time, on strong willed women.”
    Even as he responded to her in jest, she noted a flicker of change occur in his eyes. Only she didn’t know him well enough yet, to recognize it as regret.
    He didn’t want to talk to her about the suspicious criminal activity associated with her late husband or have to ask her questions which would undoubtedly be uncomfortable for her to answer. Not now. Not when she was looking up at him in a way that made him want to lap her up.
    Shifting her to his side, he desperately wished he could shield her from the impending conversation. I’m going to protect Olivia and her boys, he vowed silently. Then lifted her hand to comfortingly hold it within his own and brushed a soft feathery kiss over her