him curled
behind her, his arm wrapped around her waist. Peace fills her body as she snuggles
against him, welcoming his warmth and protectiveness.
As she drifts off, a faraway voice
whispers in her ear, “I love you, Shae.”
Her eyes fly open. Familiar panic fills
her chest. He may think he loves her, but she needs to protect her heart.
Waiting for his breath to slow with sleep, she plans her escape.
* * * *
In the dim morning light, Nick squints,
trying to make out the numbers on the clock. 8:02
He smiles to himself as his head falls
back against the pillow. He never sleeps this late. Because he’s never had a
woman like Shae lying next to him, warming his bed with something more than
sex. Ignoring the throbbing of his groin from thinking about her delicate
softness pressed against him, he reaches for her, but all his fingers caress is
the cold sheet.
Sitting up, he scans across the sitting
area, wet bar, and fireplace. The room is as empty as his bed. Her dress and
shoes are gone. The improvised nightgown lies folded neatly on the bedside
table. Bringing the T-shirt to his face, his heart constricts at the smell of
her light, flowery scent.
He jumps out of bed and jogs down the
stairs, taking them two at a time. Only silence greets him as he races through
the foyer. “Shae?”
In the kitchen, Max looks up from pouring
whey powder into the blender for a protein shake. “She left about three hours
ago. Marta took her home.”
“Fucking shit!” Nick drives his hand
through his hair at the realization she still doesn’t trust him, at the
disappointment she’d rather sneak away than give him a chance. “Why the fuck
didn’t you wake me up?”
Max chuckles and shakes his head.
“Because she asked me not to.”
His head throbs from clenching his jaw so
tightly. He spits out the words through gritted teeth, “Now you’re taking
orders from her? Who the fuck do you work for?”
“Right now, I wish it was her, you stupid
fuck.” Tossing the measuring cup back into the canister, Max rolls his neck
before looking at him. “What the fuck did you expect me to do? I find a scared
woman alone in the living room who’s freaking out and wants to leave. You
really think it would be a good idea to force her to stay while I get your ass
out of bed? I knew Marta would be going to six o’clock mass, so I asked her to
take Shae home.”
The muscles contracting in his neck
release. Max is right, and he’s a fucking dick. “Good move.”
“You’re welcome.”
Nick puts his fists to his eyes. “Why
does she keep doing this? Why does she keep running from me?”
“I don’t know. But from what I’ve seen,
she’s the kind of woman worth chasing. You need to find out what’s scaring her
and fix it.”
“I’m trying, Max. I’m really fucking
trying.”
Nick grabs his phone from the counter
before heading into his office. His mind races as he drops into his desk chair.
Last night was perfect. Never once did she seem anything but happy. A little
timid in the bedroom. His groin tightens at the thought of her wearing only
that silver bra and tiny panties. Well okay, maybe a lot timid. Unlike any of
the other women he’s had in there. Different from any woman he’s ever known.
Exactly why he wants her, no matter how long he has to wait for her to believe
it.
He takes a deep breath and types on the
screen.
Hi.
Her response is almost instantaneous.
Hi.
The taut
muscles in his chest relax. She’s not completely gone, even if the connection
is only through their phones.
Why did you leave?
I don’t know.
Neither does he . But, he sure as hell is going to do everything he can to
make her stop running, to find a way for her to trust him.
I want to see you. Will you come back?
No answer.
Can I come over there?
Nothing. His fingers tap furiously, but
pause as her text comes through.
Yes.
I’m on my way.
His breath catches
behind her, his arm wrapped around her waist. Peace fills her body as she snuggles
against him, welcoming his warmth and protectiveness.
As she drifts off, a faraway voice
whispers in her ear, “I love you, Shae.”
Her eyes fly open. Familiar panic fills
her chest. He may think he loves her, but she needs to protect her heart.
Waiting for his breath to slow with sleep, she plans her escape.
* * * *
In the dim morning light, Nick squints,
trying to make out the numbers on the clock. 8:02
He smiles to himself as his head falls
back against the pillow. He never sleeps this late. Because he’s never had a
woman like Shae lying next to him, warming his bed with something more than
sex. Ignoring the throbbing of his groin from thinking about her delicate
softness pressed against him, he reaches for her, but all his fingers caress is
the cold sheet.
Sitting up, he scans across the sitting
area, wet bar, and fireplace. The room is as empty as his bed. Her dress and
shoes are gone. The improvised nightgown lies folded neatly on the bedside
table. Bringing the T-shirt to his face, his heart constricts at the smell of
her light, flowery scent.
He jumps out of bed and jogs down the
stairs, taking them two at a time. Only silence greets him as he races through
the foyer. “Shae?”
In the kitchen, Max looks up from pouring
whey powder into the blender for a protein shake. “She left about three hours
ago. Marta took her home.”
“Fucking shit!” Nick drives his hand
through his hair at the realization she still doesn’t trust him, at the
disappointment she’d rather sneak away than give him a chance. “Why the fuck
didn’t you wake me up?”
Max chuckles and shakes his head.
“Because she asked me not to.”
His head throbs from clenching his jaw so
tightly. He spits out the words through gritted teeth, “Now you’re taking
orders from her? Who the fuck do you work for?”
“Right now, I wish it was her, you stupid
fuck.” Tossing the measuring cup back into the canister, Max rolls his neck
before looking at him. “What the fuck did you expect me to do? I find a scared
woman alone in the living room who’s freaking out and wants to leave. You
really think it would be a good idea to force her to stay while I get your ass
out of bed? I knew Marta would be going to six o’clock mass, so I asked her to
take Shae home.”
The muscles contracting in his neck
release. Max is right, and he’s a fucking dick. “Good move.”
“You’re welcome.”
Nick puts his fists to his eyes. “Why
does she keep doing this? Why does she keep running from me?”
“I don’t know. But from what I’ve seen,
she’s the kind of woman worth chasing. You need to find out what’s scaring her
and fix it.”
“I’m trying, Max. I’m really fucking
trying.”
Nick grabs his phone from the counter
before heading into his office. His mind races as he drops into his desk chair.
Last night was perfect. Never once did she seem anything but happy. A little
timid in the bedroom. His groin tightens at the thought of her wearing only
that silver bra and tiny panties. Well okay, maybe a lot timid. Unlike any of
the other women he’s had in there. Different from any woman he’s ever known.
Exactly why he wants her, no matter how long he has to wait for her to believe
it.
He takes a deep breath and types on the
screen.
Hi.
Her response is almost instantaneous.
Hi.
The taut
muscles in his chest relax. She’s not completely gone, even if the connection
is only through their phones.
Why did you leave?
I don’t know.
Neither does he . But, he sure as hell is going to do everything he can to
make her stop running, to find a way for her to trust him.
I want to see you. Will you come back?
No answer.
Can I come over there?
Nothing. His fingers tap furiously, but
pause as her text comes through.
Yes.
I’m on my way.
His breath catches
Similar Books
