Christmas Protection Detail by Terri Reed

Author:Terri Reed
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-09-06T20:03:32+00:00

* * *

Nick sat on the couch and watched Kaitlyn hurry out of the library. His heart sank. How could he help her? She was so full of distrust that he ached for her. He’d always thought it was just him, that he rubbed her the wrong way. But now he recognized that her distrust stemmed from something else. His story had triggered some painful memory in her past.

He didn’t regret revealing the true reason he’d been in trouble so much as a youth. But he did feel bad that he’d caused her pain. He never wanted to intentionally hurt this woman.

Heeding an inner nudging to go after her, to not let her continue to stay frozen in fear, he rose from the couch and hurried out of the library. He caught up with her before she could take the stairs. He threaded his fingers through hers again, liking the feel of her capable hand in his. “Kaitlyn, please, don’t run away from me.”

Slowly, she turned to face him. Her stoic expression made his heart tumble. This fierce, independent, strong woman was struggling so hard not to allow any vulnerability to show. He couldn’t resist the need to take her in his arms. He fully expected her to resist, but she came into his embrace, though her body was tense and wooden. He rubbed little circles on her back until she finally melted against him. Everything inside of him sighed with tenderness that she would allow him to offer a bit of solace.

“I’m sorry, Kaitlyn, for whatever happened to you.”

She shook her head against his shoulder. “It has nothing to do with you.”

“But it does,” he said. “It’s keeping you from trusting me.”

She pulled back to look into his eyes. Her right hand rested over his heart. His pulse spiked. Her touch was electrifying, but the emotions welling up inside were unfamiliar, terrifying and exhilarating. If he wasn’t careful, he could fall hard for this woman.

“You are a good man, Nick Delaney.”

His chest expanded with affection and pride. “Then talk to me.”

“You are also persistent.”

He couldn’t help but grin. “It’s a Delaney trait.”

Her mouth softened. Her lips beckoned. He wanted to kiss her with every fiber of his being. But he instinctively recognized that giving in to the yearning would most likely send her scuttling away from him like a scared rabbit. He didn’t want her to be scared. Not of him. “It’s okay,” he said. “You don’t have to tell me.”

She bit her bottom lip, once again drawing his gaze. “Maybe I will someday. But I can’t right now. Not yet.”

Her gaze dropped from his eyes to his lips. He swallowed, his throat as parched as if he were in a desert. He needed to retreat now, before he changed his mind and gave in to the yearning to sweep her off her feet.

Who was he kidding? She wasn’t a woman who would allow herself to be swept away. When, and if, she gave her heart away, it would be by her choice.

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