of you last time. You think I’m some kind of protector, but I’m no Superman, Honey.”
“Right,” she said, but her gaze was all caught up in his. “That wouldn’t be a good idea, then.”
“Not even close.” His gaze drifted to her lips, which parted on a soft sigh. “Aw, sugar, you’re killin’ me.”
“I think I have some idea,” she managed.
He inched closer or she did, or both did. She was right inside his personal space, as close as she could be without touching him.
“Get in the truck.” His mouth hovered just above hers.
She tipped her head back to look into his eyes, baring all that lovely soft skin along the side of her neck. “I will” she said, breathless indeed now. “Any second now.”
“This wouldn’t be a good idea for either of us,” he said, hard to the point of pain.
“For you, maybe,” she murmured, her sweet breath warm against his cheek. “Me, I’m feeling a bit . . . cloudy. And, I have to say, it feels pretty damn good.”
For a split second, maybe a few more, he allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to put his hands on her, mold her mouth to his, and slide his hands down her body . . . to take her home, and . . . take her to bed. Because there was absolutely nothing about that scenario that made him want to move off, he forced his thoughts back to when they were standing beside her car and she was trembling in shock in some altered state of mind. He forced his thoughts even farther back to that first moment he’d laid eyes on her, when she’d looked across the alley with raw, naked yearning at what he now knew was her inheritance.
He took an unsteady step backward, clenching his hands into fists by his sides. The need to touch her hadn’t diminished with his thoughts. It had grown. And not only were his thoughts sexual in nature . . . they’d become personal.
It wasn’t his job to protect her. Not against what might happen to her on Sugarberry, not against her own desires, much less against something or someone triggering her . . . thing. The only thing he would—should—protect her from, was himself.
So, that’s what he did. “We should get going.”
“Okay.” To her credit, she didn’t look away, didn’t look remorseful, or chastised for being bold enough to ask for what she wanted only to be turned down. In fact, she didn’t look . . . anything.
He didn’t know how that made him feel. “Okay.” He stepped back, allowed her to climb in the truck on her own, then closed the door for her. Their eyes met through the window and she smiled briefly, simply, before turning away to deal with the seatbelt.
He stood there a second longer, then turned to walk around the back of the truck, tucking the boxes in more securely. Lolly was up, tail thumping, as he approached the driver’s side. He gave her head a good rub. “Good job there, earlier. Thanks for the warning.”
She butted her head against his hand, then looked toward the rear cab window and Honey. Tail still wagging, Lolly whined.
“Don’t you start,” he told her. “I’m droppin’ her off. Fixin’ that heap of hers, and that’s going to be that.”
Lolly turned those big, liquid eyes of hers on him.
“She’ll be fine,” he assured the dog. But as he climbed in the truck and pulled his own seatbelt on, he wished he could say the same about himself.
Chapter 8
“Your ride is here, dear.”
Honey opened her bedroom door to a smiling Barbara Hughes. “Thank you. And thanks again for not minding that I took my meal up here this morning.”
Barbara’s tanned and age-spotted skin crinkled as she gave Honey a commiserating smile. “I’ve been married for more than forty years, happily so, but there are mornings when I don’t want to bear witness to canoodling newlyweds, either.”
From what Honey had seen of Mrs. Hughes around the young honeymooners who had checked in the evening before while Honey had been at the garage, it was pretty clear the senior B&B owner adored young love in all forms. But Honey appreciated her trying to make things easier for her single guest.
Barbara’s warm brown eyes twinkled a bit as she added, “You have a safe drive over the causeway. I hope you can get things straightened out okay.”
Barbara had chatted up Honey first thing that morning when she’d come down to