More Than Protect You (More Than Words #6.5) - Shayla Black Page 0,13
damn near private. It’s got four bedrooms, three bathrooms. And best of all, Amanda and I can move in this morning. “My…um, friend, Masey, rented it for her vacation, but she’s willing to come crash with me so you two can have it. Come on by so we can give you a tour.”
“That sounds great.” Perfect, in fact. “How soon can we meet you?”
After we negotiate a time, he ends the call and texts me the address. I glance at my watch.
“Trace found somewhere?” she asks.
“Looks like. We’ve got a while before they’ll arrive. You haven’t eaten. Neither have I. If we leave now, we can grab something on the way.”
She glances reluctantly at Oliver. Whatever her faults or sins, she loves her son and would do anything for him. I admire that about her. I can’t not look at her with lust, and I’d be lying if I said she didn’t intrigue me. I want to see the vulnerable woman I first glimpsed, now hidden behind her icy wall, open to me. I want to understand how she came to this point in life. More than anything, I feel compelled to protect her.
“Yeah.” She sighs. “We all need to eat. If Oliver doesn’t soon, he’ll get cranky.”
“You need me to carry him back to the car?”
She looks up at me, those blue eyes somewhere between surprised and grateful. “I would really appreciate that.”
It’s a small task that requires almost no effort, but I suspect the men in her life haven’t been kind to her. Why? She’s made mistakes, sure. But she’s paying for them. And unless something changes, she’ll be paying for them for years to come.
“No problem.” I scan the little apartment to ensure I’ve packed up all my gear. I toss out the rest of last night’s takeout. Joe will appreciate the beer I’m leaving behind. The bedroom and bathroom are about as clean as he left them. I take a minute to jot him a note thanking him and let him know I’ll run his spare key back as soon as I’m able. “Let’s go.”
Without thinking, I hold out my hand to her. She looks at it, then up at me. “You’re not mad anymore?”
“I was never mad.”
“You were. At Nia’s house.”
“No. I was concerned. An intruder is serious.”
“I know.” She looks away. “I’ve never been more terrified in my life.”
And I yelled. She must think I’m an ass. “You were very brave, and you protected your son. You did well.”
She shakes her head. “I got lucky. He tripped in the dark. While he was trying to regain his balance, I kneed him—hard. I was panicked. I screamed and kicked and hit him over the head with a vase.”
“Which tells me you’ll have the guts to defend yourself even more successfully once I teach you some moves.”
“I tried. I wanted to put him down so the police could arrest him when they came. Even though he bled, like, a lot, the guy got away. The officers who investigated looked at the pool of blood and scolded me for using excessive force.”
Is she serious? “Those officers were idiots. You did what you had to, and I’m glad you didn’t hold back.”
The corners of her lush mouth curl up in a mysterious Mona-Lisa smile. Amanda is beautiful—no question—but that expression takes my fucking breath away.
Bodyguarding her could be decidedly tricky.
Still, I sense almost no one has been in her corner since she got pregnant. I hate to turn my back on her, too. I just need to ignore my sexual urges. I’ve managed to do that for the past few months. What’s another week?
But you’ve never encountered a temptation like her.
Trying to ignore that inconvenient truth, I extend my hand to her again. “You ready to head out now?”
When she slides her hand into mine, the sizzle streaking up my arm isn’t new…but it’s annoyingly stronger. Worse, I have absolutely no control. I’m hyperaware of her softness, her faintly floral scent, and the ping of her gaze at me when her blue eyes fasten on mine.
“Um…sure.” She rises to her feet. “I should get Oliver fed and down for his usual morning nap.”
I clear my throat and force myself to release her. “What about you?”
“I’ll nap when he naps.”
My eyes narrow as I stare at her. “How much did you sleep last night?”
“About two hours. I’ve survived on less. I’ll be fine.”
“No, you need more than a scattered nap or two. You need to be rested and alert,