Gone - Anna Brooks Page 0,4
he’s the kind of guy who makes his girlfriend feel safe. And I don’t show it on the outside, but I need that more than anyone knows.
Damien
If she was mine, I’d have that guy’s fingers dangling from his wrist, attached only by tendons, because every bone in his hand would be broken. Then I’d do the same to the other hand just because I’d want to make sure there were no misunderstandings. But she’s not mine. No woman is.
I gave up that kind of attachment years ago, and I never want to lay that kind of claim again. Or so I told myself until I saw sweet Izzy. She’s the only woman who makes me question if she’d be worth the risk of getting all torn up again. All signs point to her being exactly who she appears but looks can be deceiving.
What’s not in question, though, is the fact that she did not like whoever that was touching her. I don’t need to claim a woman to protect her, especially not one I care about. And I may not really know Izzy, but I know enough about her to care if she’s uncomfortable and to do something about it. “You okay?”
She clears her throat, fiddling with her shirt sleeve, but finally gives me what I want when she casts a glance at me. “Yeah, fine.” Her smile is fake as hell, but I don’t call her on it.
“Who was that?”
“My boss.” She flattens her lips. “The owner. But it’s all good.”
I’m trying to decide if I should push it or not, and even though my gut is telling me not to let it go, I don’t listen to it. At least not yet, anyway. “Okay, then. Have a good night, Izzy.” I motion for Judy to follow me to the parking lot and don’t look back as I drive away.
If today’s schedule is a normal one, neither of my parents will be home, so I hurry to the other side of town, hoping to arrive with enough time to visit with my grandmother alone. Even though her house is an actual mother-in-law suite attached to the main house, I don’t want to run the risk of seeing my parents if I can avoid it. I try to come at least once a week and always after I’ve been gone on a work assignment. My grandmother is the only member of my family who I like, and I won’t let the rest of them take our relationship away.
Judy jumps down and wanders around but stays close as I walk up to the porch where my grandmother is sitting on a rocking chair with a glass of lemonade in her hand. “How do you get more beautiful every time I see you?”
She turns her head from where she was daydreaming off toward the pond, and her face creases into a smile. “Probably the same way you get more charming every time I see you.”
Climbing up the steps, I bend down to kiss her cheek. “How are you?”
“Enjoying life while I still can.” She says the same thing every time I ask her, and I chuckle as I lean on the railing across from her. “What about you? You seem bothered.”
“I’m fine. Just got back from a long trip, and I’m ready to go home.”
Her dull but keen as all hell eyes narrow on me. “That’s not just tired on your face, Damien. Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine. And it is just tired.” No way in hell am I going to indulge her with my conflicted feelings about Izzy. The second she hears I’m interested in a woman is the second she’ll start asking for great-grandbabies. “I wanted to visit with you before I went home.”
“Then let’s do that.”
I regret shamefully that my attention isn’t fully on her as we visit. No… I can’t stop thinking about the raven-haired beauty with a shy smile who tempts me beyond reason.
Chapter 2
Damien
Judy lifts her head from her bed on the floor and watches as I throw the covers off. If dogs could roll their eyes, she’d be doing that right now. I storm over to the window and stare out at the darkness of the night, taking deep breaths to calm down. I’m frustrated for several reasons, but I’m pissed at myself for not doing more for Izzy when her boss touched her. I can’t stop thinking about the look of panic on her beautiful face.
Normally, I wouldn’t even question something like