Sleep was proving to be a bitch. Maria tossed the covers back and padded over to the window. She pulled back the drapes and gazed out over the city. Even in the middle of the night the city still hummed with life.

God, how she wanted to sleep, but her brain wouldn’t switch off. If she closed her eyes she alternated seeing the distraught features of the mother of the young boy she couldn’t save. Or she re-lived the kiss with Riley over and over again.

He’d been amazing tonight. A quiet strength she hadn’t known she’d needed in her life. He’d looked after and even though she knew he wanted to get her to talk about what had happened at work, he’d kept quiet.

Disappointment had flowed through her when he’d retreated to his study to work after he’d cooked her a delicious meal. She yearned to feel his arms around her again. To recreate that feeling of security and protection she’d experienced while they’d been kissing. Her body had come alive under his touch.

What would it feel like if he made love to her? If he kissed his way down her body like the way he’d kissed her tonight. What would it feel like to have that every night? To have someone care and protect her so she wouldn’t have to worry about her father or the family coming after her.

It was a wild dream. A dream that would never come true. There was no man on earth who would want to get involved with her. Not with who her father was. Regardless of what Riley, Tex and anyone else who had an opinion, she would be better off going back to her father. Then everyone else could get on with their lives and not be tainted by her or her drama.

God, I’m throwing my own pity party.

She hadn’t gotten this far in life by letting a little adversary set her back. Why was she allowing it to get to her now?

What she needed was sleep. A goodnight’s sleep and everything would seem better. She hoped.

Turning, she screamed when she spied the dark shadow standing two feet away from her.

Strong hands grabbed her shoulders and she’s immediately kicked the shins of her would be assailant.

“Doc. Stop. It’s me. Riley.”

His voice penetrated the haze of fear buzzing through her ears. “Riley?” She hit his shoulder then. “What the hell do you think you’re doing sneaking up on me? Haven’t you heard of knocking?”

“I was coming to check on you. See if you needed anything or if you were okay. And I didn’t knock because I didn’t want to wake you in case you were sleeping. You need your rest.”

“Well as you can see I’m not sleeping.”

She also became aware her hand rested on his shoulder. His firm, unclothed shoulder. A quick glance down confirmed Riley was shirtless and only had on a pair of shorts that hung low on his hips. In the muted light she could see the defined outline of his six-pack. The tattoo covering part of his chest intrigued her with its almost Aztec look. Did it have a special meaning to him?

Attraction stronger than anything she’d ever known before had her swaying toward him. Her hand reached out and ran slowly down the ridges of his chest. Gooseflesh broke out over his skin. She didn’t think it was from the air conditioning.

“What are you doing, Doc?”

“I need to feel like my life is worthwhile. Like I’m worthwhile to someone.”

Warm hands covered hers, plastering them to his hot flesh. “You are worthwhile. What you do every day is worthwhile. You save lives, Maria. Don’t ever think you’re not worth something to someone. Every single family member appreciates and is thankful for what you do.”

“That’s my job. It’s what I do. But growing up with my father, I could never have real friends. Who would want to be friends with the daughter of a mobster? Plus my father vetted pretty much all my friends. After a while I stopped trying to make friends, it was safer. So yeah, I don’t feel like I’m worthwhile.”

Maria wanted to walk away, but as though he sensed her urge, he tightened the hold he had on her hands. She looked up at him, shocked at the intensity of his gaze. His eyes sparked fire and she wasn’t sure if it was anger or desire burning in their depths. Not wanting to hope he felt the growing attraction between them like she did, she went with believing he was angry. A thought immediately disregarded when his hands smoothed over her shoulders and he leaned down, stopping millimeters from her mouth.

“I think you’re worthwhile,” he whispered as he closed the miniscule gap and placed his lips over hers.

A sigh emanated from her and her arms closed around his waist, reveling in the feel of his warm, hard body beneath her fingers.

Today wasn’t the first time she’d lost a patient. But it was the first time she had someone who she could lean on. Someone who could make her feel again. Like life meant something.

Riley pulled her closer, deepening the kiss and his hard length pushed against her belly. An answering wetness pooled between her thighs.

It was insane how attracted she was to a man she’d only known for a couple of weeks. Her fingers trailed from his back to his front until she reached the hard ridge of his flesh. Feeling bolder than she ever had before, her fingers gripped him through the soft cotton fabric of his shorts.

His groan emboldened her to stroke his engorged flesh. His lips pulled away from hers and she moaned her disappointment.

“Doc, I don’t think we should be doing this.”

Embarrassment washed over her and she pulled her hand away and stumbled from him.

Had she misread him? Misread the whole kiss? It had been so long since she’d been involved in any sort of relationship, but she still understood the male anatomy and from the way his flesh seemed to get harder in her hand, she knew Riley had to be attracted to her. Plus he kissed her. He’d made the first move. Now he was saying they shouldn’t be kissing?

Wrapping her arms around herself, she looked up at him. The answer to the questions rattling around her mind were reflected in his eyes, desire still burned brightly.

“This doesn’t make sense, you want me, and I want you. What’s the issue?” Blurting her thoughts out had never been her intention, but she wasn’t ashamed of it.

When he took two steps away from her, he may as well have taken twenty. “You’re right, I do want you. But you’ve had a tough day. I don’t want you to wake up with regrets, and that’s exactly what I think you’ll do if we keep doing what we were doing.”

“Oh my God, that’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have any regrets.”

“Are you sure about that? I have no doubt any other guy would take advantage of you right now. You had an emotional day at work. You were basically in a trance for an hour after I picked you up. You’re life is in turmoil because your father tried to have you knocked down or kidnapped again a week ago. Tell me how us sleeping together would be a good thing?”

“Because if I’m going to die I want at least to have a good memory.”

The confession burst out of her. Saying out loud the possibility of her dying was sobering, not only to her, but to Riley as well. He moved back to her faster than a bolt of lightning was any indication.

His warm hands curled around her upper arms. “Not on my watch. I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Doc.”

“You can’t guarantee that.”

“Life doesn’t come with guarantees, but I do. Trust me.”

The assurance should’ve made her feel better. She still wasn’t convinced he could keep his word.

“I want to believe you. I really do, but you don’t know my father.”

“And you don’t know me. Once a SEAL always a SEAL. I may not be a member of my team anymore. Look, between them, me, and my business partner Storm, nothing is going to happen to you. We will find a way to get you away from your family.”

Her eyes closed as his fingers traced lightly down her cheek. Her own hand reached out and landed on his bare chest again.

She wanted this. She wanted to make love to Riley. How could she regret it in the morning? He was here in front of her.

Strong.

A silent warrior who’d faced many difficult things while he’d been a SEAL. If he said he could help and keep her safe. Then she believed him.

“I trust you, Ash.”

If she hadn’t had her hands on his chest she never would’ve felt the slight hitch at her calling him by his nickname. The only other time she’d called him by that she’d said it sarcastically.

“Do you think you’ll be able to sleep now?”

Fatigue brushed its fingers over her body.

“I guess.”

When Riley’s warm lips landed on hers it was the last thing she’d been expecting. But she wasn’t going to complain. Wanting to prolong the contact, she slid her hand up his chest over, his shoulder and inched around his neck.

A sigh escaped her as he pulled his lips away from hers.

“Night, Doc.”

She didn’t want him to leave, but everything pointed to him keeping his word and not taking advantage of her. “Night, Ash.”