Chapter Twenty-Six
Garrett moved his mouth from her lips down her neck and then up to her ear. He couldn’t believe she’d kissed him. But since she’d had the courage to do it, he would give her everything he had. At least, what he could give without completely losing control.
He’d never been this tempted before. He’d heard of other marshals getting too close to the people they were protecting, but he’d never fallen victim to those urges.
It figured it would happen to him now. With this particular woman.
Not only was it a very bad idea, it was impossible. His boss would kill him.
When she moved her hand under his shirt to touch bare skin, Garrett realized his control was fading fast. Time to act…or he wouldn’t be able to.
He pulled away, his breath ragged. “You make a convincing argument. But I still don’t think this is a good idea.” He rolled off her before he did something even more stupid. “We’re done for today. Go clean up for an early dinner.” He rose to his feet and headed upstairs, leaving her staring after him.
He waited for her at the top of the steps, where he took a moment to wipe the moisture from his lips and catch his breath.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered without looking at him.
“Don’t be. It’s a perfectly normal response. There’s even a fancy name for it. Some kind of syndrome, I think. I learned about it in training, but I can’t remember right now.”
He scratched his chin while he thought about it. He was trying to keep things light, but she had that sad look in her eyes that had been gone for the last few days.
She shook her head. “Whatever.”
“The point is, you’re scared, and I make you feel safe. That manifests into emotions that aren’t really what you think they are.”
She raised her brows. “Ah. So, you’re really not as sexy and tough as I think you are?”
He looked away and smiled. “I wouldn’t say that.” He tried to make it into a joke, but deep down he was flattered. “I am pretty sexy and tough.” He laughed. “But right about now you don’t have a lot of choices. You’re only hanging around with me. If I was in a lineup with some other guys under normal circumstances, you would pick all of them before you picked me.”
“Are the other guys in this lineup hot, too?”
Was she still trying? Didn’t she understand how close he was to giving in and making this mistake for both of them? He knew better, but even so, she was a temptation he’d never faced before.
Sure, he’d worked with attractive women in the past, but none of them had been the entire package like Sam.
She wasn’t just sexy, with those long legs and sassy smile. She was smart and funny. Not to mention, she cared enough to put her life on the line to do the right thing. How many women today would have survived everything she had? Still…
It was up to him to do the right thing. Even if it felt hideously wrong.
“I appreciate the compliment, but I know you, Sam. I know it doesn’t come down to looks for you. You want the real thing. And I don’t do the real thing.”
“I can do casual.” The hope in her voice tugged at him again.
“Nothing about you is casual. Not your ex-boyfriend of six years. Not your situation. Not my responsibilities.”
She scowled. “Well, I need to learn how to be casual, because that’s all I’m going to have from now on.” She let out a frustrated breath.
It seemed the moment had passed, and she was no longer trying to get in his pants. The disappointment rattled him.
“Not necessarily.” He tried to sound encouraging, though he knew she was probably right.
“I’m supposed to meet someone and fall in love, and then say, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m being hunted by killers, so you may have to uproot your entire life at the drop of a hat, leaving everything and everyone you’ve ever known for me?’ No one’s ever going to sign up for that. Not for me.”
He’d probably agree. Right up until that last part. “Why not for you?”
She snorted. “You’re not interested. What makes you think anyone else would be?” She turned to leave, but he jumped in front of her to block her path.
He expected her to be irritated that he hadn’t let things move in the direction she wanted, but he hadn’t expected her to think it was because he didn’t want her. He’d thought he made the reasons pretty clear.
Not for the first time, he felt the urge to hunt down Lance and kick his ass for convincing her she was not up to standards, let alone a beautiful woman.
“I never said I wasn’t interested,” he said firmly.
She sniffed as if she didn’t believe him.
He had no idea how to prove it without getting her hopes up again. He was in a no-win situation.
She shrugged. “Just forget it.” She ducked around him. “I’ve made an ass of myself enough for one day. I’m going to my room. Unless you want to send me on some useless errand to the shack in the woods?”
It almost seemed like she would welcome it so she could hide for a little while. But he was tired, and not up for following her around in the dark to make sure she was safe.
“No. I don’t need anything.” Except maybe you, under me, naked…
Damn. His body was still expectant. He needed a shower. A cold one.