Read Online Banishing Shadows by Lorna Jean Roberts - Free Book Online

pushed you.”
    “Not your fault,” she muttered, her voice sounding scratchy.
    “Drink this.”
    The hated juice was held to her mouth and she was given no choice but to swallow.
    “Drink it all.”
    Her anxiety eased.
    “I’m sorry, I can’t talk about it. I can’t.”
    “Okay.” He rubbed her hands. “Okay. I’ll let it go. For now. But, honey, you can’t go on this way. You have to let someone in. Let someone help you. Lean on me. I can handle it.”
    Of that she had no doubt. He could handle anything.
    But Kayla couldn’t afford to rely on him, to open herself up to him. Not if she wanted to protect her heart.
    * * * * *
     
    “You must have better things to do than chauffeur me around,” Kayla complained as she followed Cord into her apartment. She stood just inside the door as he moved through the rooms, searching for intruders.
    “Don’t forget to look in the fridge,” she called out sarcastically.
    For the last three nights Cord had slept on her short sofa without complaining once. He drove her to and from work. Even at work, he stuck close, leaving only for short periods when he knew one of her brothers would be around. The rest of the time he spent in her office, on the computer or phone.
    It was driving her insane.
    Kayla hadn’t realized how hard it would be to have Cord around. She’d tried ignoring him, tried being rude, tried to treat this like a business arrangement. None of it dulled the reaction of her body. What had started as a wary attraction was quickly growing. The more time she spent with him, the more she thought about touching him, caressing him.
    Sometimes her thoughts induced a mild panic. Most of the time though, they just led to her being hot and frustrated—horny with no release. Of all the men she could possibly desire, why did it have to be one who didn’t want her?
    Although there were times when she thought he might—times when she caught him watching her. Perhaps it was her imagination. Maybe she was projecting her feelings, making herself see things that weren’t there.
    But there was no denying that Cord bypassed her fears, heating her blood, making her dream of things she really, really shouldn’t.
    She had no intention of acting on her feelings, of course. Checking out his hot body was one thing. Sleeping with him was another. And that was assuming he’d even want her.
    He’d hurt her.
    He was arrogant, bossy—everything she didn’t want in a man—not anymore.
    And she was scared she’d panic if she tried to sleep with him. Worried what had happened to her would color any sexual experience and she’d end up embarrassed, frightened and hurting them both.
    Yet despite all these reasons she had not to sleep with him, she still wanted him.
    “Nothing is more important than your safety, Kayla.”
    She sat, closing her eyes in exhaustion. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept properly. It seemed as though every time she fell into a deep sleep, nightmares plagued her. So she dozed, waking each morning even more irritable than the last.
    “Don’t you need to get a job?” she snapped.
    “I have a job.”
    “Yeah, well, I won’t need a bodyguard forever.” She didn’t think she needed one now. Nothing had happened since she was attacked at The Rusty Hammer.
    “What do you feel like for dinner?” he asked.
    “I’m going to take a bath. I don’t want any dinner.” Her stomach was tied in knots and she was pretty sure she’d puke if she tried to eat.
    Thirty minutes later she exited the bathroom and the delightful smell of food made her a liar as her stomach rumbled. Chinese, her biggest weakness.
    “Ahh, good, here you go.” He handed her a plate piled high with food. She gazed at it in dismay.
    “You know, this is a lot more than I could ever eat.”
    He frowned at her as they both sat. “You don’t eat enough. You’re not dieting, are you?”
    “No.”
    “Good,” he replied firmly. “Because you’re too thin as it is. You