Chapter One
Rebecca Sumner walked quickly down the middle of the darkened street, away from the shadows and hyperaware of her surroundings. The wind picked up and the sudden pitter-patter on the asphalt behind her sent her heart racing again. She turned, expecting the worst, at the same time two dry leaves rolled past her toward the next street light.
She looked at the houses and tried to remember the number of the one she sought, but the address remained elusive. She’d never taken the time to learn the numbers because the home had been so perfect, she hadn’t needed the number to find it. Now she wished she’d taken the time to commit the information to memory, or at least stored it in her phone.
What if he’d painted or renovated? If he’d changed anything, she might never find it. She continued onto the next block and breathed a sigh of relief when recognition set in. The fire hydrant, his neighbor’s obscurely decorated mailbox, a birdbath across the street.
Her relief lasted only a moment.
The sound of a car racing up the street behind her caused her to run, and she cut across the expertly manicured lawn and hid in the shadows on the porch. Seconds later, the car zoomed passed on its way to the next block. She let out the breath she’d been holding and concentrated on pulling air in and out normally. The wind blew again, rustling the branches of a nearby tree, and she hastily rang the doorbell.
It had been six months since he’d told her his secret, and six months since she’d run and made the biggest mistake of her life. She’d blindly allowed her fear to lead her out the door, and when he didn’t come for her, it had kept her prisoner ever since.
Her pulse skyrocketed when she heard footsteps from inside, and she briefly wondered if he’d moved on. Would his new girlfriend let him help her?
You’re safe with me, Becca. I will always protect you.
Remembering his words gave her a tiny bit of courage and hope, and they kept her feet planted on the welcome mat as the door swung open.
Oh, holy hell!
Nothing could have prepared her for seeing him again. Her pussy clinched and her panties dampened as she looked up at his hard, chiseled, six foot, four inch frame. He’d always towered over her, but the eight inch height difference somehow seemed greater. The way his t-shirt stretched across his chest revealed he’d been hitting the gym harder than usual, and she silently prayed it wasn’t to impress another woman.
Lust chased away most of her fear, and the urge to hug him and hide in the safety of his arms pushed her to take a step toward him. His hard, dark steel gray eyes instantly stopped the forward motion.
He hadn’t forgiven her.
“Rebecca.”
He spat the word as if he needed to remove the distaste of it from his mouth, and the use of her full name, combined with his icy tone, did nothing to conceal his true emotions.
Their one month courtship had been short, but he’d never used her full name before and the small detail hurt more than she cared to admit. His cold stare made her want to run again, but then reality dawned. She had no place to go, and she desperately needed his help.
“Hi, Logan,” she croaked.
This is no time for cowardly behavior. Get it together!
A gust of wind rolled a stick across the sidewalk, and the sound of the bark scraping the concrete made her jump.
“May I come in?” she asked, feigning confidence.
He studied her with narrowed eyes for a second, and then he looked over her head and surveyed the street and the surrounding area. Seemingly satisfied, he stepped aside and let her in, closing the door behind them.
He walked passed her, toward the living room, and she followed.
“So, you’ve finally found a use for someone like me, huh?”
His bitter words felt like a stab to her chest, but she understood his pain. His icy glare, however, made her question her decision to ask him for help. His words had always been a source of comfort, filled with
Rebecca Sumner walked quickly down the middle of the darkened street, away from the shadows and hyperaware of her surroundings. The wind picked up and the sudden pitter-patter on the asphalt behind her sent her heart racing again. She turned, expecting the worst, at the same time two dry leaves rolled past her toward the next street light.
She looked at the houses and tried to remember the number of the one she sought, but the address remained elusive. She’d never taken the time to learn the numbers because the home had been so perfect, she hadn’t needed the number to find it. Now she wished she’d taken the time to commit the information to memory, or at least stored it in her phone.
What if he’d painted or renovated? If he’d changed anything, she might never find it. She continued onto the next block and breathed a sigh of relief when recognition set in. The fire hydrant, his neighbor’s obscurely decorated mailbox, a birdbath across the street.
Her relief lasted only a moment.
The sound of a car racing up the street behind her caused her to run, and she cut across the expertly manicured lawn and hid in the shadows on the porch. Seconds later, the car zoomed passed on its way to the next block. She let out the breath she’d been holding and concentrated on pulling air in and out normally. The wind blew again, rustling the branches of a nearby tree, and she hastily rang the doorbell.
It had been six months since he’d told her his secret, and six months since she’d run and made the biggest mistake of her life. She’d blindly allowed her fear to lead her out the door, and when he didn’t come for her, it had kept her prisoner ever since.
Her pulse skyrocketed when she heard footsteps from inside, and she briefly wondered if he’d moved on. Would his new girlfriend let him help her?
You’re safe with me, Becca. I will always protect you.
Remembering his words gave her a tiny bit of courage and hope, and they kept her feet planted on the welcome mat as the door swung open.
Oh, holy hell!
Nothing could have prepared her for seeing him again. Her pussy clinched and her panties dampened as she looked up at his hard, chiseled, six foot, four inch frame. He’d always towered over her, but the eight inch height difference somehow seemed greater. The way his t-shirt stretched across his chest revealed he’d been hitting the gym harder than usual, and she silently prayed it wasn’t to impress another woman.
Lust chased away most of her fear, and the urge to hug him and hide in the safety of his arms pushed her to take a step toward him. His hard, dark steel gray eyes instantly stopped the forward motion.
He hadn’t forgiven her.
“Rebecca.”
He spat the word as if he needed to remove the distaste of it from his mouth, and the use of her full name, combined with his icy tone, did nothing to conceal his true emotions.
Their one month courtship had been short, but he’d never used her full name before and the small detail hurt more than she cared to admit. His cold stare made her want to run again, but then reality dawned. She had no place to go, and she desperately needed his help.
“Hi, Logan,” she croaked.
This is no time for cowardly behavior. Get it together!
A gust of wind rolled a stick across the sidewalk, and the sound of the bark scraping the concrete made her jump.
“May I come in?” she asked, feigning confidence.
He studied her with narrowed eyes for a second, and then he looked over her head and surveyed the street and the surrounding area. Seemingly satisfied, he stepped aside and let her in, closing the door behind them.
He walked passed her, toward the living room, and she followed.
“So, you’ve finally found a use for someone like me, huh?”
His bitter words felt like a stab to her chest, but she understood his pain. His icy glare, however, made her question her decision to ask him for help. His words had always been a source of comfort, filled with
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