Read Online SEALed With Love (DiCarlo Brides book 2) (The DiCarlo Brides) by Heather Tullis - Free Book Online

through the sentences. “When have you ever been scared?”
    “It takes more than one-point-two seconds,” he said with a teasing glint in his eye. When she just looked at him, still shaking with terror he continued, “I get scared like everyone else. Being a SEAL was fun, adrenaline packed, but not exactly predictable. Things went wrong all the time, but it made me better and smarter. I’m still here, and you’re going to be okay, too.” His hand glided over her curls, soothing as much as his voice, which had turned silky and comforting.
    Sage met his gaze, saw the honesty in it, and felt her panic begin to ease. “I can’t handle going through all of this again. I know that makes me weak—” She stopped when his finger slid over her lips.
    Their eyes met and he held her attention, utterly calm. “You’re not weak. This is scary stuff. It’s why we need to be careful, take this seriously. But I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
    As her lungs loosened and she began to breathe easier, Sage wondered how he intended to keep his promise when they each had their own jobs to do at the resort. He couldn’t be her shadow as he had been in California. “How can you be sure?”
    He tucked a curl behind her ear. “Because I’m the best at my job, and I’m going to make sure you’re okay. We’ll start with better deadbolts that are harder to pick. I have some on order already, and you and your sisters are going to keep them locked all of the time. I’ll add one to the kitchen door so he can’t get into the house by using a garage door opener from one of your cars, and I’m going to check out the video feed from today. I’ll catch him.  Trust me on this.”
    Though she should have felt reassured, as Sage looked Joel in the eyes, she found herself disappointed. It was his job. Of course.
    “Feeling better? Ready to join the others upstairs again?” he asked after a moment.
    She realized the panic had passed and she felt steady again. The thought of facing everyone else made her wince. “I’m so embarrassed. How can I face them after I freaked out in there?”
    “They care about you. And if they give you a hard time, I’ll give them a black eye.” He said the words deadpan, but she knew he wouldn’t hurt the others. The sentiment was welcome, though.
    Sage chuckled despite herself. “That’s a good way to get fired.”
    “From the resort maybe, but they can’t fire me from protecting you. We’ll be fine.” He brushed his fingers along her jaw and chin, making her skin tingle. His lips curved slightly into what passed as a smile most of the time, though she knew the difference between this polite social smile, and his real one.
    He dropped his hand. Sage wished she dared hold it to her cheek and soak up his warmth.
    “Come on.” Joel stood and gave her hand a tug. “Rosemary’s cake is calling to me.”
    Sage let him pull her to her feet and followed him upstairs. She felt self-conscious, but other than Harrison, who fussed over her, everyone seemed to take her episode in stride.
    Rosemary simply brushed her apology aside. “Forget it. It’s a good thing you came back up when you did, though. Vince has been eyeing the cake and I have the feeling it wouldn’t have lasted much longer.”
    “Hey, it smells terrific. No jury would convict me,” Vince said.
    “No doubt.” Sage allowed her shoulders to loosen and smiled at everyone—though it took some effort. “Let’s cut the cake, then. I want to see what Rosemary’s always bragging about.”
    She glanced at Joel, who was looking out the window, his posture stiff and aloof again, all sense of empathy gone. If she hadn’t seen it, didn’t still feel the brush of his fingers on her skin, she would think the scene downstairs wasn’t real. She swallowed, disappointment filling her as it always did when he skulked back into his shell.
     

Joel tapped his foot and looked at the video feed of Sage in her office again while he