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Authors: Rachael Johns
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wreaking havoc with his hormones.
Ignoring the questions and rude remarks being thrown at them, he pushed through the photographers and managed to maneuver Holly onto the Viper’s passenger seat without causing her too much extra pain. She didn’t so much as squeak, so he assumed success.
Once they were both in the car and he’d pulled away from the curb, he became aware of heavy breathing. Holly’s. He glanced sideways to take a good look at her and noticed tears glistening in her eyes. The usual guilt washed over him that once upon a time he’d been the type of person to cause this kind of fear.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“What do you care? You’re one of them,” she spat, the ferocity of her words assaulting him.
No matter her words were almost identical to the thoughts he’d just been having, he didn’t take kindly to being judged. Maybe more so because of the truth they held.
“Not anymore, I’m not.”
Silence reigned between them for a few minutes. Her breathing slowed. She wiped her eyes with a tissue from her handbag and then finally spoke again. “Where are you taking me?”
No apology, no thanks, then. “To the hostel,” he answered gruffly.
“Thanks.”
“To collect your things.”
Her head snapped to face him so fast he heard the whoosh of air as she moved. “What exactly are you plotting?”
He sighed, this conversation already felt like déjà vu. “Didn’t that little episode back there show you something? You’re famous here. You can’t just waltz around pretending otherwise, and staying at a public hostel is ridiculous. How long before one of those photographers pays for a bed in the room you’re sharing? Or one of your fellow backpackers decides they need some extra cash to see them through? You’re not safe there, Holly.”
“So, where will I be safe?”
“With me.” He didn’t plan on acting on his desire—he only had to think about what she did to Daisy to douse the flames—and his house was more protected than a high security prison. Besides, if he took the rest of the week off work, he could be her personal bodyguard and make sure no harm came to her until she boarded the plane for Australia.
She didn’t argue or even say another word until they got to the hostel and he requested instructions on what he needed to collect of her belongings. There was her laptop in the hostel safe and everything else was packed neatly in a bag on her bed. He found it easily and was back to the car within five minutes.
“How’s your foot?” he asked as they weaved through midafternoon traffic to his place.
“Achy,” she said—tension filled the car and her reply.
“I’ll have a look at it when we get back.”
Ruby met them at the door, her eyes widening and her mouth gaping open as she saw Holly in Nate’s arms. He didn’t want her to put pressure on her foot until he’d taken a proper look and decided whether she needed medical attention.
“Can you make up a bed in the living room for Holly?” he asked Ruby. “And then fetch her things from the car, please.” All the guest rooms were on the upper floors but he didn’t want Holly having to take the stairs in her condition.
“Sure.” Ruby toddled off in the direction of the linen closet and Nate took Holly through to the living room.
He laid her down on one of the two sofas, and for one shocking moment an image flashed through his mind of her laying there naked and him equally naked on top of her. Shaking the thought away, he mentally slapped himself as he headed for the kitchen in search of an ice-pack in the freezer. Sex hadn’t been frequent lately, which had to account for why he was having all these undesirable thoughts about Holly.
* * *
Holly watched Nate’s gorgeous behind retreat from the room and let herself sink back into the couch. Despite the comfy-ness of his plush furniture, she wasn’t at all comfortable with this scenario. But really, what other option did she have? As much as
Ignoring the questions and rude remarks being thrown at them, he pushed through the photographers and managed to maneuver Holly onto the Viper’s passenger seat without causing her too much extra pain. She didn’t so much as squeak, so he assumed success.
Once they were both in the car and he’d pulled away from the curb, he became aware of heavy breathing. Holly’s. He glanced sideways to take a good look at her and noticed tears glistening in her eyes. The usual guilt washed over him that once upon a time he’d been the type of person to cause this kind of fear.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“What do you care? You’re one of them,” she spat, the ferocity of her words assaulting him.
No matter her words were almost identical to the thoughts he’d just been having, he didn’t take kindly to being judged. Maybe more so because of the truth they held.
“Not anymore, I’m not.”
Silence reigned between them for a few minutes. Her breathing slowed. She wiped her eyes with a tissue from her handbag and then finally spoke again. “Where are you taking me?”
No apology, no thanks, then. “To the hostel,” he answered gruffly.
“Thanks.”
“To collect your things.”
Her head snapped to face him so fast he heard the whoosh of air as she moved. “What exactly are you plotting?”
He sighed, this conversation already felt like déjà vu. “Didn’t that little episode back there show you something? You’re famous here. You can’t just waltz around pretending otherwise, and staying at a public hostel is ridiculous. How long before one of those photographers pays for a bed in the room you’re sharing? Or one of your fellow backpackers decides they need some extra cash to see them through? You’re not safe there, Holly.”
“So, where will I be safe?”
“With me.” He didn’t plan on acting on his desire—he only had to think about what she did to Daisy to douse the flames—and his house was more protected than a high security prison. Besides, if he took the rest of the week off work, he could be her personal bodyguard and make sure no harm came to her until she boarded the plane for Australia.
She didn’t argue or even say another word until they got to the hostel and he requested instructions on what he needed to collect of her belongings. There was her laptop in the hostel safe and everything else was packed neatly in a bag on her bed. He found it easily and was back to the car within five minutes.
“How’s your foot?” he asked as they weaved through midafternoon traffic to his place.
“Achy,” she said—tension filled the car and her reply.
“I’ll have a look at it when we get back.”
Ruby met them at the door, her eyes widening and her mouth gaping open as she saw Holly in Nate’s arms. He didn’t want her to put pressure on her foot until he’d taken a proper look and decided whether she needed medical attention.
“Can you make up a bed in the living room for Holly?” he asked Ruby. “And then fetch her things from the car, please.” All the guest rooms were on the upper floors but he didn’t want Holly having to take the stairs in her condition.
“Sure.” Ruby toddled off in the direction of the linen closet and Nate took Holly through to the living room.
He laid her down on one of the two sofas, and for one shocking moment an image flashed through his mind of her laying there naked and him equally naked on top of her. Shaking the thought away, he mentally slapped himself as he headed for the kitchen in search of an ice-pack in the freezer. Sex hadn’t been frequent lately, which had to account for why he was having all these undesirable thoughts about Holly.
* * *
Holly watched Nate’s gorgeous behind retreat from the room and let herself sink back into the couch. Despite the comfy-ness of his plush furniture, she wasn’t at all comfortable with this scenario. But really, what other option did she have? As much as
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