Read Online To Love and Protect by Tammy Jo Burns - Free Book Online Page A

sure the sheet covered her completely.   Clarissa wrapped a lock of her hair around her finger and began to twist.   The bad habit had started as a child, and she had yet to overcome it, despite the tangled mess it caused.  
    “What’s wrong, Clare?”  
    “What did you call me?” She glanced up startled.  
    “Clare.   Clarissa seems like a mouthful and much too old for you.”   He let a small, dramatic shiver punctuate his thoughts.
    “Oh,” she said uncertain what to think about this.   She liked the sound of the shortened version of her name and how it rolled off Justin’s tongue.   His Scottish brogue made her name sound like a caress, regardless of which version he used.
    “Go back to sleep.”   He crossed his arms over his massive chest and closed his eyes once more.   She laid the now empty food tray on the floor by the bed and closed her eyes.   Clarissa tried to ignore his shifting form that caused the chair to creak.   She really did feel sorry for him.   The question remained as to how sorry?
    “Justin,” she called softly.
    “Hmmm?”
    “There’s enough room in this bed for the both of us.”
    One of his eyes opened a mere slit.   Open enough for him to see if she were serious.   “Clare, I don’t know if this is really all that good of an idea.”
    “Listen, you didn’t have to accompany me on this search.   You could have simply walked away.   We are both tired and need to rest.   You can sleep on top of the blankets.”
    Reluctantly he stood, his body crying out for the comfort of the bed.   His back and neck were stiff and his knees popped with every step.   When had he become old?   His grandfather would say he wasn’t old, but soft.   He could almost hear the old man say, “Too much of the Sassenach rubbin’ off on ye, grandson.”   Perhaps, but right now he craved that bed more than anything, well, almost more than any thing.
    He watched as the beautiful blonde creature made room for him.   His make-believe wife.   For a moment he almost wished it were real.   His body very much wished it were so.   He crawled onto the bed and stretched out, relaxing himself muscle by muscle.   Then he felt her soft hand on his arm, and he felt the blood immediately flow to his manhood.
    “Is this better?”
    “No,” he grunted, pushing himself off the bed.   He took a pillow and the very top blanket with him.   He walked to the hearth and lay down in front of the glowing embers.
    “You would rather lie on the floor than in a bed?” she questioned.   He could hear confusion lace her voice.
    “Right now, yes.”
    “Fine, I hope you spend the night in agony,” she huffed and flipped over, her back to him.
    “Not as much as if I had stayed in that bed,” he said softly, not knowing that she heard his every word.   A deep blush covered her body, but excitement raced through her.   As she fell asleep, for the first time in over a fortnight, her thoughts were not about the safety nor whereabouts of her father.
    ***
    Stiffness greeted every bone and joint in Justin’s body the next morning.   Slowly he stood up and stretched his aching muscles.   When he turned to the bed, his heart skipped a beat.   Where had she gone?   He walked over to the mattress and noticed it was cool to the touch.
    “Damn.   Why can’t she just stay put?” he questioned the empty room.   He moved quickly, throwing on clothes and pulling on boots.   As soon as he finished dressing, he flew down the stairs.   At the bottom, Justin came to an abrupt halt when he saw Clarissa sipping from a sturdy mug and staring out the window.   His breath whooshed out of him in relief at just the sight of her.   He rolled his neck to relieve the pent up tension.   Feeling himself slowly relax, he walked across the room.  
    “Please tell me that is not ale you are drinking with your scone and clotted cream.   I don’t want to have to hold your hair back half way down the road.”
    “No,