“Why are you so good to me?”
Because I’m falling for you. Because you make me feel things I haven’t felt in years. Because protecting you has become more important than anything else.
“Because you deserve someone being good to you,” Carson said instead.
Nora’s eyes dropped to his mouth. Carson’s breath caught. He watched her lean closer, saw the intention in her eyes, felt his own body responding despite every alarm bell in his head screaming at him to stop.
This was wrong. She was vulnerable. Scared. Looking to him for safety and comfort, not romance.
But when her lips brushed against his—soft and hesitant and questioning—Carson forgot every reason this was a bad idea.
He kissed her back.
It was gentle at first. Careful. Like they were both testing the waters, seeing if this was real or just adrenaline and proximity.
Then Nora’s hand slid up to his neck, and Carson’s control shattered.
He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, pouring weeks of suppressed attraction and protective instinct and something deeper he wasn’t ready to name into the contact. Nora responded immediately, pressing against him, making a small sound in the back of her throat that sent heat racing through Carson’s veins.
This was everything he’d been trying not to want. Everything he’d been denying himself.
And it was so much better than he’d imagined.
Nora’s fingers threaded through his hair, and Carson groaned against her mouth. His hand slid up her back, holding her close, trying to get closer still—
Reality crashed back in.
What the hell was he doing?
Carson pulled back abruptly, breathing hard. Nora looked dazed, her lips swollen, her eyes dark with desire.
“We can’t,” Carson said, his voice rough. “I can’t—this is wrong.”
Confusion flickered across her face. “Why? I thought—you said when this was over—”
“Exactly. When this is over. Not now. Not while you’re vulnerable and scared and I’m supposed to be protecting you.” He forced himself to stand, to put distance between them. “You came to me for help. For safety. Not...this.”
“What if I want this too?”
The words nearly broke his resolve. But Carson thought about Holloway’s warning. About boundaries. About how this could compromise the case, compromise Nora’s safety, compromise everything.
“It doesn’t matter what we want right now,” he said, hating the words even as he said them. “What matters is keeping you safe. CatchingEugene. Making sure you’re protected. I can’t do that if I’m...if we’re...”
“If you’re what? Feeling something for me?” Nora stood too, and there was hurt in her eyes now. Rejection. “Or is this just about you maintaining control? Keeping everything professional so you don’t have to actually feel anything?”
The accusation hit closer to home than she could know. Because yes, part of him was scared. Scared of letting someone in. Scared of caring too much. Scared of failing to protect her the way he’d failed to protect Lily.
“This isn’t about my feelings,” Carson said, even though it was a lie. “This is about doing my job. About keeping you safe without compromising the investigation.”
“Right. Your job.” Nora’s voice had gone cold. “I forgot. That’s all this is to you.”
“Nora—”
“No, you’re right. We should keep things professional. That’s what you want.” She moved past him toward the door. “I’m going back to bed. Sorry for...whatever that was.”
“Nora, wait—”
But she was already gone, the guest room door closing firmly behind her.
