Page 75 of Protecting Love

She screamed out his name. She was coming. He was right there with her.

Then he was lying on top of her.

Heavy. Unmoving.

Yet comforting.

“Fletcher?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, then shifted and rolled. Her legs were still locked around his hips, but she unhooked them in time to not have them trapped under his back.

“That was the best breakfast I’ve ever had.”

“You didn’t even eat anything like I did.”

“Crude but funny. Still. It’s the truth.”

“It is,” he said, his hand moving down her back.

Just another side of him.

“And now I can feed you for real. Unless you need to leave?”

Please don’t let him have to leave.

He leaned up, almost pushing her off of him. “Was this only about sex for you?”

Crap. Too late.

“No. I’m not your ex. Don’t put me in that category. I meant your son.” She rolled off the bed and reached for her clothes to dress quickly. “I don’t know what you said to him or if you needed to get home. I’ll go warm up the food again.”

She marched out before she did something she never did. Cried.

18

GETTING TO YOU

What a great way to fuck that up.

Fletcher stalked to her bathroom, took care of the condom, then dressed quickly, yanking his clothes on with more force than necessary, grabbing his gun off the dresser and returning to the kitchen.

“I’m sorry. It was a trigger.”

She turned to look at him.

Her eyes were glassy, but she was holding it together.

Better than he was by the looks of it.

“I figured. Uncharted territory for us both. Sit, eat. We can talk.”

“We should. We need to.”

“I’ll start. I’m feeling more... exposed in my life right now. Before all this stuff happened, there I am, my eyes searching for you when I walk in the building.”

“What?”

“Come on, Fletcher. You’re smart. We know it. Don’t be that way. I told you I was opening up with you and don’t make me regret it now that it’s all there.”