Page 24 of Wounded Hearts

He stroked her hair as he half carried her to the privacy of the dressing rooms and sat inside a cubicle giving her privacy to cry as he continued to hold her in his arms. “It’s okay, beautiful. I have you, you’re safe.”

She cried harder and he held her tight as she burrowed into him like a frightened, injured kitten. After five minutes her sobs began to subside, and he offered her a tissue from the box beside him that people used to stop make-up getting on the clothes they tried on. He’d been forced to go shopping with Lauren on more than one occasion, so Dane didn’t have to, and was now an expert in all things related to women’s fashion.

She took it and wiped her nose and face. “I’m sorry. I just saw you and I couldn’t hold it back anymore.”

“It’s okay sweetheart, don’t apologise for getting upset. Feel a little better now?”

Mara nodded.

“Want to tell me what happened?”

Mara told him everything from her trying on the clothes to reading the letter. He tried not to grit his jaw in anger that her trip had ended this way when she’d just begun to relax a tiny bit.

“Okay. Well, let’s get back to the office and we can see if we can identify this woman and find out why she’s targeting you. Maybe we can get a more detailed description. Then you can tell me if you have any idea who this letter might be from. That okay with you?”

Mara nodded and gripped his hand like a vice as he stood. He could feel the fear and trepidation coming from her. Not able to resist, Drew pulled her closer and held her in his arms, his around her back as hers crept around his neck. He inhaled the scent of her body spray and the raspberry mint shampoo she used. She was like a drug and with every second of contact he wanted more. Not just physically, though god knew he wanted to taste her lips, but her, the person, the complex woman beneath the beauty.

Her arms tightened around his neck, her breasts pushed against his chest and he felt her lips press against his neck as she took comfort from him. Drew moved back slightly not wanting her to realise what she was doing to his dick.

Slowly they pulled apart and she held his gaze as the electricity in the room ratcheted up until it almost crackled. He watched mesmerised as she wet her lips with her tongue. The air was almost still as her pulse pounded in her neck. He wanted to kiss her, but he wanted her to come to him. He needed her to close that gap and make that move to show him she was ready.

He stilled as he watched her lean in closer, her face inches from his and his heart beat faster in his chest. He’d never wanted something so badly. Just as she went up on tiptoes there was a loud knock on the cubicle door. They sprang apart like school kids caught necking and he grinned at the blush that covered her face.

“You guys okay in there?”

“Yeah, Lauren, all good. Give us a second.” He glanced at Mara who was still pale but looking better, and grinned. “Sisters.” He rolled his eyes and she laughed. He returned it with a smile of relief that she hadn’t regressed back into her shell and could still laugh and took her hand loosely in his. She looked down at their joined hands and then back at him and threaded her fingers with his in a sign that they were indeed on the same page and in this together. “Ready?”

“Ready.” She nodded and he opened the door to reveal a worried Lauren.

Lauren’s smile turned into a grin as she noticed their hands. “Dane is on his way with Zack and Smithy. I tried to tell them we’re fine, but you know what they’re like.” Lauren rolled her eyes.

“You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Lauren grinned. “No, I wouldn’t.”

When the husbands and Smithy arrived it was chaos, until eventually satisfied their wives were safe, they agreed to leave Smithy and K to handle any details at the shop and the others went back to Fortis to figure out what the threat was and who the woman was that had left the note.