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And yet, he helped me report my ex’s behavior so I could hopefully get something done about it. Didn’t bat an eye when Felix revealed I’d lied about him being my boyfriend, or when Riley suggested we continue to pretend to date so my ex would leave me alone. And now he’s offering me protection by inviting me into his home.

“Why are you doing this?” The thought finds my voice before I can stop it.

“Because it’s the right thing to do. I’m not a fan of bullies and if I can help deter your ex from harassing you, I will.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“No. But life shouldn’t be about what’s owed. If it were, your ex would have gotten what he deserves by now.”

I can’t argue with that. “Maybe he will.”

“Oh, there’s no maybe about it. He will get what he deserves.” His hands clench at his sides. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“You can’t say that.”

“I can.”

“I don’t want this to fall back on you.” The idea of Granger getting in trouble—or worse—has my stomach sinking to my toes.

“It won’t. We’re establishing a pattern while keeping you as safe as possible.”

“And safe is me staying here.” I don’t phrase it as a question because we’ve already noted his thoughts on my safety.

“For now. Yes.”

“And after?”

“We’ll worry about that then.”

“I can’t stay here indefinitely.”

“You will as long as the prick is harassing you.”

The growl in his voice has a shiver skipping up my spine. The kind of tremor that has the hairs on my arm and neck standing too. The kind that has a swirling pool of warmth sitting low in my belly and my thighs pressing together.

A few words in that devilishly sexy timbre and I’m aroused more than I’ve been during any sexual encounter I’ve had.

Why does a man I barely know get me this hot and bothered when the ones I’ve dated haven’t?

I can admit, if only to myself, that I like Granger. A lot. Every time I’ve seen him since the first night he scared my ex away has lit me up inside. He makes me feel real. He makes me feel cared for. He makes me feel safe. I can’t explain it better than that.

He pays attention. Listens. Looks at me when we’re talking. Really looks. He’s validating me in a way no one in my life has. Sure, my mom and Gran pay attention. They love me. Care about me. But Granger…

The way he treats me is different.

I’m a little in love with him, I think. Or maybe it’s the way he makes me feel I’m in love with.

Whatever the reason, living with him is only going to make it harder to keep boundaries between us. Harder to keep my distance and not latch onto him like some damsel in distress from one of the romance novels I read.

But then those women always find their backbone. Their strength. Sure, the hero is an alpha guy who protects them from whatever dilemma they find themselves in, but in the end, his presence allows them to stand up for themselves.

Can Granger give me that? Without the falling in love part?

“There’s a lot of thinking going on in there.” He taps a fingertip on my forehead. “Want to talk about it?”

“I’m just deciding which room to take.” We both know it’s a lie. It’s not a hard decision. Any one of the rooms would be good enough.

“Okay. Take all the time you need. I’ll head down and get those veggies in the oven. If you’ve made up your mind by then I’ll put your stuff in your room. If not, wait until I’ve showered and then I’ll cart everything where it needs to be.”