Page 39 of Irresistible

He kissed the top of her head and looked out the window. “The Marines built me into a lethal fighting machine. I’ve been home only a year, and sometimes I’m more warrior than civilian. Seeing Drew hit you made the lethal fighter hard to control.”

“Makes sense.”

“You’re not disgusted?”

Pulling away, she looked at him. “No. Why would I be?”

“I almost killed a man yesterday.”

She slid her hand around his waist. “But you didn’t, and that says a lot more about you than anything else.”

Sliding his hand up inside her T-shirt, he ran his fingers over her warm skin and felt her relax. He hadn’t thought about it that way. Made him feel a lot better. Drew let his anger control him, and he lashed out and struck Lilly. Brock had the same anger, but he controlled it. Barely.

Truth be told, that was his definition of a warrior. Someone who controlled his actions, emotions, and thoughts and used whatever strength he had to defend and protect others. Which is all he ever wanted to do. He just wasn’t sure if he had himself under control…enough. And until he did, he didn’t know if he should be around Lilly.

***

“What made you come by yesterday?” Lilly asked as she stretched out her legs.

“I wanted to tell you that Ruth was released from the hospital.”

As she sat up, Brock’s hand slipped away from her skin. “Oh, sweet Lord, that is not what I wanted to hear.”

“I know, honey. I’ve been in contact with the person handing her transition, and we’re going to make sure she gets nowhere near you. I received confirmation last night that she’s under twenty-four-hour supervision and is wearing an ankle monitor.”

“How in the world did she get out of the forensic unit?” Lilly asked, hating the fear in her voice. How was she not over the incident? She was safe. There was no reason to believe otherwise. She slid a shaking hand down her face and admitted to herself that she felt anything but safe. Maybe all the confidence she’d gained over the years was a result of Ruth being locked safely and securely away. Brock’s hands gripped her hips, and she faced him. “I’m okay,” she said.

“I know that. And you have a big mean spec ops boyfriend to run backup. I have no doubt you can handle whatever comes your way. Just know I’ve got your six. I’ll take care of whoever evades your very capable hands.”

Framing his face, she smooched him long and hard. It was one thing to have a strong, fearless man in her life. It was quite another when that man recognized that she was strong and capable too. “I might’ve just fallen a little bit in love with you.”

“Well, I’ll take your little bit and see if I can make it grow.”

He slid his tongue along her lips, and when she laughed, he gave her a kiss that would make any little bit turn into something almighty. The boy she’d known disappeared completely and the man he’d become was all she could see. And what a man he was.

Just as his hand wandered over her panties, the doorbell rang. Ignoring it, she shifted her hips so he could get to the place that drove her wild. Then the damn bell went off again. “It’s my parents or my one of my sisters,” she mumbled against his lips.

“Rain check,” he responded as he lifted his mouth away.

Kissing him one more time, she hopped off his lap. “I’m going to put some clothes on while you answer the door.” When she saw his pained expression, she let her eyes wander down to his jeans. “Just walk really slow and think about Drew. That should take care of it by the time you hit the landing.” Not giving him a moment to respond, she ran out of the room.

“Payback is gonna be real interesting,” he said to her back.

“Always is,” she responded. As she walked into the bedroom, she saw the quilt on the floor and remembered how sweet Brock had been last night. He’d taken her tenderly and somehow reminded her that good men existed in the world. It was the perfect antidote for an afternoon filled with violence. The fact that he was capable of fierce, untamed sex as well as tender lovemaking let her know that she didn’t stand a chance. He had her heart.

As she walked down the hall, she heard her sister Loren’s voice. “Good morning,” she called out as she entered the kitchen. The fact that she was met by somber expressions by both Loren and Brock made her stomach flip over. “Rip the Band-Aid off and tell me what’s going on.”

Loren stood, walked over, and lifted her sister’s chin. “I’m gonna kill that son of a bitch after I bury him in a painful and expensive lawsuit.”

“Sweet sister, you’re going to have to stand in line.” When her big sister gave her a hug, she almost lost it. “I’m okay. We’re going to file charges and make a lot of noise and hurt him where it counts.”

“More than once,” Loren responded.

“Yeah.” Taking her sister’s hand, she led her back to the table. When she saw a box from the bakery, she laughed. “I hope to God there’s a big old bear claw in there.”

“Of course,” Loren responded. “I came over for two reasons. The first is to update you on the lawsuit, and the second is to confer with my client. We have another set of interviews this afternoon, and I want us on the same page.”

Sitting up, Brock shook his head. “The only page is the truth. I’m not going to concoct some excuse.”

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