Page 28 of My Secret to Protect

'You going to ask her out then?' Nick says, and I turn to give him my full attention, noting the happy, relaxed expression on his face.

'I don't know if that's a good idea. I just moved here, and she's my next-door neighbor.'

'Brother, you haven't taken your eyes off her since you walked in here.' Leo chuckles. 'Ask the girl on a date, but prepare yourself. Campbell women will keep you on your toes.'

Don’t I know it. I smile, turning to look at Bree once more as she presses another button on the jukebox and the familiar melody instantly takes me back to a hot night, laid out on a blanket next to her, kissing and looking up at the stars. As her eyes meet mine, I push myself to my feet, and as I start to walk toward her, she meets me halfway. Might as well get these wheels turning.

'You feel like dancin', short stuff?' I ask as she gazes up at me and nods, and we make our way to the dance floor.

I pull her body against mine and feel her tense, then relax as she accepts the closeness. My hand on her back holds her to me while the other holds her hand to my chest, and as our eyes meet, I offer a small smile before she rests her cheek against my chest and just lets me hold her, moving us to the music that once meant so much to us.

It's a moment. The dance earlier in the night was a show—this one is nostalgia—her in my arms and this song that's a part of the soundtrack to our time together. My resentment becomes hazy as I hold her close and feel her breath, hot against my chest through my shirt.

We don't speak, we just dance, and I question, yet again, how I’m going to survive this.

‘Guys, I’m going to head out. I’m tired,’ Bree says weakly. She’s been yawning and forcing her eyes to stay open for about an hour now, but I was waiting for her to make the call.

'Okay, honey. You’re all right walking home?' Zoe asks Bree, and she nods.

‘I’m heading out too,’ I say, standing and holding out a hand to help her up. ‘I’ll walk with you.’

'Make sure she gets home safe,' Zoe says, her hand reaching out for my wrist, and I nod.

It's weird to meet Zoe and Doug after all this time. Bree adores her siblings and she's always been so close to them that I felt like I knew them back then, even though I never met them.

We say our goodbyes and make our way out of the bar, heading for home.

‘I had fun tonight,’ she says softly as we walk side by side, and her words take me by surprise. ‘I was dreading you coming to the bar. I thought it would be awkward.’

'Me too,' I admit, laughing lightly, and she smiles. 'Your family are great.'

'They are.' Her voice is quieter now. I don’t know if it’s emotion or tiredness, but I hear it.

When we reach the cottages, I walk her to her door and lean in to kiss her cheek. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and I know we’re being watched. Bree looks like she’s ready to fall asleep, so her instincts are probably off. She doesn’t seem to have the same sensation I do, so I try not to freak her out.

'Make sure to lock your doors, sugar. Sleep tight.'

I try to make the warning as light as possible, but I mean it. If he saw us or heard us tonight, he might be pissed off enough to try something, and while I want to draw him out, I’d prefer it to be when I'm there with her.

Turning to step down from the porch, I start to make my way toward my place when she calls out my name, and I turn back to face her.

'Arlo.' I meet her eyes, bright in the light from the porch.

‘Get some sleep, pix,’

‘But…’ There’s emotion in that one word that I hear, and it guts me. She felt that same old connection tonight, just like I did, but I can’t give in to that. She put me behind bars, so I remind myself that this isn’t real.

‘Tomorrow,’ I say, moving things forward and answering her unasked question. 'Let me take you out tomorrow.'

Nodding, Bree backs into her now open front door, and I wait to hear the click of the lock before heading home, looking around without making it obvious, but I can’t see him. My heart races with the urge to turn around and head back to her, ask her to let me in so I can hold her, protect her, but that’s fucking stupid.

I need to remember what she did. I can't trust her sweet caramel eyes, I can't trust her smiles or the way her breath hitches when she looks at me. I trusted them once, and she broke my heart.

Nineteen Years Ago

'Prez,canwetalk?'I asked Viking as I found him playing pool with his VP, Horse — supposedly named because of his terrifyingly fuckin' huge dick. A couple of sweet butts were hanging around, waiting to be asked to get upstairs or on their knees. One of them looked up at me hopefully as I approached, but I ignored her. I had the only woman I would ever want. That's why I was here.

'Can it wait?' he asked, lining up his shot, and I inhaled deeply, making him turn to meet my eye.

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