Page 24 of Island Rescuer

The fire sucked her in, dragged her down. She shrieked as skin peeled from her hands and feet. Screaming for help. Someone had to hear her. Someone had to come.

No one answered. No one appeared. Her only hope was the water.

She jumped.

“Hush, baby. Hush. I’ve got you. It’s a nightmare. Just a nightmare. Let it go. You’re safe. I’ve got you. I’m here.”

Not alone. Not alone. Relief brought her awake in a rush.

Blinking, she clutched the arms holding her, struggling to get her bearings. “Fire,” she mumbled.

“Just a nightmare. You’re safe.”

Fire and smoke weren’t filling her nostrils now. A clean, masculine scent surrounded her. She was in bed. Her legs were tangled in the sheets. Linen ropes pinning her down. She kicked, needing to be free of them.

Those arms shifted, flicking away the twisted sheets. She shuddered.

“Easy now, Harper. Take a breath. Slow and easy.”

Knox. She jerked out of his arms and scrambled to the far side of the bed. “What are you doing? What’s going on?”

He didn’t move from where he sat at the edge of the bed, leaning back against the headboard. “You were having a nightmare,” he replied. “You screamed and for a second I had one of my own.”

“What? Why are you…” She looked around as reality came crashing down on her. remembering in bits and pieces.

She wasn’t at home. This was the safe house on Brookwell. Knox was here. Her assigned protector. Because a threat she had ignored managed to blow up a fishing boat no one knew she would be on.

“I’m sorry.” She shoved her hands through her hair. Reaching for the light near the bed, she flipped the switch so she could see him more clearly.

Bad idea.

Her heart skipped in delighted circles at the sight of him. He wore boxers… And nothing else as he watched her carefully. Chaos reigned as her pulse raced. He was more than fit. The arms that had held her moments ago were sculpted to perfection, his torso carved with muscles she’d never been so close to. If protection didn’t work out, he had a future as a fitness model.

“No apology needed.” No judgment in his voice. No pity in his brown eyes. Only concern. “You okay?”

“Y-yes.” She saw the tie that secured the end of her bedtime braid on the pillow. He figured out her goal a beat before she did, stretching out to hand it to her.

Their fingers brushed and a sizzle zipped up her arm. Tickling. Tempting. “Knox.”

“You want water? Tea?” he asked without moving.

“You.” She hurried to add to that inappropriate admission, to make it sound as if she’d merely stumbled over the rest of the words. “You want to fix tea?”

“If it will help you sleep.”

She shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”

“Uh-huh.” He rolled to his feet. “I’m glad you think so. I’ll be right back.”

Her view of his long lean body was just as enjoyable as he walked away. Somehow, she managed to stifle the moan of longing building in her chest. “Knox, wait.” She stumbled out of the bed and chased after him. “You don’t need?—”

But he hadn’t gone toward the stairs, only across the hall and she nearly plowed into him when he turned around. He caught her, his palms warm on her bare arms as he held her steady.

OMG!

She was face to face with Knox. More like face to everything-about-Knox. Her fantasies paled in comparison. Suddenly, it dawned on her that she only wore her cami and sleep shorts. Heat radiated from his lean body and his scent made her want to burrow into him. To curl up and never leave. On reflex, she leaned in.

He held firm. “Harper?”

---