Page 36 of Island Rescuer

Maybe that was a good metaphor for Harper. She was sweet and if she spent any time with him, it would only flame out and burn them both. So why couldn’t he get his eyes off her lips? Or pull his mind away from the idea that they’d be sharing a bed tonight?

He told himself it was because she was talking and he was being attentive. Telling lies was strong in his DNA.

“Knox, are you listening? Your parents aren’t your responsibility. Mistakes you made as a kid don’t have to haunt you.”

He studied the night sky rather than jump her in a flurry of need. “You’re right. Therapy turned me around,” he said. “I don’t have much of a relationship with them anymore. That’s a good thing. I don’t feel guilty about how things went then or how they’re going now. In my case, distance is the healthiest solution.”

“I’m glad you learned that. None of us are fully formed as kids, but it seems like not enough of us really try to find our true selves as adults.” She leaned back on her hands. “Is that what being a protector is for you?”

Was it his true self?“Maybe so. It was the best solution at the right time. And it helped that Gamble and Swann were convinced to give me a second chance when I needed it most.” The idea that he might have been under house arrest at his parents’ place still scared him if he dwelled on it too long.

“I was still acting like a dumb teenager in my early twenties,” he explained. “Old enough to know better with no motivation to do better. I actually got into some trouble around here with Lieutenant Frasier’s oldest son.”

“And Rhett too.”

“That’s right.” He huffed out a bittersweet chuckle. “Rhett and I pulled some stupid pranks on a few guys that annoyed us. But I tried boosting a car with Frasier. I’ve never asked, but I think it was Bruce that got me out of it. Or into the agency, I should say. God knows my parents didn’t give a damn at that point. They kicked me out because I refused to play along with their realty scams.”

She gave him a long look. “You’ve been a protector since your early twenties?”

He shook his head. “I’ve held several jobs within the Guardian Agency. First, there was lots of training and making up for my stupidity. A few years of some really low risk security posts. They made sure I went to college and graduated with honors.”

Yes, all that had helped him become a better protector, but it was their faith in him and his ability to turn his life around that made the real difference.

“Wow. That’s impressive,” she said.

“It really is,” he agreed. “Plus, Rhett and Frasier were better off since I vacated the picture quickly. At the rate I was going, I would’ve carried all three of us down.”

“Come on. You couldn’t have been that bad.”

“You’re wrong.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her soft skin. “Ask Chief Caldwell about it sometime. He was thrilled when I left the area.” Knox had the strangest urge to laugh thinking about it. “He’s still making me prove that I’m no longer a bad influence.”

“You don’t seem entirely unhappy about it.”

“Nah. He’s a good guy. I understand where he’s coming from now, and what it means to keep a community safe. Can’t fault him for his dedication.”

She continued to frown. “Good for you. I’ve never met him.”

“Hopefully you’ll never need to.”

“Does he know you’ve turned this B&B into a safe house?

Knox nodded. “Jess keeps him in the loop. Caldwell likes her.”

Harper laughed, then stopped short. “Oh. You weren’t kidding.”

“I was not.”

She grinned, then craned her neck to peer up at the sky. “It is a beautiful night.”

Darkness had fallen, stars winked in the black velvet sky and the fire was dying down, crackling softly. “The view can’t be that much different than over at the resort.”

She glanced at him. “You would know since you’ve been following me.”

“True enough.” He draped an arm over her shoulders. “I’m sure we’ll have this guy under control soon.”

“You keep hoping that I’ll give you a name.” She shifted to meet his gaze squarely. “I’m not holding back, Knox. Believe me.”

“I do,” he assured her. “You can’t give me what you don’t know. At the start, I was sure you knew who was behind the harassment, but I can see you’re as baffled as the rest of us.”

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