Page 72 of The Road Less Traveled By

What she doesn't know is that I’ll try anything I can to show her that, even though she feels like she’ll never have peace, that nobody can love her, that someone can and will.

Me. I’ll be that for her. I’ll be her anchor when the weight of the storms in her mind become too much for her to handle.

I look down at her sleeping in my arms, her hand fisted around my shirt as if she’s afraid I’ll turn to dust in the night, and press a kiss to her forehead.

Her eyes are already puffy, and I wipe some of the wet tears from her face with her blanket before I take another long look at her.

She’s goddamn angelic.

My beautiful, tortured angel.

“I’ll keep you safe, Bree. I promise we’ll get past this, and I’ll spend every single day showing you that being with you is as easy as breathing.”

Chapter twenty-three

— SAME SEA BY LIGHTS

My eyes are barelyable to peel open as a bright light hits my face. Only when I don't feel Vince next to me do I realize he’s the one opening the curtains and trying to kill my eyes.

The same eyes that feel swollen, puffy, and dry from all the crying I’ve been doing lately. I desperately need eye drops if this is how the morning is going to go.

“Morning, Bree. You better get a move on, or we’re going to be late,” Vince says as he opens myothercurtains, and I move my hand to my face, trying to shield them from the burning sensation that comes with staring into the sun.

“Are you trying to blind me?”

“No, I’m trying to get you out of bed. Come on, let’s go. I’ve got your clothes all laid out right here.” He motions to the end of my bed, where he’s picked out one of my workout sets—the light pink one. My favorite one.

“Are we going for a walk like yesterday morning?”

“Something like that, but you’ll love it. I promise. And you might want to get up before I let Nell in, or you’ll never leave that bed ever again.”

“I don't think I’d mind getting attacked with kisses to the face. I find them quite nice,” I say as Vince goes to open the door. Sweet Nellie is sitting in front of it—apparently just like Vince does—guarding the path for any intruders. Her tail starts to wag as Vince asks her about breakfast, and she takes off down the stairs toward her bowl.

“I’ll leave you to get dressed. Meet me downstairs?”

I nod my head and throw my covers off as he softly shuts the door.

I take a moment to steady myself. These past few days—well, months—have been emotional whiplash. Not to mention that Vince and I admitted what we did the other night, and then we slept together.

Well, we slept in the same bed together. All night. And he woke up in my room the next morning.Thismorning. And now, we’re going to do something just the two of us, because we’re the only two people up here in this house.

I think I just walked into some sort of forced proximity romance novel, and I find myself not wanting to get out of it.

Just be normal, Bree.

But I can’t. I’m afraid Vince said all that and isn't going to act on it because he’s my bodyguard. I’m literally employing him, and rule number three is no personal attachments, but he also said he had broken all his rules for me. Or did his sister say that? Either way, whatever is happening between us feels like it’s up to me to figure out.

Which is easier said than done.

Wanting to banish all of those thoughts and have a calm day, I shove them to the back of my mind before I throw my outfit on, brush my hair and teeth, and shove the boots Vince set out for me on my feet.

Where did these come from?I like to think I’m an organized person, and I would remember buying these. I think I have everything I need for this surprise adventure, and when I walk down the stairs, the sight before me stops me in my tracks.

Vince is sitting at the table doing a crossword puzzle while Nellie eats breakfast like a maniac.

“Does any of the food actually make it into her mouth?”

Vince laughs, obviously very familiar with this behavior. “Sometimes. Usually in about two minutes.”

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