Page 38 of Dearest Protector

Thoughts of my own displeasure suddenly fled. “Ariel? You okay?”

She shook her head slowly. “No,” she croaked. “I think I’ve developed some kind of phobia when it comes to hospitals. I’m not sure I can go back to another one again this soon. I know that may sound silly since I was in the hospital for such a long time, and I’ve gone under anesthesia many times, but just the thought of doing it again terrifies me.”

The raw, sheer terror in her gaze completely broke me.

Jesus!It wasn’t hard to understand why that fear was so real for her.

She’d nearly…died.

She’d also been to hell and back in the hospital…all alone.

Ariel had done every single battle for her lifeby herself.

I knew Katie had gone to New York as often as she could, but other than the occasional visits from her best friend, Arielhadbeen on her own.

I gently dropped Ariel’s feet from my lap and lifted her into my lap.

The need to be there for her, to physically comfort her, was something I couldn’t ignore right now.

I closed my eyes as I wrapped my arms around her and felt her soft, pliant body against mine for the first time. I completely ignored the physiological reaction of finally having the woman I wanted more than life itself in my arms. Right now, my main objective was to shield her. Protect her. Alleviate the fear that was eating her alive. “It will be different this time, Ariel. I won’t allow you to be alone or terrified all by yourself. Ever. Do you understand?”

I knew she was desperate for comfort as she willingly wrapped her arms around my neck and laid her head on my shoulder.

Ariel wasn’t the type of woman who broke easily, but I could sense that she was currently at her breaking point.

I shuddered as I held her a little tighter and ran my fingers through her silky curls.

I savored being this close to her, yet I cursed the damn circumstances.

Mine!

This woman wasmine!

Instinct had always told me that was true, but I’d never felt it clear to my bone marrow like I did right now.

Ariel was mine to protect and shelter from the fears that were gnawing at her psyche.

She always had been.

And this time, I was going to do it right.

I was going to be by her side every step of the way, the way I always should have been.

I didn’t give a shit if the way I felt about Ariel didn’t make sense right now in my analytical brain because it felt just as natural and just as necessary as breathing to me in this moment.

And I was never going to leave her alone when she needed me again.

Chapter 9

Ariel

Over the next few weeks, my relationship with Ben completely changed.

I couldn’t hideanythingfrom him.

He wouldn’t allow it.

He not only encouraged, but he insisted that I share all of the details of my accident, both emotionally and physically, which was something he’d never done before.

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