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CHAPTER 13

Houston kept one eye on her, and one eye on what he was doing. Hours passed.

Word finally came that his sister had been found. She’d been trapped and one of the last ones found, but she was out now. Safe.

Houston practically broke down after that, but pulled himself together quickly. He was basically alone—Brooke barely moved at all. He stayed close, even though there were ample opportunities for him to take short breaks.

He had promised her he wasn’t going to let Hoby hurt her.

He wasn’t about to break his word.

He watched her sleep when he could. Studied her, now that she was still. She wasn’t exactly beautiful, not really. Not by any conventional airbrushed/photoshopped magazine standards. But she was intriguing, attractive—a man couldn’t look away. He certainly couldn’t.

He had finally admitted it to himself. The reason she had gotten beneath his skin and rubbed him raw was because he had been physically attracted to her from day one. He’d just had a problem reconciling his swift, intense attraction to her with his misconceptions of who she was. He’d taken one look at her trailing behind her father in a pantsuit that cost more than his weekly paycheck and he’d automatically assumed she was a pampered little rich girl. But that was just the mask she’d worn then.

Until tonight. Until he’d looked beneath the surface and saw the real woman there. His attraction had just deepened. No denying that.

Maybe it was the intensity of the storm. Maybe it was the thing with Hoby. Or maybe it was just finally being alone with her long enough to talk with her that had done it.

But Houston was going to see what came out of it, first chance he got.

Movement outside the window caught his attention and he tensed, putting his body between Brooke and the door, expecting it to be Hoby. To his relief, it was Todd, the morning disc jockey. Houston put it on a canned PSA and stood.

Todd opened the door, quietly. “Hey, I hoofed it in. Johnson and Amber are with me. We figured you and Brooke are ready to get out of here…where is she?”

Houston shifted to the left to reveal the sleeping woman behind him.

Todd’s lips quirked. “Our little princess is a bit of a lightweight, isn’t she?”

Houston’s eyes narrowed. “She’s earned the rest. The woman is tougher than steel.”

Todd held up his hand. “Woah. Hey, I have no problem with Brooke. Girl knows her stuff.”

Houston had already turned toward her. He knelt down. “Brook, honey, time to wake up.” He put his hand on her shoulder and nudged her lightly.

She gasped and jerked back, terrified green eyes staring up at him. Then her gaze cleared, and she looked around. Her cheeks turned red.

She looked adorable.

He wished he had the right to kiss her, but it was far too early for that. “Hey, the second string has arrived. Grab your gear. I’ll give you a lift home.”

Todd shook his head. “Nope. You haven’t been outside, yet, have you?”

Houston shook his head.

“I just hope the two of you have decent car insurance policies that cover acts of God, man. You’re going to need it.”