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“Thank you so much for today. I had the best time.”

“I’m glad, Honey,” Brax said as he pulled up to the hotel parking gate.

“You don’t have to park, you can just drop me off up front.”

“That’s not the way this works. I pick you up at your door, I drop you off at your door.”

He could feel her looking at him as he grabbed the ticket.

“It’s a waste of money. I’m perfectly safe here.”

There she was, always thinking about everybody else. This was all about saving him money, when he knew damn good and well, even walking up to her room by herself was going to scare her.

“Humor me, Jenny. It’s part of being a big brother. I can’t help myself.”

“Oh. Yeah. That makes sense.”

I’m going to have to remember that. I get my way when I use the big brother argument. Cool.

“Me opening your door is also part of the big brother service, so wait for me, huh?”

“Now you’re just yanking my chain.” She rolled her eyes.

“I’m not. They’ve salted the parking lot because of the ice. It’s slippery, so please wait for me. Please.” He saw her give in on the ‘please.’ He took his time walking around the truck. All evening he couldn’t get his friends’ voices out of his head. Yeah, he liked Jenny. He liked her a lot. He worried about her. But was she really someone he wanted to get involved with?

He opened the passenger door.

She looked down at him. “Okay, Hotshot, I waited. What’s my prize?” Her smile could melt ice.

With that one smile, he wanted to kick his own ass. Who was he kidding, they already were involved. But he realized he wanted more. Now he needed to find out if there was any chance that Jenny might be on the same page.

“Your prize is that instead of stepping down on the running board, I’m going to lift you out of the truck and set you down nice and easy, so you won’t slip.”

She held out her arms and rested them on his shoulders so that he could clasp her waist and set her down on the pavement. He was as gentle and careful as he could be, keeping her broken ribs in mind.

Jenny stood there in his arms, looking up at him. “How was that a prize?”

“Well, maybe the prize could be for both of us, depending on your point of view.”

“Now you’re not making any sense, Braxton Walker. What are you talking about?” She tugged at the collar of his leather jacket, so that it closed more tightly around his throat. He knew she did it so she didn’t have to meet his eyes. It gave him hope. She wasn’t insisting they walk to the hotel lobby immediately.

“Jenny, I was seeing it like this. I think since you let me help you, you deserve a kiss. I think because I helped you, I deserve a kiss.”

She looked back up at him, her eyes twinkling as bright as the stars above. “You do, huh? I didn’t know you were such a thinker.”

“I am.”

“That’s a shame. Here I was hoping you were more of a doer.”

Brax threw back his head and laughed. How could he have ever thought that he didn’t want to have a relationship with this woman?

Jenny stared up at Brax as he laughed, and she melted. Not only was he easy to talk to, but he laughed at her jokes. She had no idea how much longer he would be around babysitting her, so she’d do her best not to overthink things. She knew better than to trust her future in anybody’s hands but her own. Instead, she would bask in his attention and make sure that she didn’t come to expect it.

She blinked. He was looking down at her, his gaze intent.

He must have said something, but she hadn’t heard him. Both of his large, calloused hands cupped her cheeks.

“I’ll show you a doer,” he whispered. Then his lips settled onto hers. Lightly at first. His lips were soft, but the pressure was firm. Far too quickly, he pulled away.

“No,” she whispered. “Come back.” She’d dared him into this, and she wasn’t going to let him stop at just one, barely there kiss.

She wrapped both arms around his neck and his eyes lit up with satisfaction. He lifted a hand and slid his fingers through her hair, and how good did that feel? She closed her eyes at the decadent sensation, then re-opened them, not wanting to miss anything. He was smiling when his lips came down and kissed her again.

Soft and sweet, like warm caramel, his lips coaxed hers to open, and she sighed.

And again.

Bold and sharp like spiced rum, his tongue delved deep, and she moaned.

And again.

Dark and decadent, like coffee-flavored truffles, and she dug her fingers into his scalp.

Brax stepped back.

“Why’d you stop?” Jenny wanted to know.

“You were whimpering.”

“It was a good whimper. Don’t stop.”

Dammit, I’m sounding too needy.

“Honey, it’s cold, let’s get you inside.”

“I’m not cold. In fact, I’m really warm.”

Quiet. Be quiet. Be quiet. Don’t sound desperate.

“Baby, it is cold. You just got out of the hospital. Now come with me.”

He pulled her close. And wasn’t that just the nicest thing? Brax kept his steps short so that she could keep up as they walked through the lobby. It was just one of the many, many considerate things he did for her. Before she knew it she was getting out her hotel key to open her room.

When she opened the door, she stopped short and grabbed Brax’s forearm. She’d left all the lights on before leaving, but now she could only see the glow of the bedroom light.

“Honey? What is it?”

“The lights are off. They were on when I left.”

“Wait in the hall, and I’ll look through your suite, okay?”

“Okay.” Jenny couldn’t stop the shivers racing through her body.

“You’re going to have to let go of me,” he whispered.

She looked up into his brown eyes. “I can’t, Brax.”

“Sure you can, sweetheart. You’re brave, remember?”

She shook her head hard enough that strands of brown-blonde hair whipped across her face. “No, I’m not.”

“Okay, come with me. But stand behind me, okay?” He pulled her hand off his forearm and gripped her hand. She nodded.

Jenny gasped as she watched him pull out a gun. Where had he been hiding that?

She kept a tight grasp on his hand and followed close behind him as he walked toward the open bedroom door.

He turned to her and put his mouth down to her ear. In a voice that she could barely hear, he said, “I need to find out if there is anyone behind the door. Let go for a moment.”

She nodded and released his hand.

Jenny watched as Brax pulled the door almost all the way closed, then slammed it open into the wall. Nothing. He was across the room and into the bathroom before she could even blink.

Then he walked back out. “It’s clear.”

That’s when Jenny noticed that her bed had been turned down and there was a piece of chocolate wrapped in gold foil lying on her pillow. She felt herself begin to tremble as she pointed at it.

“I’m so sorry.” She felt like she was going to cry. “I made a mountain out of a molehill.”

He walked over to her and wrapped one arm around her waist and the other around her head, tucking her close to his chest. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Jenny, being on a knife’s edge is understandable.”

“But I’m sick of it. I’m sick of who I am.”

“I’m not.”

“How can you not be? You’ve been babysitting me ever since you got back to the States, and you don’t even know me…” She let her voice trail off.

“What?”

“Never mind.”

“No, tell me, baby. I want to know.”

“Nobody knows me. It’s what I realized in that goddamned shack. I’ve never let anybody know me.”

Brax didn’t say anything. Instead, he stroked his hand from the top of her head down the line of her back.

Up and down.

Up and down. It felt so good, she was sure her bones were going to melt and she would dissolve into him.

When her trembling stopped, he lifted her chin with one finger. “I know you, Jenny Rivers.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do, baby. I do. I know that you like skiing in Colorado when the first snow falls. I know that wherever you’re living in the States you like to go volunteer at a women’s shelter. I know you still feel guilty for blowing Jarrod off, even though he got to sleep with you—and trust me honey, he got the long end of that stick. I know that you’re a chocolate snob and you probably won’t eat that piece of candy on your pillow because it’s not See’s Candy.”

He was right. He knew her. This man knew her.

Jenny felt her throat close and her nose clog. She tried to keep herself under control, but she couldn’t. When the first tear fell, it was like her entire body fell. It took her a moment to realize she hadn’t fallen, but Brax had sat down on the side of the bed, and now he cradled her in his arms as she soaked in his warmth and caring.

Jenny had no idea how long she stayed like that. At no point did Brax tell her not to cry. Instead, he said nonsense words of comfort as he gently rocked her, stroked her, and brushed her tears away.

She had no idea how long they stayed that way. When she was finally aware of her surroundings, it was like she came out of a deep sleep to find her arms around his neck and her lips against his jaw.

“Kiss me?” It was a plea.

He kissed her temple.

She tilted her head back to look into his dark brown eyes. “No, a real kiss.”

He gave her a slow smile. “Oh, there are real kisses in our future. You can count on that. But right now, I’m tucking you into bed.”

Jenny shivered.

“And I’m staying the night,” he finished.

Her eyes lit up.

“On the couch in the other room.”

“You’ll be more comfortable in the bed. Beside me.” She coaxed.

“If I’m sleeping next to you, and not doing the many things I want to do, I won’t be comfortable, I’ll be in agony.” He grinned down at her. “I’m sleeping on the couch. Now go get ready for bed. Just think of it; now you’ll have a chair, a gun, and a SEAL protecting you.”

“I’d feel safer if the SEAL was in bed with me.”

“Give it up.” Brax smiled. He stood up and sent her hopes back down to the ground. “Your feminine wiles won’t work on me. Now get ready for bed and under the covers, and I’ll come give you a kiss good night.”

She sighed. “If you sleep beside me, I’ll give you the chocolate,” she wheedled.

“You’ll give me the chocolate anyway.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

She watched as he sauntered out of the room and shut the door behind him. She sighed.

Maybe it’s time for me to learn how to keep somebody in my life.