Page 139 of Snowbound Threat

So much beauty.

Strength.

Resilience.

It’s all of the things that drew me to her even when we were basically enemies on opposite sides of the table. She’d been defending her friend, and I’d been trying to catch a killer. Of course, Riley Hunt had been innocent, but I’d hoped he could lead me to the person who killed the stepbrother of the woman who is now his wife.

That case was one twisted web.

Before she can catch me staring again, I shift my attention back to my own workout and get beneath the squat rack for my final set. All while my thoughts drift right back to her.

By the time that case was closed, I found myself completely entranced by her. So much so that I’d asked her to dinner the night before she headed home. A dinner that went horribly wrong on so many levels.

My mom was diagnosed with cancer, something I found out hours before I picked Beckett up. Because I was desperate for a distraction, I went anyway. And because it wasn’t great first-date conversation, I kept it to myself, and the date had gonemiserably.

I’d been a complete jerk. Inattentive because my mind was on my mom, short-tempered when it came to the wait staff messing up my order. Something that is completely unlike me.

But I’d been distracted and ruined any chance I had at a future with Beckett Wallace.

And now she’s doing mountain climbers in my home gym.

“Did you sleep okay?” I ask as soon as I’ve racked the squat bar again.

“Not really. But it didn’t have anything to do with the room. The bed was way more comfortable than my own.” She drops both knees on the mat and sits up, her cheeks slightly pink.

“I’m glad. My mom stayed with me for a while, so she’d picked it out.”

“Well, she did an amazing job.”

“Thanks. I’ll be sure to tell her next time I see her.”

Beckett smiles. “Good.” She extends both legs out in front of her and reaches for them, easily grabbing her toes and bending forward.

Because it would be weird if I stayed out here and didn’t exercise, and because I don’t want to go inside and lose thesemoments with her, I grip the top of my pull-up bar and lift myself. “Any more harassing calls?”

She chuckles softly. “No, you buttoned that one up for me.”

It hit meafterI’d taken the phone from her that I was crossing a line, but all I could see was the brief hurt on her face when she said he’d accused her of not wanting a relationship “because of her dead husband.” It set me off, and before I knew it, the phone was in my hand.

“Sorry if I overstepped,” I say as I drop down to the ground and face her. “I shouldn’t have grabbed the phone from you.”

“No,” she agrees. “But I still appreciate the fact that I’m no longer getting a dozen text messages and random phone calls from him.”

“You’re welcome, then,” I reply with a grin.

It earns me another smile, and I’m unable to tear my gaze from her.Lord, help me here. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted. Please grant me the strength to be this close to her and still remain focused.

When she plants both palms on the ground and arches her back to stretch, I turn away, knowing I need to keep my gaze averted to keep my thoughts from going where they have no business going.

Marriage is the only thing that will have me taking any woman to bed ever again.

And marriage is the furthest thing from where we’re headed.

“Sorry you didn’t sleep well,” I say as I reach up and pull myself back up onto the pull-up bar.

“It’ll pass,” she replies sadly. “Every time I closed my eyes, I felt his hands on my throat all over again.” She takes a deep breath. “And the fear turns to anger all over again.”

I drop down from the pull-up bar. “You’re safe here.”