Protector's Instinct. Janie Crouch

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      “Um, Bridget and I have to use the restroom anyway,” Kimmie said, standing and grabbing the other woman’s arm before she could protest.

      Zane nodded at them as they left, then slid into the booth across from Caroline.

      “Hi.”

      Of all the things she’d been expecting tonight, Zane coming over to chat with her hadn’t been one of the possibilities. He’d withdrawn from her so completely over the past months that a conversation hadn’t even been on her radar.

      “What are you doing here?”

      As far as greetings, it wasn’t concise or friendly, but hell, nothing about Zane made her feel concise or friendly.

      “I had some errands to run in town and thought I would grab a bite to eat.”

      He deliberately wasn’t answering the question he knew she was asking. “Yeah, it looked like you were pretty close to done when I arrived.”

      He nodded and eased himself a little farther back in the booth, raising one arm up along the edge and knocking his knuckles gently along the column behind him. Damn the man and his comfortably sexy pose.

      And damn sexy wrists exposed by his rolled-up sleeves. How could she have such a reaction from wrists, for heaven’s sake?

      “I wanted to talk to you,” he finally said.

      Her eyes flew to his face at that, in time for her to see his gaze slide over to his fingers that were still tapping against the column.

      So whatever it was he wanted to say, he wasn’t exactly comfortable with it.

      “Spill it, Wales. Just say what you came to say.” She honestly had no idea what it was. Her heart fluttered slightly in her chest that maybe he wanted to apologize for being so distant. For pulling away from her when she’d needed him. For keeping himself away.

      Not that she’d forgive him and just let it go. Too much time and pain had occurred. But at least it would be a start.

      His arm came down from the back of the booth and he leaned forward, placing his weight on both elbows. She couldn’t break her gaze from his brown eyes even if she wanted to.

      “Caro...”

      Now she almost closed her eyes. How long had it been since she’d heard him call her by her pet name? The name he’d called her when they were alone. The name he’d called her when they were making love.

      Unbidden, she felt herself leaning closer, desperate for his next words. It didn’t have to be an apology; she knew the attack had cost him almost as much as it had cost her, although in a different way. Just some sort of acknowledgment that something had to change.

      He cleared his throat, then continued. “You can’t go on that hiking trip. Alone? That’s absolutely stupid.”

      It took her a second to process his words. To realize what she’d hoped to hear from him wasn’t anywhere near what was coming out of his mouth.

      The pain reeled through her and stole her breath. Zane wasn’t here to tell her they should be together; he was here to tell her she was stupid. She wrapped her arms around her middle, almost afraid she would fly apart if she didn’t.

      She looked away from him now, not even able to look him in the eye. She was an idiot. Why would she think anything had changed?

      “Did you hear me, Caroline? I really don’t think this solo hiking trip is a good idea.”

      Did she hear him?

      Did she hear him?

      Fury crashed over her like a tidal wave, obviating the pain. It was all she could do to stay in her seat.

      “Do I hear you, Zane?”

      He had the good grace to look alarmed at her quiet, even tone. At least he still knew her well enough to know when she was about to blow a gasket.

      “Caro...”

      “Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t you dare call me that.” The anger felt good, washed away the slicing pain of being wrong about him again. “You don’t get to call me anything with any affection ever again.”

      Her words hurt him, she could tell, before he shut down all trace of emotion on his features. Good. She was glad she had hurt him. Glad she still could.

      “Fine,” he said. “I don’t have to call you any friendly name to tell you that going hiking by yourself in the middle of the wilderness is just plain stupid.”

      Caroline looked over at the waitress who was walking by. “I need the check, please.”

      “I need mine too,” Zane muttered.

      The woman looked back and forth between them, a little concerned, before nodding. “Sure. I’ll be right back.”

      “Where I choose to take my vacation is none of your concern, Zane.”

      “It is when no one is willing to tell you how risky and stupid it is.”

      Her eyes narrowed. “Really? How much do you know about my plans, exactly?”

      “I know you’re going hiking alone in Big Bend. That’s enough.”

      Caroline clenched her fists by her legs and forced herself to breathe in through her mouth and out through her nose. She would not get in a screaming match with Zane Wales in the middle of a bar.

      Unable to look at him without giving him the full force of her opinion—loudly—she surveyed the bar. Just about everyone was watching them, waiting for the fireworks. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d provided a colorful show. But it had been a long time.

      “You don’t know anything about my plans, Wales. You don’t know anything about my life. Remember?”

      “You say that like me getting out of your life wasn’t the best thing for you.”

      She just stared at him. “Seriously?”

      “And regardless, this plan of yours—” he said the phrase with such derision her eyes narrowed and she felt her temper rising to a boiling point “—is ridiculous. You can’t do it.”

      Oh. No. He. Didn’t.

      The waitress brought them both their checks and Caroline counted it one of her greatest accomplishments that she didn’t say anything at all. She just got out a twenty-dollar bill, threw it down on the table and stood, not caring that she was tipping the waitress almost as much as the bill itself.

      She felt every eye on her as she turned and walked out the door. She didn’t care and definitely wasn’t afraid to go back to her house now. She was too damn pissed.

      She made it to her truck before she heard him.

      “You can’t seriously be going on this trip.”

      She СКАЧАТЬ