Page 29 of Riding Into Love
“River, look at me.”
“Colby—”
“No, dammit, look at me.”
When she doesn’t, I put my hands on either side of her face and tilt her head up, forcing her eyes to mine.
“If that son of a bitch ever comes near you again, you tell me, and I’ll handle it. Do you understand?”
I expect some comment about how she can handle her own problems, but instead, her lip trembles, and a tear trails down her cheek. Right then and there, I know it without a doubt. She needs me, and God help me, but I’m not going to let her down.
?Chapter Nine
?River
It’s official: theuniverse hates me. That’s the only explanation for why, after the most humiliating encounter of my life, I’m now stuck walking side-by-side with Colby Burke, whose protective energy is practically smothering me.
He’s insisting on walking me to my room like I’m some delicate flower that might wilt at the first hint of danger. In a perfect world, I would tell him to get lost. But he doesn’t look like he’s taking no for an answer, so I don’t bother wasting my breath.
Sharing a house with your boss is the worst.
My body is still tingling from the encounter with Christian, and I can’t decide whether it’s because of the adrenaline or the way Colby looked when he’d laid the guy out flat.
It was hot. Really fucking hot.
The protective glint in his eye, the way his muscles flexed, the testosterone rolling off him. It’s all so sexy, even if it should terrify me.
Maybe I’ve seen one too many romance movies, but there’s something hot about the alpha male protecting the innocent maiden. Not that I’m an innocent maiden. But a girl can fantasize, can’t she?
We stop outside my door, and Colby clears his throat. “Can I ask you a question?”
“You’re gonna do it anyway, aren’t you?”
He gives me that cocky grin, the one that’s so sexy it should be illegal. “Do you mind if I come in? Just for a minute. I want to make sure you’re all right.”
“Why would you think I’m not all right?”
