Page 72 of Defender
She blew a raspberry and laughed. “What are we? Twelve? You’re really daring me to kiss you? Because you know there’s, like, a million women down there who would love to date you, show you a good time, and apply for the position of Mrs. Michael Martinelli.” Smart women who wouldn’t hurt him. Who wanted to stay in Renegade and raise little Martinelli babies.
“It’s not a dare. And I don’t want anyone else. I want you.”
Everything inside Dani came to a standstill. “Me?”
“I think we could be good together. Because you’re right. I’ve left room for nothing else in life but work and taking care of my family. I don’t even go to church anymore. But since I saw you on that roof, it’s like you woke up my heart, reminded me that there is still goodness in this life. Still…more. Tell me you feel it too.”
Oh, Michael.
He’d saved her that night, yes. But maybe she wasn’t the only one in need of a rescue. His beautiful heart shone there in his warm brown eyes. His hand cupped her cheek so tenderly. His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulled her closer.
She was in so much trouble.
She pressed her hands on his chest, putting a dismal distance between them. “But what if I hurt you?”
“Why would you do that?”
“I don’t try to hurt people. I just do. I mess things up. So what if it’s good now, but later I wreck it? What if I’m too much? I don’t want to start something if I’m only going to ruin i?—”
He silenced her with a kiss, and all her words disappeared. His lips against her own shut up all the voices in her head except his.
I don’t want anyone else. I want you.
He wanted her.
Why fight what she’d been wanting for so long?
She looped her hands over his shoulders and fell further into the kiss, giving as much as she was taking, savoring every second. Whatever had stopped her before was long gone now. She couldn’t remember why she’d resisted.
Kissing Michael Martinelli was as exhilarating as diving off a mountain cliff and flying.
Eventually, Michael slowly pulled back, resting his forehead on her own. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he whispered.
“Not bad at all.” Her eyes slowly opened.
He must’ve picked her up at some point, because he now gently set her feet back on the ground. “See? I told you. We’re good together. Now, will you please let us see where this goes?”
With his question, and her hiking boots firmly back on planet Earth, an avalanche of all the reasons she shouldn’t have done this hit her again. And he must’ve seen it, because he grabbed her hand.
“Don’t do it, Dani.”
“What?” Her voice was breathless and weird.
“Don’t push me away.”
“I told you. I’ll hurt you. I can’t?—”
“What are you talking about?”
“I don’t want to lose you too.” She pushed harder and broke away. A cold wind blew, chaffing her cheeks where tears had escaped and scoured her cheeks. She was running, yes, and she didn’t care where.
“Dani!” Michael caught up to her. He spun her around, held both of her hands to his chest. “You’re not going to lose me. Just stop running.”
“But I can’t. Don’t you see? At some point, I will hurt you. I don’t mean to, but I will mess this up like everything else I’ve done. And I can’t do it. I can’t put you through that.”
“What did you mess up? Who did you hurt?”
“Take your pick! My dad—he lost his job because of me. And it almost broke us.”
