“No,” he said. “No, no, that’s not it at all.”
She blinked at him. “So you aren’t mad or thinking I hired you as a bodyguard without telling you?”
He shook his head, a small smile curving his lips. “Honestly, this is easier. I never was good at the whole ‘being paid to flirt with women’ thing. Protecting them? That I can do.”
“I see,” she said. “Then why do you seem upset about it?”
“I just hate seeing anyone threaten women or children. It makes no sense to me, and I get enraged. I’m sorry if it bothers you, though. I can try to tone it down.”
“No,” she said. “Rage all you like, just not at me.”
He nodded, then looked over to note she was still slightly shrinking into the door, away from him. “I would never rage at you.”
“That’s good,” she said, sitting up a little straighter. “You know, you’d think I’d be used to male rage, but I’m not. I was raised by a single mom and I had five sisters, so I’m really good with women, but I don’t know the first thing about men. It makes it hard sometimes with Taylor.”
She ran a hand through her hair, and tears glistened at the inner corners of her eyes. She swiped at them. “Like when I made him go inside or how I don’t understand when he wants to protect me. You understood him better in a moment than I have in weeks. Sometimes I feel I’m so in over my head, but I’m all he has.” She swiped at the last of her tears. “I just have to do better.”
He couldn’t help it. He swept her into his arms, holding her against him in the middle seat of the cab. He kept his arms wrapped around her and was surprised when she began to shake and then cry.
He’d sort of hoped to comfort her but had somehow done the opposite.
“I haven’t had time to grieve,” she said. “I haven’t had time to deal with leaving everything behind and being in this new place where I know no one. I already love Taylor with all my soul, like I loved his dad, but I—I don’t know what to do anymore.” She wept softly, and it tore at his soul.
He was glad he hadn’t waited a moment longer to come out here. He’d sensed he was needed, and he’d been more than right.
He held her tightly, letting her get out what she needed. He guessed she hadn’t had a shoulder to cry on in some time. What he hadn’t realized was how much letting her depend on him soothed something in him.
“How did you know his father?”
She looked up at him with tearstained eyes. “We dated in college, but it wasn’t right. We stayed friends, and I didn’t see him a lot. He was a difficult person. Complicated.”
“So there is no relation, but he left you Taylor?”
“Family is who you choose,” she said. “Taylor grew up shunted off on relatives while his dad was on long trips overseas. He barely got to know his father, and now he’s lost him completely. I don’t know how to fill that gap.”
“You don’t have to,” Sever said. “You’re you. You can fill something else entirely.”
“I know,” she murmured. “I’m trying. I’m not going to let him down, I just feel weak sometimes.”
“You’re doing great,” he said. “You’ve got me out here now, and I’ll help. We’ll make it, okay?”
“Until you leave,” she said with a sniffle.
He didn’t know what to say to that. I’m never leaving. You’re mine until the end of time, and I’m not giving you a choice in the matter, was far too creepy a thing to say to any human, let alone an upset one.
But it was true, and he let himself at least take comfort in the thought that he wasn’t going to leave her.
“I know,” she said, sitting up slightly, pushing against him and regaining her composure. “That’s not fair because you didn’t have to come out here in the first place, and I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
He guessed she’d been telling herself that for a while now.
She looked up at him with eyes that were a little too bright and smiled. “So don’t worry about it.”
His lips pressed into a tight line. “I am going to worry about it. And I’m not leaving until you and Taylor feel safe.”
She sighed and leaned against him again. Then she looked up at him curiously, her face framed by colorful curls. “Is this fine? I guess it isn’t part of the job.”
“It’s the best part of the job,” he said honestly, and she flushed again. He felt blood rush into his own neck and used his free hand to rub the back of it absentmindedly.
With her soft, plush body pressed against him, he was starting to find it hard to think.
“Hey, let’s go check on Taylor,” he said.
“What do I say to him?”
“What you always say,” Sever said. “Taylor loves you. Good men always try to protect what they love. You’re doing just fine with him. I suggest you just keep doing it.”
She nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear bashfully. “Good point.”
He leaned in, tilting her chin up and making her look at him. “And whatever you feel like you can’t keep doing, you just depend on me, got it?”
She bit her lip and the nodded slowly. “Got it.”
“Good,” Sever said. Then he got out of the truck and came around to help her down.
As they walked back to the house, she was quiet, lost in her own thoughts, probably about what to say to Taylor.
And Sever was quiet because his mind was simply exhausted and he had a lot to process as well.
He’d found his mate. She was being threatened. She trusted him for now, but she was in over her head in general.
Everything was complicated but also very simple because only one thing truly mattered.
He’d found his mate.
His dragon could work out the rest of it.
That night, to cheer Taylor up, they decided to watch a movie.
Sever was surprised when Taylor took a seat on the floor closer to the TV, leaving a spot for him on the couch next to Lori.
Lori was avoiding his eyes, flushing, but Taylor sent him a little grin and nodded toward the seat.
Was the kid trying to hook them up after only a day of knowing him?
Taylor turned innocently back to the TV, and Sever decided that even though Taylor had been upset earlier, Sever had impressed him with his willingness to stand up for Lori, therefore earning the kid’s trust.
Lori had let Taylor pick the movie, and it was one full of “superheroes” and action and explosions, so Sever couldn’t complain.
If it had been something more boring, quieter, it would have been harder not to focus on Lori, on how her soft, generous hips touched his thighs as they sat together. On her sweet, floral scent and the little sounds of her breaths.
Everything about her was drawing him in, and he somehow had to pull himself back until she could be on the same page with him.
That was not going to be easy.
“I love superheroes,” Taylor said, lying on his stomach with his cheeks on his hands. “I want to be one.”
Sever eyed the man in a metal suit flying around, and the other men with him, and wasn’t impressed. A dragon would be able to take out all of these fools with one breath.
He saw Taylor was still watching him, waiting for a response, and realized if one didn’t know dragons existed, then yes, perhaps humans like these were commendable.
“Yes. They are cool,” Sever said stiffly. “But I think you’re fine as you are.”
“I’m not a superhero, though. If I was, I could chase those stupid Cleavers away.”
“You don’t need to be a superhero,” Sever said. “You just need to be a good person, and one day, you’ll be able to take on the Cleavers of the world. For now, focus on growing up.”
“I want to grow up now,” Taylor muttered, and Lori laughed, leaning into Sever.
Warm pleasure went through him at that little show of trust. He enjoyed touch; it was the easiest way for him to communicate, to comfort, to love, so he was glad to see Lori seemed to be the same.<
br />
Taylor looked over his shoulder at them, saw the way they were leaning together, and though Lori tried to pull back, Taylor just grinned and turned away.
Sever fought back a smile. At least Taylor was on his side, then. Now to win over Lori.
She turned back to the movie and watched intently, and he took the moment to study her.
She was strong. Stronger than he’d ever thought, and she needed him right now. But in different circumstances, could she want him?
That remained to be seen. He leaned back, lost in thought, and didn’t realize the movie was over until Taylor stood, stretching with a yawn. Lori told Sever good night and said they were both going to bed.
Sever walked to the bottom of the stairs and watched Lori give Taylor a hug and a kiss on the forehead and then head off to her bedroom.
When both doors were shut, Sever stood there a while longer, until the lights went out.
Even then, he couldn’t bring himself to go to bed.
He knew he could lock all the doors and they should be safe there. He knew he should be up in his warm, soft bed where he’d be comfortable.
Yet something inside him was still raging at the thought of his new family in danger, and he just couldn’t go put himself somewhere disadvantageous where he couldn’t keep watch.
He pulled out his phone, checked the time, and sighed. He walked into the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and drank it in the darkness, looking out at the moonlit porch.
His eyes lit on the swing, moving softly in the breeze, and he smiled.
Chapter 5
Lori was almost ready for the day, having pulled her multicolored curls into a low ponytail to keep it off her face and put on just a smidgen of makeup. Some mascara and lip-gloss and blush to brighten her cheeks.
She had pulled on a jacket over her tee shirt and jeans and was about to head downstairs when she heard a knock on her door.
She went to open it, heart pounding as she wondered if it was Sever there, and stopped when she saw Taylor standing there with folded arms.
“That weird guy slept on the porch last night,” Taylor said, cocking his head, letting his blond hair fall to one side.
“He what?”
“He fell asleep on the porch,” Taylor said, looking mildly disgusted. “He’s still flopped out there now.” He shook his head. “You never let me sleep outside.”
Lori fought back a grin, thinking she was probably going to have to tell Sever to stop doing things that would make Taylor feel she was enforcing a double standard.
But she’d need to get his reasons for sleeping on a porch first when there was a perfectly good bed upstairs. He didn’t seem like the kind of man who did things without reasons.
She flushed as she remembered him coming to her rescue the night before, when the Cleavers had been bothering her, and how nice it had been for all three of them to watch a movie together.
She put a hand over her face and sighed, trying to remember that of course things were ideal because she’d hired the perfect man. This wasn’t romance, and she’d do well to remember that.
“Should we go look at him?” Taylor asked.
“Sure,” she said, zipping up the bottom of her light jacket. “Let’s go see if he needs anything.”
She led the way downstairs, Taylor following skeptically, and when they opened the front door, she heard the porch swing creak as Sever woke with a start, staring over at them.
His gray hair was hilariously disheveled, escaping from his braid at all angles, and from the circles under his eyes, he didn’t appear to have slept well at all. There were little bits of brush stuck in his hair and on his shirt, and he was still wearing his jeans from last night.
He tried to gather his composure as he looked at them, straightening and trying to push back his hair, and Taylor let out a giggle.
“Shh,” she muttered. “Stop it.” She walked forward, plucking a piece of straw out of Sever’s hair. “Were you out here all night?” she asked, taking a step back and folding her arms.
He pulled his braid in front of him and checked for any other debris. “Of course I was. Someone had to keep watch.”
She cocked her head, narrowing her eyes. “Really? You couldn’t keep watch from inside?”
His eyes went over her, and she saw him checking out every detail of her outfit with a slightly predatory glow. Then he looked out toward the road, biting his lower lip. “Better view out here. Easier to hear things.”
“Nevertheless, I think we’d both prefer if you slept inside. It’s not safe out here,” she said. “And we have locks on the doors. I’m sure you’d hear an intruder. And we haven’t had any break-ins.”
“Not safe?” Sever asked, standing and stretching his huge body in a way that made her feel all too aware of being a woman.
“Yes,” she said. “There are natural predators…”
His dark-gray eyes twinkled. “Like what?”
“Coyotes, snakes,” Taylor said, stepping forward, glaring at Sever. “If Lori says it’s not safe, then you shouldn’t do it.”
She eyed Taylor with pride for backing her up as Sever turned to the side and muttered something under his breath.
“What was that?” she asked.
“I said I’m the biggest predator out here,” he said, raising one eyebrow laconically as he looked at her.
“Oh,” she said.
“What does that mean?” Taylor asked, walking forward. She saw that his small hands were in fists at his sides. “You’re just a person. You should be careful.”
Then he turned and ran back into the house before either of them could say more, and Sever looked at Lori guiltily.
“Did I say something wrong?” he asked.
Lori let out a sigh. “I’m not sure. My guess is he was worried about you. You know, he just lost someone. I’m sure his world doesn’t exactly feel safe.”
Sever stood with a nod. “Okay, I’ll go talk to him.”
“It’s fine,” Lori said. “I can work it out for him. Heaven knows you’re already doing so much more for us than you ever agreed to.”
“A real man does what’s right, not because he agreed to, but because it’s right. I’ll go talk to him.”
“Did you still want to go to town today?” she asked, looking him over and letting a little shudder go through her at the thought of the townspeople seeing him.
“Yes,” he said. “I’d like to see it. It’s your home, right?”
She shook her head. “Not really. No one here accepts me. They don’t like outsiders, and… I’m sure you’ll see.” She waved a hand at him. “Anyone who looks a little different isn’t really welcome.”
“And I look different?” he asked, walking toward her as she backed up toward the front door.
“I suppose,” she said, looking up him.
He planted his hands on either side of her head, making her catch her breath. Despite his night outside, he smelled amazing, like fresh air and pine and mountain breezes. He leaned closer. “A good kind of different or bad?”
“Does it matter?” she asked, praying her heart would stop hammering. “You said we had to stay professional.”
“What if I changed my mind?” he asked, his eyes moving down to her mouth.
She wet her bottom lip, trying to remember how to talk, let alone what a proper answer was.
He looked up when he heard something move upstairs. “I’ll let you think about it. I’m going up to talk to Taylor. Then I’ll take a shower and get ready, and we can head into town together.”
“But what if they’re rude to us?” she asked, folding her arms defensively as he walked past her and into the house.
His lips just pressed into a firm line, and she saw the stubborn warrior in him rise to the surface as it had the night before. “Just let them try,” he said.
Then he was off, jogging up the stairs with heavy steps that rattled the flooring as he went to see Taylor in his room.
She slumped in a chai
r at the kitchen table and let herself imagine that moment with Sever so close to her, just for a minute longer.
Sever had shaved his face and redone his braid so it was tighter, but even with a clean leather jacket, well-fitting jeans, and tight tee that emphasized a huge chest, he still looked far from normal for the men in this town.
For one, he was about a foot too tall for them. Well, maybe six inches. And his broad shoulders and muscular build only made him seem that much bigger overall.
His face had a fresh, clean look, and the shadows under his eyes were less pronounced after a good breakfast and a shower. He smelled clean and fresh and soapy and masculine, but she sort of missed the way he’d smelled after a night on the swing.
He once again looked like a big friendly giant, and while she wasn’t sure what he’d said to Taylor, the two definitely seemed cool again.
In fact, Taylor had asked Sever if his hair was long enough for a braid, and though Sever said he had to grow it a little longer, Taylor had seemed encouraged.
The boy had always had long, thick hair as long as she’d known him, and it had been a sore point with some of the kids in town. Of course, there were other reasons as well. No one really wanted to send their kids out with that weird lady with weird-colored hair.
Sever, on the other hand, seemed completely oblivious to what they were headed into, and she guessed maybe he’d never been to a very small town before.
Still, it was good for Taylor to see someone who was strong in their own opinion of themselves and didn’t give a dang what anyone else thought.
“Where to first?” Sever asked when they were all loaded up in the truck, Taylor in the back of the cab, Lori in the passenger seat, and Sever driving.
Why couldn’t she just stop smelling him? Or looking at him? Or noticing how tall he was?
Or thinking about the fact that he’d asked what she’d say if he’d changed his mind about being professional…?
It was making it impossible to think.
“Lori,” Taylor said. “Where are we going?”
“Oh, right,” she said, tucking a curl behind her ear. “I suppose Clara’s, right? She has the best assortment of ready-to-eat foods, plus whatever else you might like.”
Platinum (Date-A-Dragon Book 3) Page 4
