Her Secretive Protector (Her Protector Alpha Male Military Romance Book 4) Read Free

couldn't be her, she didn't think. "And coffee," he added with another wink. Dana was definitely liking those.
    Affection for him balled up in her, making her want to burst at the seams. She definitely could fall head long into love with this guy. She wanted to tell him to stop being so damn nice to her. It wasn't nice. Because she was falling. Fast.
    They entered the house through the wooden French doors off the deck. It had been unseasonably warm outside for December but there was a slight touch of dampness in the air. Dana though those quilts might be better off in the basement after all. Stepping into the house caused a chill to run through her. "Do you have the air conditioning on?"
    "No. I don't have anything on," he said. He and Dana paused and smiled. Usually a remark would have been fodder for play but there was definitely a pall over them. Maybe the session on the washer was their last hoorah. "Here." He walked over to the hearth and turned a key. "This should help keep you warm." The fireplace was lit instantly.
    "Okay now that surprise me. I thought for sure you would be the conventional log kinda guy," she said wading through their small talk.
    "That's for outside. Did you see the fire pit, the big thing that looked like a grill?"
    "Yep."
    "That's for outside fire. We can do one tonight if you like. It's great." She accidently grazed him with a light touch and he recoiled. Dana wanted to die. "Coffee," he said making an excuse to move away from her quickly.
    Dana plopped on the couch. They were right back where they were that morning, only on speaking terms.
    She examined the room, taking an inventory of it. There was only one personal photograph in the room, actually, in the whole house from what she'd seen. A picture of a smiling girl with long dark hair and bright, shining eyes – the sister, she assumed. Everything was in its place and nearly perfect. Like a movie set. Up above the mantle at the far end away from the photo of the girl were a row of dark bottles, one she recognized right off the bat as Jack Daniels. Rory's alcohol. After her recent episode, Dana swore off drinking but the atmosphere was so awkward and uncomfortable, she was going to break that vow, she was indulging. As soon as he set the coffee before her she stood up.
    "I'm going to add a little something to mine. Do you mind?" Dana felt her playful spirit liven a little. She honed in on the familiar liquor bottle and brought it back to the coffee table. "Want some?"
    Rory looked at his watch. "No thanks."
    "Marine I gotta tell you, I'm seriously starting to think you are really boring," she said with a playful smile before tipping the bottle to her mug.
    "Easy beautiful," he admonished.
    "I am only having one piece of pie," she quipped.
    "Wait!" he ordered and he dashed over to the refrigerator. "Ice cream," he announced and dumped a dollop on top of her pie. "Now you're ready."
    Dana bit. "Mmmm," she said. Then she sipped her hot coffee loaded with bourbon. "Oh man!" she cried. "This is better than sex."
    "Thanks," Rory shook his head.
    "Come here Marine," Dana loaded up her fork and took her mug by the handle. "Taste."
    "No that's okay."
    "Taste."
    "I have my own, Dana."
    He was almost snippy with her and it stung but she persisted. "I am not asking. You either take a bite or I'm give you a spanking." That didn't even make him crack a smile but he opened his mouth to appease her. She watched as his face morphed. She was victorious. "Delicious, hah! Do you want me to fix your coffee?" He didn't answer her. In fact he evaded her. "What?"
    "I'm good. Why don't you go over there and finish up now."
    "Yeah," she said with frustration. She knocked back her coffee. She took her dish shoved a few bites in her mouth and took it to the sink.
    "Dana…"
    "I don't like being here Rory. It was fabulous the first 48 hours and now I don't even know if I like you. And maybe you're going through the same thing. But I want to go. And so I am."
    "You can't.