Skin Read Free

and her chest struggled to relax enough to let air in.
    Oh God!
    If she had to be partners with a man, let it be with a small one. Not Kane. Please, not the six-foot-four, 240-pound man who looked like he belonged with his mitts wrapped around a jackhammer all day.
    She had nothing against construction workers, but she so didn’t want anything to do with Kane where her problems were concerned. She was looking for so much less of a man.
    And her mind called her on it. Liar. You so want to have something to do with him.
    She had to correct herself. No, I want to be able to do something with him, but I’m not there yet . She slid a sideways glance at his massive thighs encased in tight jeans as he sat relaxed in the chair beside her. And, she repeated, I might never get there.
    Then it was her turn.
    “Tania and Kane.” Jenna walked over to them and tugged a chair forward so she sat in front, making a triangle of their positions. “Sorry for making you wait.”
    It was on the tip of Tania’s tongue to say ‘no problem’, but she couldn’t get the words out. Feeling like a mouse caught in a horrible sense of knowing it was about to get pounced on, she sat, frozen…and waited.
    She knew her fate was as bad as the mouse when Jenna said, “Let’s discuss your project.”
    Tania felt more than saw Kane glance her way, but she heard his comment clear enough. “Are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe Tania would do better with someone else.”
    His smooth-as-chocolate voice sent waves of want through her, but the actual meaning sent rods of steel down her back, making her straighten in outrage.
    “I’ll be fine,” she snapped and widened her gaze as she understood she’d just agreed to work with him. Oh, shit. That damn stubborn temper of hers.
    “Good. I think you’ll do just fine. Besides, your partnership isn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. I’ve been working on these pairings since you both confirmed you’d be here, and I think you’ll work perfectly together.” She studied the papers in her hand for a moment, as if unconcerned at the reception of the other two.
    Tania knew she had to be perceptive to the change in the air, the tension. She also had to assume the woman knew what she was about, except Tania had been to some crazy therapists who should have dealt with their own crap before trying to counsel others.
    She didn’t think Jenna fell into the same category.
    But who could know?
    Hunkering down in the chair, she tried to open her mind to the concept of a team project, actually managing to laugh at herself. It was just for a few days. Like, how hard could this be?
    Then she listened in growing horror to Jenna’s explanation.
    When Jenna fell silent, Tania could only stare at her in shock.
    Thankfully, Kane appeared to have a handle on this and blasted Jenna with her sentiments exactly. “You want us to what?”
    He stood up and stormed around the room. “Are you nuts?”
    Tania couldn’t agree more.
    With his hands out, he said, “Look, I’m here and willing to do the work to deal with my stuff, but you’re putting Tania in danger.”
    She what? Tania straightened. “Excuse me? What kind of danger?” Because she wasn’t up for any, not in any way. She wanted a safe, controlled project so she could open the door to her comfort zone and put her big toe in to test the water; that was it.
    Danger? Hell no. She’d had more than enough when she’d been raped over twelve years ago.
    She wasn’t going to be in any kind of danger – ever again.
    *
    Kane had sat through enough today. Watching Tania’s tiny body shift away from him from the moment he’d sat down – hell, probably from the moment he walked into the room, he knew she had some big-time man issues. He didn’t get man-hater vibes from her, but a tiny woman would be easy prey for the wrong man. Unless she was a black belt in something, she had no protection from a man’s anger. That she was here in therapy, he’d bet his years