Page 57 of Her Summer Hope

“Maddy, please,” he begged. “Tell me the rest.”

They were in shadows now as the trees blocked the sun's rays. She looked up into his eyes and knew that she cared for him far more than she should. She cared for him in a way that was dangerous to her.

Rob had crushed her soul with his actions, and she had an inkling that this man could do far, far worse.

She was terribly afraid that she was beginning to fall in love with him anyway.

That thought made her stop breathing and look away. She couldn’t. Not ever. Not only was she a big fat liar, but she was also not willing to put herself in the position to be hurt by a man’s lies ever again.

She’d fallen in love once and look what it got her. Four beautiful children, yes, but also a lifetime of heartbreak, borderline poverty, and now a court case.

She couldn’t risk it. She had to get them back into their proper places.

As much as she hated to, she pulled her hand from his and backed away to get her purse. She missed his touch immediately, though she could still feel the sensation of it on her hand.

“I can’t. I have to get home to my family.”

He raised his head and his face hardened a little. She could feel him withdraw at the baldly stated word.

“At least tell me that you aren’t being threatened, that you aren’t in danger,” he said, eyes boring two holes into her.

She looked off toward the window. “I’m fine.”

He stared at her, she could feel it, and when she finally brought her eyes back to his, he nodded once. “Goodnight, Madison.”

“Goodnight, Kyle.”

She made her escape, practically running to the car before she started crying again. As she drove away, she clenched her fist and tried to capture the feeling of his hand around hers for as long as she could.

Chapter Fourteen

Kyle

“Madison is in danger,” Kyle said bluntly.

Murdock leaned back in his chair with his cup of coffee while Kyle sipped his whiskey. He wasn’t a big drinker, but he needed something to calm his nerves.

He couldn’t get the look of her out of his head. The sunlight had poured through the window and had gilded her with every glorious ray. Her eyes had sparkled and her mouth had tempted him almost beyond control.

He couldn’t help himself. He wanted to touch her—more than touch her—but he settled for an innocent brushing of hands. Something that could be explained away as an accident.

That single touch had ignited more feeling inside him than any woman since Regina, and probably even her too. Where Regina’s touch had become tainted by her deeds, Maddy’s was pure and honest.

She was a wife and mother, and a damned good one. He’d bet his life on it.

He was a fool.

The image of her husband passed through his head and he felt that irrational hatred in his gut. He was bigger than she was and stronger, and he was hurting her in some way. Physical? Emotional?

She was in danger and that was the only explanation. If it was anything else, her husband would protect her from it.

“She’s not in physical danger,” Murdock finally sighed.

“Then what is it?” Kyle snapped, at the end of his rope. “Why were you two so cozy out on the deck this evening? Why were you so close to her? You know she’s married,” he ground out.

He couldn’t have her, and he’d be damned before he let anyone else put the moves on her.

Something startling happened then.