Page 33 of Sheltered

And there was something about the way she looked at me that I loved.

My hands were balled into fists beneath the cape, an effort to stifle the urge I had to reach out, pull her into my lap, and bury my face in her tits.

This woman was so effortlessly sexy, and the scent of her was enough to make me feel completely spellbound.

I wanted nothing more than to give in to every primal urge. I wanted to touch her, taste her, pleasure her. I wanted to make her moan. I wanted to feel her fingertips on my skin, and I wanted to touch every inch of her naked body.

I wanted to run my hands along her hips, up her sides, and over her breasts. I wanted to kiss her mouth, listen to her whimpers, and watch her come apart.

I wanted this woman to be mine.

Yes, being unable to see her for days felt like torture, but this was arguably worse torture. Because she was this close, everything I could feel myself falling for within my reach, and I had to hold myself back from doing what felt most natural.

“Is everything still okay?” she asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I could have sworn I heard a slight rasp in her voice. Was I merely hoping she was feeling just a smidgen off balance like I was? Or was I lucky enough for that to be the case?

Either way, I couldn’t hold myself back from sharing the truth. “It’s even better than I thought it would be.”

She smiled at me, and her face flushed.

There was that, too.

Conversations with Harlow were always easy and fun. She seemed confident and sure of herself, no matter what we were discussing. If it hadn’t been for the fact she shared it with me, I’d never have guessed she’d experienced so little in her life.

But when there were moments like this, moments with the slightest hint of innuendo that turned her cheeks a shade of crimson and forced her to look away from me, I wondered just how deep her level of inexperience ran.

It seemed impossible that a woman as beautiful as her at the age of thirty-two could still be a virgin, but the signs were pointing in the direction. I mean, not only had she admitted the first night I met her that she hadn’t dated anyone in more than ten years, but she’d also indicated over the weekend that she’d never taken a man home to meet her family.

Was it possible this woman could really be all mine?

I’d been so caught up in all the thoughts about Harlow, before I was ready for it to end, she’d finished washing my hair.

“Okay, you can sit up and head back over to the chair,” she instructed.

I did as she said and waited for her to make her way over to me.

Standing behind me, Harlow’s eyes met mine in the mirror in front of us, and she smiled. “Ready?”

“Absolutely.”

Harlow pulled out the clippers and got started on the bottom, back, and sides of my hair. And as she did, she asked, “So, how has work been so far this week?”

“Okay. I’ve got enough cases on my plate to keep me busy,” I told her, watching the way she was focused on what she was doing.

“I don’t normally keep track of things like that, but ever since you told me about what happened at the pub and that tiny home resort, I’ve been watching the local news,” she revealed. “I haven’t seen any reports of anything else like that happening. Do you know if they’ve caught the men responsible?”

I hated to think that what I’d shared with Harlow had scared her so much she was now watching the news in fear of the unknown. Of course, I knew these things happened, but I didn’t want her mind or heart burdened by the bad things in the world. “Well, there’s still no concrete proof that the incidences are related, even if the eyewitness accounts describe similar individuals,” I said, wanting to be clear. “But no, there have not been any arrests in either case.”

“How are your friend and his fiancée holding up? Are they okay?” she asked.

“I guess they’re doing the best they can in a situation like this. Hanna’s distraught over losing one of the homes, but she’s grateful nobody was hurt. Plus, insurance will cover the loss, so at least she won’t have to worry about that part of it.”

“Oh, that’s good news, I guess.”

“Yeah. They’ll get through it, and we’ll all help them along the way,” I said.

A smile formed on her face. “I love that. So, tell me more about these people you work with. Are there any other celebrities I might meet one day besides Lily Mack? Or is there another business owner in the mix?”