Page 61 of Protect My Heart

“She left you. Probably for a fancy college out east. What? You proposed and she turned you down?” Doc stood and squared off inches from his face. “How close am I?”

Inches from his heart. But not a bullseye.

“I take your silence as an affirmative. I bet you felt you weren’t good enough for her. But Jim, it was her loss. She didn’t deserve you.”

“You got that part right. She didn’t. You never really know someone until the shit hits the fan.”

“So, what happened?”

The compassion in her eyes had his armor chipping. “Let’s just say, I came in second.”

“I understand, long distance relationships can be a challenge.”

“Ha.” The harsh laugh echoed in the tiny camper.

“Okay, then why don’t you tell me what happened? It can’t be that bad.”

“No, not bad at all.” Sarcasm dripped from each word. “We were like every other young couple. We planned our lives together. Get married, settle down, and have a few kids. Then she got pregnant. I proposed and she chose to end the pregnancy and go to Harvard just like her Daddy always wanted.”

He pulled away from her and dropped to the cot. His hands covered his face.

A soft hand ran through his hair. “I’m so sorry, Jim.”

“She didn’t want me. Or our baby. I didn’t have a say. And before you say it was Kari’s body and her choice, I know that. But it still hurt.” The loss of not only the woman he loved but his child, his own flesh and blood, ripped out a piece of his soul.

“Would you have wanted to raise the child on your own?”

His head whipped up. “Yes. I would have done what was right.”

She slowly sat next to him. “I’m sure you would have. You’re an amazing man with a capacity for great caring and love. You would never turn your back on anyone, much less a woman you loved. Or your child.”

“She didn’t give me a chance. Didn’t give our baby a chance.” Tears blurred his vision, and he blinked away the moisture. It was years ago. He would not cry over it. Definitely not in front of Doc. “It doesn’t matter.”

“But it does. Her choice caused you great pain. When someone experiences that kind of pain, they try to barricade themselves from it ever happening again.”

She took his face in her hands and tipped it up until he saw hers. Compassion shown in her eyes. Something else softened the edges, but he didn’t want to look to deep.

“I can’t promise that you’ll never be hurt again, but I can promise to be open and honest with you.”

Her face moved close. Soft lips touched his.

What an amazing woman. Jim felt the weight carried for years lighten.

“Move over.” She nudged him, and he fell back on his bunk. She stood and undid her belt.

The question of lace versus skin was about to be answered. He licked his lips and brushed his hair back as he slipped his arm behind his head to enjoy the show. The belt landed on the floor in a thud. Her eyes stayed locked on his as long slim fingers worked the buttons of her coat.

Doc was so damn beautiful, and this whole seductive thing was making him crazy. Once the last button slipped free, Jim’s gut tensed, his chest constricted.

Doc held the coat closed as she moved to the cot. “Can I stay?”

Jim finally broke eye contact. Her knuckles were white as she clung tight to the edge of her coat. Could she really think he would turn her away after all this?

“You’re killing me right now, Doc.” He shifted in the bunk making room for her. At the same time, shifting his growing hard-on. His heart raced in his chest. Jim nodded at her. “Are you going to put me out of my misery? Show me what you’ve got on under that coat.”

A smile tipped her lips up and the coat slipped off her shoulder. In one fluid movement, the tan cashmere glided over her curves and pooled at her feet.

His gut tightened. Breath backed up in his lungs. One look was all it took, and it rushed out in one bellowing laugh. “Honey, only you would wear Eeyore pajamas to seduce a man.”