Page 14 of Protecting Salvation

“You can’t carry me all the way home. I’m too heavy.”

His chest rumbled as he laughed and kept on walking. “Sugar, you aren’t more than one-twenty soaking wet. I could do this all day and not break a sweat.”

Wow, that felt nice. She was actually one hundred and twenty-five. She liked a burger as much as the next woman and told him exactly that.

“And that’s what I like about you, Peyton. You’re real and you don’t find that a lot these days.”

“So, is this a service you offer everyone? Is this a new, eco-friendly taxi type thing?”

Warren chuckled. “No, sugar, just you. This is an exclusive service.”

“Are you flirting with me, Warren Tanner?”

He glanced down at her his lips pulled up at one corner and winked. “I don’t know, Peyton. Am I flirting with you?”

She didn’t want to answer that and get it wrong, even though every instinct was saying he was, so she rolled her lips between her teeth and enjoyed the ride.

Fifteen minutes later he set her down gently in front of her door, his arm around her waist to stabilise her until she got her legs under her.

“You want to come in?”

Warren seemed to debate it before shaking his head. “I should get going.”

Disappointment swooped low in her belly, but she got it. He was way out of her league, and although she thought he’d been flirting, that didn’t mean he wanted to get her into bed. “Okay, I understand.” Her head dropped and she couldn’t look him in the eye.

“Sugar?”

“Yes.” She kept her eyes on her door, her back to him.

“Look at me, sugar.”

Peyton forced a smile and turned to look at his too-handsome face.

His hand reached out and he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear with gentle fingers. “I like you, Peyton, far too much to rush anything and, honestly, I don’t know what I can offer you right now, apart from friendship. I’m…” He paused and she waited for him to get his words out because it seemed important to him. “I’m going through some stuff that makes my life complicated and I don’t want to drag you into that.”

Peyton smiled, slow and deliberate. “You like me, huh?”

Warren chuckled and rubbed his chin before leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Good night, Peyton.”

Her skin tingled where his soft lips had touched and she barely withheld the desire to rub the spot. “Night, Warren, and thank you for the dance and chips and the lift home.”

His eyes were lit with warmth as he nodded once. “You’re welcome.”

She watched him walk down the path and stop.

“Go inside and lock the door.”

“Yes, Dad.”

His nostrils flared and he growled. “Peyton, pack that in and go inside.”

She wanted to argue and ask him what he’d do if she didn’t, but he’d drawn a line in the sand and she was in the friend zone. “Night.”

“Night, gorgeous, sleep well.”

She could have sworn she heard him say dream of me, but the door muffled his words. Leaning back against it she grinned as Bertie came running over to greet her. Tonight had been magical and unexpected. That night she didn’t dream of men breaking in or hits and blows that kept coming, she dreamed of strong arms surrounding her and keeping her safe.