Arms of Promise by Crystal Walton Page B

head on his shoulders.”
    “He really does. If life would give him half a chance, he’d go places.” Another frown emerged.
    Evan cupped her hand to stop her busywork and lifted her chin. “You give him that chance every day by caring about him.” What would it take for her to see the difference she made just by being who she was?
    She inhaled softly, and he let go before he lost the last thread of restraint preventing him from crossing a line.
    Anna kept her head down while zipping up her bag. “How long have you known Marissa?”
    The question sank dead into his gut. He could kick himself for being in the predicament of ever needing to have this conversation. “Four months.”
    Her hand stalled over the bag. “You love her?”
    One sucker punch after the other. He raked a hand through his hair. Anna deserved his honesty as much as Marissa deserved him to be honest with himself.
    “No. Truthfully, we hardly know each other. Between my trainings and her travels, we’ve gone out only a handful of times. I’m not even sure how it got to the point of her calling herself my girlfriend.” He faced the industrial ceiling. “I need to set her straight. I was going to before I came. But when she asked to join me on this trip, I guess I thought it’d make things easier.”
    “Make what easier?”
    She really had no idea, did she? He leveled his gaze with hers and dug inside for the bravery he staked his life on. “Seeing you again.”
    Her lashes gave a flutter as she looked away.
    He searched the room, dying for a topic changer.
    Anna clutched her bag. “How’d you meet?”
    A topic change wouldn’t be that easy. “On deployment. She was in Afghanistan, covering a story.”
    “And she ended up in danger.” It wasn’t a question.
    “Yeah.”
    Comprehension touched Anna’s face. She inched forward, lowered his hand from his hair, and met his eyes with piercing compassion. If she moved any closer, he’d have absolutely zero chance of hiding how fast his pulse was thrumming.
    “You’re a protector, Evan. You can’t help it.”
    She was wrong. Both of their moms were proof of that. But with those green eyes showering confidence over him, he almost let himself believe it.
    A twinge of discomfort furrowed her brows. “It’s why you looked out for me like a big brother all those years. I’m not surprised you were drawn to her. It’s easy to confuse protection with something more.”
    Even though he knew Anna would eventually realize that was the same thing she did the night she almost kissed him, his heart sank at hearing her say it. He couldn’t blame her for reacting in the moment. Caught up in leaning on his comfort and protection during such a tumultuous time, it was easy to confuse her feelings. But she would’ve regretted kissing him later when the emotions of losing her mom settled. Even more so when she found out why she died.
    He wouldn’t have risked ruining their friendship. Still wouldn’t. Even if he didn’t deserve it any more now than he had then.
    Evan backed up, and Anna’s forehead creased deeper.
    Megan bulldozed between them and bounced on the balls of her feet. “Ready?”
    Anna wiped any trace of their conversation from her face and ruffled Megan’s hair. “Yep. Just give me a minute to say good-bye to . . .” Her lips pulled to the left. “ Mr. Hulk , and then we’ll go.”
    Megan scurried off toward the door, and Anna stalled in front of him. “Miss Allison’s a single mom. Basically a kid herself. She’s never around when I come by. So, I walk Megan home each night.”
    Of course she did. In the dark. To a sketchy neighborhood, no doubt. And she wondered why she needed security. With how easily his feelings for her undermined his steadfastness, maybe he wasn’t the best one to offer it.
    No. He could do this. Straightening, Evan crammed the mixed emotions under his armor where they belonged. He was built for close combat, trained for direct-fire battles. What were a