BETWEEN CLOUDS AND STARS: A Sexy Standalone Romance by Sharlyn G. Branson Page A

split up, the nice memories of us together would keep me warm.
    Lifting my head, I smiled at him. “Was it obvious how nervous I was during the presentation because you were there?”
    He laughed, his infectious laughter shaking his powerful chest. “I have no idea. The entire time I wondered what would be the quickest way of getting into your panties. I was struggling to repress my erection, and my ears didn’t register a single word you said.”
    His laughter echoed in my heart.
    The irreversible had happened—I’d fallen head over heels for him. But to be fair, that had been inevitable after the amazing week we’d spent together in Switzerland, after the joy and happiness he’d given me.
    “Don’t you think we’re acting like a pair of horny teenagers?” I laughed and thought about how nice it was to be in love. Your head’s in the clouds, you’re always laughing, constantly thinking about sex, and you feel as if you have the ability to fly.
    “There’s nothing wrong with that. Ben seemed to really like it too.”
    His mentioning of Ben made me blush. “When I think that he saw me naked, astride your face, screaming in ecstasy… It feels like I’ll die of shame.”
    Nick put his warm hand on my face, and I pressed my cheek against it.
    “He’s a robot, babe. We weren’t caught in the act by a man. You’ve nothing to be ashamed of.”
    “Oh, I know you’re right. But Ben seems so human.” I turned my head and kissed his palm. I had a constant need to kiss and hug him.
    Our eyes met again. His gaze softened, and the corners of his lips twisted into a faint, barely noticeable smile. “You’re so tender and beautiful, Estelle.”
    Beautiful… Nobody had said that to me before. Thanks to my adoptive parents, I’d grown up with the self-confidence of a plain mouse. And John had undermined and trampled all over even the little bit of self-confidence I’d had.
    “You’re a nobody, a stupid, worthless piece of shit. Even sex with you is tiresome.” The words of my ex-husband continued to haunt me. An irrepressible shiver spread through my body.
    He’s in prison, Estelle. He’ll never touch you again, I told myself silently.
    “Are you cold, babe? You’re shivering.” Nick’s voice brought me back to reality.
    “It’s nice being with you, Nick. You make me feel safe and unafraid of anything.”
    Nick turned me to lie down prone on the sofa and covered me with his strong body.
    “One day we need to discuss your past, Estelle. While we were at my parents’ house, you sleep-talked a few times. You said, ‘Blood, everything’s covered in blood.’ You also begged someone called John to stop and told him you’d be good. Is John your ex-husband?” He stared at me with sadness in his eyes.
    A silence fell in the room. Nick patiently waited for my reply, but I couldn’t summon the strength to do so. It was as if I were afraid that if I started talking about my marriage to John Chan, he’d appear before me and finish what he’d started. That is, he’d definitely manage to kill me. He’d shoot me in the head, as he’d done to Pamela, to make sure I joined the ranks of the dead.
    Nick intertwined his fingers with mine and kissed them. His touch was so tender that it reached the very depths of my soul.
    Nick’s voice was quiet when he asked me, “Did he hit you? You have to trust me, babe, and tell me about it.”
    My life flashed before my eyes like a film reel. Everything was gray, without color. There was only sadness, pain, and powerlessness. I didn’t want to cry. But tears began to stream down my temples anyway.
    “Shush, calm down, please. I didn’t mean to make you sad.” His fingers gently wiped the salty drops. “I won’t let anyone cause you pain again.”
    Even if I hadn’t realized that I loved him yet, I was completely certain of my feelings after those words.
    I’d known the definition of “care,” but hadn’t truly comprehended what it meant. Nobody had ever cared