His Old-Fashioned Love (Old-Fashioned Series) by Laylah Roberts Page A

Philips. You’ll stay here where I don’t have to worry about you getting hurt.”
    “I can protect your back, Brax. I’m not completely helpless.”
    He smiled at her. “You’re not h elpless at all. But like I said before, I’m an old-fashioned guy, sweetheart. It’s my privilege to take care of those smaller and more fragile than me. That includes you. So while you are capable of taking on the world, I am always going to stand between you and danger.”
    Wow. Wow, wow, wow. She couldn’t get any words out. He was the type of man she had always dreamed of. Except, maybe he was like this with everyone. After all, he had rescued Mason Philips wife. Had he said these same words to her?
    Jealous ate at Holly’s stomach as she nodded. What could she say? Arguing would get her nowhere. He was only trying to keep her safe. But there was no way she was letting him go after Philips by himself. This protection thing went both ways. However, she decided to keep that piece of information to herself.
    “I’m not really used to anyone looking out for me—well, except for Derrick, that is.”
    “What about your husband?”
    “I married Matt when I was young and naïve. In the beginning he cared about me, I think. But he spent more time away than he did at home. When he was home, he was never really that interested in what I was doing.”
    “Y ou said that the two of you are divorced, that must have been hard.”
    “Yeah it was. I was kind of blindsided when he left me after the accident.”
    “Accident?”
    She licked her lips nervously. She hadn’t intended to talk about all of this tonight, had hoped to keep things light. But there was something about Brax that had her wanting to open up. That wall she kept up between her and others crumbled in his presence.
    “ Ahh, yeah. Just over two years ago I was in a car accident. A drunk driver ran a red light and smashed into me.”
    “ Is that how you hurt your leg?”
    She nodded. “Broke my pelvis and smashed my leg. My calf muscle tore and, well, I won’t go on.”
    The waitress arrived right then with his crème brulee, saving her from further explanation.
    Brax spooned some up, but instead of bringing it up to his own mouth, held it up to hers.
    “ Oh no, really, I shouldn’t.”
    “ You’re not on a diet, are you?”
    “ Jeez, Brax, didn’t your mother ever tell you that you shouldn’t comment on a woman’s age or weight?”
    “ My parents died just when I was just starting to date,” he replied, making her feel horrid.
    “ Oh, I’m so sorry.” She reached for his free hand, squeezing it as she took the spoonful of creamy dessert he offered.
    Brax nodded. “So, are you dieting?” His look warned her not to avoid his question again.
    “No. I like the way I look,” she challenged, waiting for his recriminations. She wasn’t exactly slim. One of her previous dates had the gall to suggest she might want to get a salad rather than a steak. So she’d ordered the steak with garlic butter and a huge serving of cheesecake for dessert. She’d felt sick for the rest of the night, but oh, it had been worth every bite.
    “Good, because I think you are perfect.”
    She snorted. “You wouldn’t think that if you saw my dimply thighs.”
    “Hey, we all have areas on our body we hate.”
    She looked him over. He was perfection. “And where would that be for you?”
    “My toes.”
    “What?”
    “My toes ,” he repeated. “They look like fingers. They’re far too long and thin. It’s embarrassing.”
    She laughed. “Well, I guess I’ll have to see them to believe it.”
    “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
    She blushed, not quite knowing how to reply. She wasn’t used to flirting.
    “It must have been hard, having your parents die when you were so young.”
    “I miss both of them a lot. But my brother Heath took over the family and kept us all together.”
    “ How many brothers do you have?” she asked.
    “I have three. Heath is the