so I know you have it?” When she looked surprised, he reminded her, “I plan on protecting you, remember? That includes making sure you have my number and can call me quickly and easily if you want to, for any reason.” Before she could object, he said, “I'm not saying any more about it now, other than to remind you to please feel free to call me anytime for any reason at all, okay?”
Heath saw unshed tears in her eyes as she whispered, “Thank you. I don't really deserve anyone doing stuff like this for me, but I want you to know how much I appreciate it. Not only you, but everything Heather and Phil have done for me, as well.”
He kept his voice gentle as he said, “You do deserve it, and I don't like hearing you say things like that, but we'll talk about that another time. I need to ask you one more time, are you sure you want to stay here, and not with Phil and Heather?”
“I'm sorry, Heath, but yes, I'm sure. I'm afraid the longer I put it off the harder it's going to be.”
Smiling, hoping to encourage her, he said, “Okay, then let's get you safely inside your room.” Once she opened the door to her room, he went inside, wanting to check for himself that everything seemed safe. Once he was assured, he pulled her into his arms and met her eyes with his. He slowly bent down to gently touch his lips with hers. She closed her eyes and leaned into him, as he deepened the kiss. He was thrilled to feel her arms tentatively wrap around him.
After a more passionate kiss than he had intended, he reluctantly pulled himself away. “Keep your phone by your bed and feel free to call if you need me, Sweetheart. I'll call you tomorrow morning. Now, lock the door when I leave, and sleep well, Honey.”
“ Thank you. Good night, Heath.”
He leaned in for one more quick kiss, then left. He waited in the hall until he heard her lock the door, then went back home, hoping she was all right tonight.
Chapter 4
“ I'll be fine, I'll be fine, I'll be fine.” Sara frowned, as her mantra wasn't calming her nerves as she'd hoped. Being alone in her motel room, she was unable to hide from the terrible memories that kept haunting her. Maybe Heath was right, and she should talk to him. There was no doubt in her mind that he would be a good listener, and she might feel a lot better if she did talk to him. But she really liked Heath, and what if after hearing what an awful person she was he avoided her? She didn't know what to do.
Maybe she should just move again, and not get too close to anyone. That would probably be safer, but she hadn't had a close friend in a long time, and she just wasn't sure she could give up that chance. She knew if she and Heather spent much time together they'd have that closeness that was so hard to find. That would be wonderful.
And then there was Heath. When she was talking to Heather this morning she realized just how much she'd come to care for him. She'd never been able to trust anyone enough to actually care about them deeply this quickly, until now. Now she felt like she and Heather had been good friends for years, and she felt somehow drawn to Heath. She had feelings for him she'd never had for a man before. And she liked those feelings and wanted to explore them further. She'd gotten tears in her eyes this evening when he told her he cared for her and planned to be protective. How could she possibly walk out on something that sounded so nice?
She decided to take a hot shower and go to bed. Hopefully she'd be able to get some sleep and could think about it all tomorrow. She'd just take the day to think it all through and make some kind of decision.
She crawled into bed, but she tossed and turned, unable to get to sleep. At 2:00 she was still awake, and decided to read a while. She drifted off to sleep again around four o'clock, but was again haunted by dreams of past events. Finally, at six o'clock she
Heath saw unshed tears in her eyes as she whispered, “Thank you. I don't really deserve anyone doing stuff like this for me, but I want you to know how much I appreciate it. Not only you, but everything Heather and Phil have done for me, as well.”
He kept his voice gentle as he said, “You do deserve it, and I don't like hearing you say things like that, but we'll talk about that another time. I need to ask you one more time, are you sure you want to stay here, and not with Phil and Heather?”
“I'm sorry, Heath, but yes, I'm sure. I'm afraid the longer I put it off the harder it's going to be.”
Smiling, hoping to encourage her, he said, “Okay, then let's get you safely inside your room.” Once she opened the door to her room, he went inside, wanting to check for himself that everything seemed safe. Once he was assured, he pulled her into his arms and met her eyes with his. He slowly bent down to gently touch his lips with hers. She closed her eyes and leaned into him, as he deepened the kiss. He was thrilled to feel her arms tentatively wrap around him.
After a more passionate kiss than he had intended, he reluctantly pulled himself away. “Keep your phone by your bed and feel free to call if you need me, Sweetheart. I'll call you tomorrow morning. Now, lock the door when I leave, and sleep well, Honey.”
“ Thank you. Good night, Heath.”
He leaned in for one more quick kiss, then left. He waited in the hall until he heard her lock the door, then went back home, hoping she was all right tonight.
Chapter 4
“ I'll be fine, I'll be fine, I'll be fine.” Sara frowned, as her mantra wasn't calming her nerves as she'd hoped. Being alone in her motel room, she was unable to hide from the terrible memories that kept haunting her. Maybe Heath was right, and she should talk to him. There was no doubt in her mind that he would be a good listener, and she might feel a lot better if she did talk to him. But she really liked Heath, and what if after hearing what an awful person she was he avoided her? She didn't know what to do.
Maybe she should just move again, and not get too close to anyone. That would probably be safer, but she hadn't had a close friend in a long time, and she just wasn't sure she could give up that chance. She knew if she and Heather spent much time together they'd have that closeness that was so hard to find. That would be wonderful.
And then there was Heath. When she was talking to Heather this morning she realized just how much she'd come to care for him. She'd never been able to trust anyone enough to actually care about them deeply this quickly, until now. Now she felt like she and Heather had been good friends for years, and she felt somehow drawn to Heath. She had feelings for him she'd never had for a man before. And she liked those feelings and wanted to explore them further. She'd gotten tears in her eyes this evening when he told her he cared for her and planned to be protective. How could she possibly walk out on something that sounded so nice?
She decided to take a hot shower and go to bed. Hopefully she'd be able to get some sleep and could think about it all tomorrow. She'd just take the day to think it all through and make some kind of decision.
She crawled into bed, but she tossed and turned, unable to get to sleep. At 2:00 she was still awake, and decided to read a while. She drifted off to sleep again around four o'clock, but was again haunted by dreams of past events. Finally, at six o'clock she
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