Her Master Defender (The Masters Men Series) (25 page)

“It’s coming down harder,” she said.

“Maybe we’ll get snowed in,” he said looking back out the window.

“Now that’s wishful thinking,” Copper said laughing.

Her laughter washed over him like a spring rain despite the snowy landscape. It was exactly what he was wishing. To be snowed in with his copper-haired angel. He couldn’t think of anything better.

“Well, you must be feeling better. That’s the first time I’ve seen you clean a plate since we met.”

Dos looked down to see only crumbs on his plate. He didn’t even remember eating it all. Taking a moment to digest the fact he also realized he didn’t feel sick. Amazing since for months that was how he felt no matter what he ate.

“Must be your cooking,” he said.

“Yeah, it takes a lot of skill to throw a couple pieces of meat between bread slices.”

“Whatever, it was good. So good, in fact, my buddy here didn’t even get a taste.” He stroked his hand over the furry head next to his thigh.

“Oh, Kismet, you are such a baby. Here,” she tossed him a piece of bread and he gobbled it down. “Now go lie down and leave Dos alone.”

“Go on,” Dos urged. He watched the mammoth dog walk over and lay down in front of the fireplace. It was a good enough excuse for Dos. He stood and crossed to the wood bin and got the hearth ready.

Copper came out of the kitchen to find a good blaze going. She watched Dos sit on the hearth and gaze into the fire. She couldn’t remember a time in the past two days when he’d looked so peaceful. Wouldn’t it be great to make it last a while longer?

Deciding it was worth a shot she grabbed some pillows as she walked into the room. She tossed the pillows on the rug in front of the ottoman then grabbed an afghan.

“Come here,” she said when Dos glanced over. “You can stick your feet under Kiz to keep them warm. You deserve to enjoy your handiwork for a little while.”

She watched the debate play behind his gorgeous eyes. He wanted to, but something held him back.

“No strings, just your nurse telling you to rest a little while longer,” she said, hoping the nurse part would sell it.

When he was sitting next to her she tossed the afghan over them both and snuggled a little closer. Her position must have made keeping his arm beside him uncomfortable because he put it around her shoulders. She didn’t complain.

“So, tell me about this vow you made when you were twelve.”

“You don’t beat around the bush, do you?”

“Nope.”

For a minute he just stroked his thumb absently up and down her arm. Copper didn’t push knowing it had to be something big to have made such an impression on him so young.

“Our father was a cop. He was shot and killed when we were twelve.”

“Oh God, I’m so sorry, Dos.” She couldn’t stop herself from hugging him. Whatever she’d expected him to say, it wasn’t this. She still didn’t have a clue what this had to do with a vow to avoid relationships.

Copper didn’t say anything more, knowing how hard it is to deal with such a loss. She gave him all the time he needed.

“Yeah, we were devastated. Then we listened to mom cry herself to sleep every night. I’ll never forget that sound.

“Anyway, at the time all three of us planned to be cops just like our father. We didn’t want to cause anyone that kind of pain. We figured if we didn’t let anyone close they couldn’t get hurt.”

“Okay,” Copper said slowly, trying to find a way to not scream at him how stupid it was. “I can see where that would make sense to twelve-year-olds, but now you guys have to see how wrong it is.”

“Not really, it’s worked for us so far. Well, except for when Tres slipped and got married.”

“I didn’t know Tres was married,” she said sensing hope.

“He’s not. That’s the point. He was shot answering a domestic dispute call. I saw his wife at the hospital. She was a pretty little thing, but terrified is the only way to describe how she looked that day. She didn’t even wait until he regained consciousness after surgery. She ran home, packed her bags, and filed for divorce. Tres was devastated.”

“Of course. The woman was being ridiculous. You do not run out on someone you love just because things aren’t pretty.” Copper would never understand that mentality.

“No, you don’t get it. He was devastated because he caused her such pain. If he hadn’t married her it wouldn’t have happened.”

Copper leaned forward so she could turn and face him. He really couldn’t be this dense. Meeting his steady gaze she realized he was dead serious. “You have got to be kidding,” she said. He shook his head. His eyes were clear and serious. She had to straighten him out. “So you think because you haven’t said you love me, and I haven’t said I love you, that if you died I wouldn’t be upset?”

Panic burst in his eyes as she spoke.

Damage control fast, girl
.

She leaned forward bracketing his body at the same moment he started to stand. “Relax, I’m not saying I do love you, I’m just trying to prove a point.”

Not knowing where she got the strength to stare him down she held her ground. It took what seemed like hours before he finally leaned back.

“Okay, what’s the point?”

“Keeping yourself distanced from people won’t stop them from caring about you. And you and your brothers being in more dangerous jobs has nothing to do with how devastated people would be if any of you died. I’m sure your mother would cry just as much if something happened to Jamie, don’t you?

“Besides, you’re missing out on the best part of life. Touching other people, even for a moment, is what makes life worth living,” she said leaning back against the ottoman again. “Otherwise you’re just walking through life like a tourist, watching but never participating. What fun is that?”

“It’s safer,” he said.

The discussion had gotten much more serious than she’d intended. Of course, she hadn’t expected him to talk about his father being killed. She had the perfect way to lighten the mood.

“I’m a redhead, safe isn’t in my vocabulary,” she said giving him a friendly poke in the ribs.

“I’ve noticed,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve no doubt you drove your parents crazy growing up.”

Copper couldn’t hold back her laugh. “Mom would throw her hands up and say I was just like my aunt Effie. Dad would go ballistic, but after the explosion I’d see a sparkle in his eyes. I think he liked my high-spiritedness as he called it.”

“Of course he did, you’re just like him. I bet if you asked his parents what he was like as a kid, it would be a lot like you were.”

Copper snuggled closer as he spoke and his arm went around her shoulders again. She liked that, she also liked what he said. Resting her head against Dos’ shoulder she thought about it.

“We had a lot of fun whenever dad was home. We’d go camping and hiking or just mess around in the backyard. Every day was filled with adventures. And mom was right in the middle of it, which always amazed me.”

“Why, she didn’t like those kinds of things?”

“No, she did. It’s just most of the time she was being a mom. You know, making us do our homework, griping about messy rooms, grounding me for staying out too late, that kind of stuff.”

“I seem to remember my mother doing a lot of that, too. I think it’s in the by-laws.”

His teasing manner surprised Copper. She hadn’t seen this side of him before, relaxed, joking, easy. She liked it.

“Probably,” she agreed. Dos had started stroking her arm again. She figured he didn’t even realize he was doing it, but it felt good so she stopped talking and enjoyed it.

After a short while his hand stopped moving and his breathing was slow and steady. Copper stayed where she was soaking up his warmth afraid if she moved he would wake up and leave. For just a little while she wanted to pretend they were two normal people with no one after them.

She watched the snow fall and listened to the fire crackle and Kismet snore at their feet. In the peacefulness she thought about the brothers and their vow. She also thought about her own.

Talking with Dos had made her realize she’d been wrong about her mother. Oh, Copper was certain her mother was happiest when her father was home, but she hadn’t been unhappy when he was gone. She’d missed him, sure. But her mother had always made certain life was good and fun and filled with love. She had always talked of their father with love and pride, never complaining because he wasn’t around. She just made sure to love him all the more when he was home.

A smile spread on Copper’s face. How could she have been so blind? How could she cross an entire group of men off her list of possibilities because of such a foolish belief?

Easing herself up, she looked down at Dos’ sleeping face. He looked so peaceful. He was always so intense. It was a joy to watch him rest. It warmed her heart to know she’d had a part in giving him this time.

As she watched him she noticed his jaw start to tighten. He’d warned her sleep wasn’t necessarily restful for him. Though he’d slept several hours last night she had no doubt that was rare. Not wanting his half hour or so to be wasted she decided to wake him up slowly.

First she lightly stroked his jaw and saw some of the tension ease. When she removed her hand the tension returned. Looking at his eyes she saw rapid movement behind the lids.

“It’s okay, Dos. We’re home,” she said brushing his hair back from his head. Scooting closer she cupped his face with her hands. She kissed him lightly then using her thumbs started massaging his jaw then over his cheekbones all the time watching his eyes. Moving her hands down the side of his neck she felt some of the tension release. His head turned to one side as he relaxed. Copper swung her leg over his body straddling him to give her better access to his neck and shoulders. Still using light pressure she continued down the tight tendons cording his neck.

The man needs a serious massage she thought moving down his trapezius muscle she applied a bit more pressure. His head moved back to center and a soft moan escaped his lips. Copper froze.

“God, that feels good,” he said without opening his eyes.

She resumed. Knowing better than to say I told you so she chose a different topic. “You were dreaming but I didn’t want to wake you up.”

His eyes opened and captured hers. In his intense gaze Copper saw fear though he guarded it well. His hands closed over hers stopping her movements. “Dreaming?”

“Don’t worry you didn’t divulge any military secrets,” she said hoping to allay his worry. He released her hands dropping his to her thighs. She tried to concentrate on massaging his shoulders again but the heat from his hands not to mention his intense searching stare, made it difficult at best. When he rested his head against the ottoman and closed his eyes again Copper felt relief. Not that the desire that had started to build eased. “If you took your shirt off this would feel even better.”

He opened one eye.

“What, it would,” she said, watching him close his eye again.

“It feels any better we’ll be in trouble,” he said as his hands gently squeezed where they rested on her thighs.

“I wouldn’t call that trouble,” Copper said leaning forward to brush another kiss across his lips. “I’d call it a great way to spend a snowy afternoon.” Gliding her tongue across the seam of his lips she felt the pressure on her thighs increase. She slid her hands from his shoulders into his hair as he returned the kiss. Deepening the kiss she inched her body closer to his. His response to her move was evident where her own heat was growing.

Dos forced himself to break the kiss. “Copper, we can’t do this,” he breathed as she leaned her head back offering her neck. He didn’t deny himself tasting the delicate flesh exposed. Damn she tasted good.

“I think we’ve already proved we can,” she said kissing him again.

Heaven, he thought taking control of the kiss. That’s what this was. He’d died in his sleep and God was giving him a little taste. Not that he believed for a moment he belonged here. He had done too many questionable things in his life. Still, he’d gladly die for a few more minutes loving Copper.

Where the hell had that come from, he wondered, breaking the kiss and pulling back. He watched her eyes open slowly. What he saw in those bright loving eyes told him where he really was, hell. He knew he should push her away. He should keep his distance, both emotional and physical. Instead he cupped her face with his hands brushing his thumbs over her cheekbones.

“If I had time left to love someone it would be you, but I don’t. We both know that,” he said. Dos leaned forward as he pulled her closer. As his lips brushed hers his heart clutched in his chest. It was the first time in years he realized he still had a heart. He kissed her again. This time his heart burst shooting warmth and desire through his body. When he released her lips she smiled.

“Let’s pretend you do for just a little while,” she said before nipping his earlobe.

Even though he would regret it later he couldn’t resist her fantasy. Hadn’t he recently wished for it himself? To be just a normal man, no subterfuge, no danger.

Turning his head Dos covered her mouth with his. He kissed her hard as he brought his knees up and pressed her back against his thighs. Releasing her lips he kissed a trail down her neck while his hands worked their way under the sweatshirt Gina had loaned her. Her skin burned against his palms as he slid his hands over her stomach.