Explosive Alliance (Wingmen Warriors 9)

Nothing he could say would reassure any overprotective brother. So he didn't bother spelling out that while he found Paige hot as hell, he intended to keep his hands to himself. He settled on spelling out a piece of the truth. "I'm not here for you. I'm here for her."

"For how long?" Vic shot back with unerring aim at Bo's own doubts.

"Long day." Paige arched the kink out of her back as she strode toward Bo's rental sedan parked under the boughs of the lone sprawling oak. The swelling wind twisted the dangling swing in a lazy figure eight dance.

Security lights blazed to create a halogen halo around the house, clinic and kennels. At least the animals would bark if anyone approached, small reassurance after her home had been violated.

Those lights also showcased well Bo in jeans and his concert T-shirt, leather jacket hooked on his finger over one shoulder. His eyes flickered over her chest, lingered for two hammering heartbeats, then jerked back up to her face.

He shrugged into his flight jacket. "Is Kirstie okay?"

Paige straightened, fast. She would work out the kinks later, maybe in about two weeks when this guy hopped on his plane for a return to South Carolina. She might wish, but she couldn't afford the temptation of more mind-blowing kisses or warm strong hugs from this man who carried so many memories of her past. And her daughter needed stability.

But a selfish part of her insisted she deserved comfort, even the two-week variety, except another part of her balked at that kind of relationship. Maybe she should start dating again. She couldn't imagine spending the rest of her life alone and, oh my God, celibate.

It had been a year since Kurt's arrest, nearly a year since his murder. She was a woman as well as a mother. Somebody like Chuck Anderson would be perfect, uncomplicated and she didn't want him.

She wanted this man. And, sheesh, she sure did have a history of wanting unwisely.

Paige strolled closer, stopping by the lonely tree, a safe two feet away from Bo beside his sedan rental. "She's asleep for now, just scared and trying not to show it. I can relate to that."

Memories of being held by him earlier in the office tormented her with the sweet gift of sharing her burdens. A person could get used to that, a person should have that, but she hadn't just made a simple mistake in judgment in her relationship with Kurt. She'd screwed up in mammoth proportions.

Bo's blue eyes darkened with concern even if he didn't move toward her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Sorta. Enough to get through the night if she kept a tight rein on herself. She clenched her hands into fists, digging her nails into her palms, the slight pinch a slow but sure reminder of how falling for a Bo sort of guy would one day hurt like hell. "Thank you for the support earlier, but I'm almost certain I'll crumble if I get any more sympathy.

Does that make sense?"

"Not really. But then we all cope in different ways, and I have to respect your boundaries."

"Thank you." Holy cow, this guy knew the right words to slip right past her defenses.

Kurt had encouraged her to count on him for everything, financial as well as emotional, insisting there would be plenty of time for her to spread her wings once Kirstie grew up.

But this man talked about healthy boundaries. He even discussed and supported her dreams of returning to college.

The circle of light warmed into a close bubble of privacy against the dark countryside.

She dug those fingernails harder into her palms.

Bo scratched the back of his head. "This may not be the best time to bring it up, but, well, the guys and I were talking and it really is a helluva drive back into Minot after a full work load of flying. So when I return in the morning, I'm going to start bunking here."

She forgot all about digging in her nails, surprise making her hands go slack. She didn't buy his excuse for a second. "You're staying out here because of the break-in."

"Doesn't hurt to have an extra guy around." His easy shrug shifted the leather jacket around his shoulders, a whispered slide of heavy, smooth fabric.

"And that's your only reason?" She braced her sagging spine against the tree, better than leaning on a man again. "I thought you said you were respecting my boundaries?"

"You think I'm moving here to get lucky? Lady, I'd have to be an idiot to try that with your watchdog brother on hand."

He had a point and now she felt foolish. "Then why are you doing this?"

"Make no mistake, I would still follow you inside in a heartbeat—if your brother was on Mars and the past evaporated for a day or two. But I heard you earlier about not letting this—" he gestured between them "—tug we feel go anywhere. I like to think I have enough self-control to keep my hands to myself." A wicked smile tucked in his cheek.

"No matter how enticing the woman."

Heat crawled up her neck even as she resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his blatant flattery.