Ruthless Saints

Curious, I ask, “Do the rings mean anything?”

Carson shakes his head.

When he’s done with his drink, I ask, “Can I get you another one?”

“No, thanks.” He takes cash from the inside pocket of his coat and sets it down on the counter.

When he gets up to leave, I feel a rush to say anything that will make him stay but end up muttering, “Have a good night.”

Feeling bummed, I walk to the till and begin to close it. I place the money in a bag and hand it to Lars. “See you tomorrow,” I say as I grab my coat.

When I walk out of the bar and see Carson waiting, my happy smile instantly returns. “You waited.”

I shrug on the coat and button it up in front.

As we begin to walk, I have to admit, I’m getting used to Carson not having much to say. The silence doesn’t feel as awkward tonight as it did the other times we’ve run into each other.

Raindrops fall all around us, and I wrap my arms across my chest, ducking my head low. Not that it will stop me from getting wet.

Carson shrugs out of his coat and holds it open. “Come closer.”

For real?

Not wanting to give him a chance to change his mind, I zip closer and duck under the fabric. When his arm settles around my shoulders, I almost let out a bliss-filled sigh. I take hold of his coat and hold it up, so it won’t hang in my face.

Now, this is the stuff fantasies are made of.

I become overly aware of the heat coming from Carson’s body as our sides press together. There’s no hint of aftershave, and I get slammed with his natural scent. It’s all man, and it soon has me taking deeper breaths.

Clearing my throat, I ask, “How long have you lived in Saint Luc?”

“Three years.”

I glance up and get a raindrop in my eye. Blinking it away, I ask, “Where did you live before that?”

“Geneva.”

Before I can ask another question, Carson asks, “Why did you want to see Switzerland?”

“The mountains. The lake.” I let out a contented sigh. “All the pictures I saw of Switzerland always looked so pretty, and I wanted to experience it for myself.”

“Why are you traveling alone?” he asks another question, and just the fact that he’s showing some kind of interest makes me happy.

I shrug, and it makes me aware of his arm resting around my shoulders. “It’s what I want to do. I want to see everything this world has to offer.”

“You’re not scared?”

I shake my head, and as we near my cabin, I scrunch my nose. This walk went way too fast.

I contemplate asking if he would like to come in for coffee, but not wanting to push him, I decide not to. Gesturing at the house, I say, “This is me.”

Carson walks me to the front door, and then he instantly steps away from me, and I lose the warmth of his body.

“Thanks for walking me home.”

He only nods as he shakes out the coat before shrugging it back on.

I unlock the door, and opening it, I reach for the switch against the wall and turn on the lights. A beam falls over us, and looking at the drops trickling down Carson’s face, I have to admit, I’ve never seen anyone more attractive than the man standing in front of me.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to invite him in when he says, “Go inside, Hailey.”

It’s the first time he’s said my name, and it sends goosebumps rushing over my skin.

For a moment, our eyes lock. Anticipation, unlike anything I’ve felt before, begins to build between us until it feels like a live current crackling from his body to mine.

Carson looks at me for a couple of seconds longer, and just as my lips part to ask him to come inside, he turns and walks away from me.

Holy crap.

The man is intense.

I drink in the sight of his broad shoulders until he disappears into the darkness.

Never in my life would I have thought I’d have a crush on a hermit.

Maybe there’s some truth to opposites being attracted to each other? Or, at the very least, I feel the attraction. I’m not so sure about Carson.

Chapter 4

CARSON

Standing across the road from Hailey’s house, I wonder where she went. I haven’t seen her all day, and when I checked at the bar, Lars said it was her weekend off.

It’s been four days since I walked her home. I’m still not sure it was the right thing to do. I should’ve remained in the shadows, but the urge to interact with her overwhelmed me.

My thoughts go back to when we were standing in front of her house. I know she felt it too. The attraction. It hit me like a natural disaster and wreaked havoc with my ironclad control. I almost crossed the line. If I had stood there for a second longer, I would have taken her mouth and whatever else she was willing to give without a second thought.