Page 13 of Protecting Gina

“I think more people would help if they could. They just don’t know what to do. When you had the opportunity, you helped that woman. And if you hadn’t been there, she might not have gotten away.”

“True.”

“Just because there are more than eight billion people on the planet doesn’t mean those who want to help are where the help is needed.”

She blew out a slow breath, thinking about his words. “There are a lot of people out there. I think people are scared to help because of stuff like this and worse.”

He nodded. “It sucks that the reality for many who step in is they end up injured or killed.”

“I appreciate you helping me.”

“I’m happy to help. But really it’s just a fluke that I even know who you are. It took my mother being sick and in the hospital while you were working here.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know if I believe in fate, but it’s kind of hard not to draw those conclusions.”

He nodded, and his expression turned serious. “I’ve been in places with unimaginable things going on. And there were times I swear I was there just to do something that wasn’t planned. Like, there was this one time I wasn’t supposed to be in an alley. I should have been able to leave an area going another way, but something cut me off, and I had to take a different path. There was this kid who almost got run over. I pulled him back to safety. If I hadn’t been there, he would have been hit and probably died.”

“Yeah, I can’t explain stuff like that.”

“Maybe it’s just the fact that a lot of stuff happens, and every day there are opportunities for us to help and change a life, and sometimes we’re there to do it, and other times, no one is there.”

“You’re making me feel.”

He leaned his elbows on the table and then turned to look at her. His eyes were kind. She’d met a lot of people working as a nurse, and she could tell when people had kind eyes. Wave may be a badass, but deep inside, he was a good person.

“I think we’re supposed to feel. I get the idea of shutting emotions down. Your job is tough, and if you were always feeling things, it would be impossible to be an effective nurse.”

He was right. If she let her feelings run wild at work, she would never get anything done. She loved being a nurse. Helping people gave her deep satisfaction. But with nursing came an emotional drain equivalent to a dam bursting unless walls were put up, blocking the emotions.

“I would die if I felt it all.”

He nodded. “But feeling in this situation isn’t bad.”

She shook her head. “No. I guess it isn’t. But where do the feelings stop?”

His eyes narrowed a small amount, and if she hadn’t been watching him so closely, she might have missed it. He reached out and ran his fingers over a strand of her hair. “Maybe we don’t stop them.”

Desire that she’d kept in check spilled out, and she closed the distance, pressing her lips to his. It had been so long since she’d dated, and she wanted the touch of a man. That it was Wave made her even more excited.

She knew he was strong, but when he scooted his chair back, then picked her up and placed her on his lap, she could feel just how strong he was.

Wave’s thigh muscles under her legs, supporting her, felt so good. Her hands were on his shoulders, which were firm with muscles. He wrapped his arms around her, and she could feel his forearm muscles on her back. It all felt so good that her head spun with desire.

Would he agree to get naked? Maybe she should step back and tell him to slow down, but she wanted to feel all of him up against her body.

She ran her hands down his back and grabbed hold of the hem of his shirt, lifting it slightly. Instead of ending the kiss, he took it deeper and then pulled her closer so she could feel the hardness of his cock through his pants. Heat burst through her, and she let out a deep moan, hoping he knew she wanted more.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Wave was glad his sister had taken off, or he wouldn’t be doing this. He pulled off his shirt and flung it to the floor. Gina leaned back, ending the kiss. Her gaze traveled over his chest to his lower torso, then back up. When their eyes met, he could see the heat deep in her soul.

“I have a few condoms in my bag in the bedroom.”

Gina crawled off his lap and held out her hand. “We should go to the bedroom.”

Wave jumped up and in a swift move, picked Gina up, laughing as she let out a screech. She clung to him, her eyes wide. He didn’t move toward the bedroom because he wanted to give her a chance to recover.

“No, I’m too heavy.”