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He smiled. “Not if I tell him I was helping you,” he said and winked. She blushed and then shook her head.
“I must be losing my mind,” she replied aloud without thinking and then headed around to the driver side of her car. Mike gave a wave and then headed to the patrol car. On the way to her place, he called Jack. Danny would stay at the bar and Jack would come help Marlena set things up and unpack. They’d make plans for helping her with the cabinets and they would all get to know her better and make her feel safe. Maybe, they’d even get to learn about her past and the person who caused her to be so fearful? He wanted to know so he could make sure that person never came near their woman again. Never.
* * * *
Marlena had just finished putting the boxes onto the back porch when she heard the second male voice behind her. It was Jack’s.
“So what’s this about a new home improvement project?” Jack asked, walking onto the porch. She swallowed hard. Having one of them here was quite nerve-wracking. Having two made her shake a little. She hoped that Danny didn’t show up, too. She just wasn’t ready to be alone with the three of them.
“You didn’t have to come over to help me, Jack. I’m capable of figuring things out on my own really,” she added.
He approached, pulling her gently into his arms as if he had every right to do so. He cupped her cheek.
“Honey, you work so hard, so many hours on your feet, we would love to help you with this.”
She was afraid he might kiss her. Had Mike told him that she let Mike kiss her in town? Did he think he had the automatic right to do that, too? Did she want him to?
“Whoa, hey, sweetie, what’s wrong?” he asked, brushing his thumb along her lower lip as he bent slightly to look her in the eyes. God, he’s beautiful. Everything about him is beautiful.
She looked down and away, causing his thumb to move from her skin. She felt the loss of his simple touch.
“Please don’t touch me like that,” she said.
“But I like touching you. I dream about touching you, kissing you, and feeling you next to me.”
She shook her head. Was he serious? Did he really dream about her? God, these were the types of men she longed for, hoped for, tried to pretend that Peter was. And look where it got her. Maybe they were pretending, too?
“Don’t do that. Don’t say things to me that you think I want to hear or that other women like hearing. Don’t,” she said and pulled from his arms and walked over toward the door.
“I think you both should leave.”
Mike looked at her strangely, like he was going to say something then held back. Was he thinking about telling her a lie? Maybe saying something she would want to hear to ease her uncertainty. Did she want him to? Did she want them to prove they were noble men?
“I’m heading back to work. I’ll see you tomorrow. Let Jack help you. He knows a lot about these things,” Mike said and tipped his hat toward her good-bye. She watched him go. The sexy way he walked in that uniform. He was the picture of authority, of protection and peace. The police back in Connecticut were nice, but they still told her she should disappear. Like the criminals had more rights than the victims. Peter would get away with attempted murder and arson. He would continue to get away with God knew what else.
She felt the masculine hand against her hip.
“Sweetie, what are you thinking about?”
She turned toward him, shocked that she was so lost in thought she had forgotten he was here still.
“Oh, nothing. Just tired,” she said.
“Let’s go inside and check out that kitchen of yours. Maybe tell me your ideas and your game plan,” he suggested, and she nodded, allowing him to continue to hold her hand as they walked into the kitchen. She had flashbacks of the way she wished things could be. Her in the kitchen with Danny, Jack, and Mike helping her. Them laughing, enjoying one another’s company, and then stealing kisses in between. They would eat together, laugh together, and make memories together. But when would it fall apart? When would they hurt her, cheat on her, hit her, try to kill her?
“Marlena,” Jack questioned her as he held her shoulders and stared down into her eyes.
“Talk to me. Why are you scared? What are you thinking about when you get that lost look in your eyes?”
“Why are you here, Jack? Why do you and your brothers want to get to know me so badly? What do you want from me? Ultimately I’m not like Vicky?” she asked and he looked shocked.
He reached up and caressed her cheek. “We want to get to know you. Vicky is a liar. We never did anything with her even though she spread rumors. We like you, and the three of us rarely like the same woman. When we look at you we want more things.”
“Like what?”
“Like a commitment, a partnership, a connection that lasts forever.”
“How can you want those things with me when you hardly know me?”
