Texas Cowboy's Protection by - (best book clubs .txt) 📕

her knees. Since going there with her thoughts was as productive as shoveling grass, she redirected her thoughts.

Mother’s hand went over her heart and she paled.

“You’re shaking.” Isaac caught her by the arm to shop her from swaying. He helped her to the sofa.

“Let me get you some tea, mother.”

“I’m fine.” Mother’s color started returning as she took in a few deep breaths. “Tell me what happened.”

Gina had already recounted her story to Griff. Her head ached and all she really wanted to do was curl up on the sofa and take a nap before Everly woke. “Would it be okay if we discussed it later? I’m talked out.”

“Yes. I guess so.” To Gina, the details were no longer important. The fact that she’d survived and was home did the trick for her.

“I can put a pot of water on.” Isaac was sweet to offer.

“You’ve already done too much.”

Mother turned to Isaac. “I’m here now. You don’t have to stay any longer if there’s somewhere you need to be.”

The spot on the left shoulder blade, Gina’s stress spot, twitched. Pain shot down her back and up her neck. “It’s fine with me if he wants to be here.”

“Of course, it is. I was only suggesting he could go if he had to.” The indignation in her mother’s voice poked the already angry muscle.

Isaac looked to Gina. She appreciated his deferring to her more than he could know. “Do you want to stay?”

He nodded and the look on his face said he would dig his heels in for her if necessary. He stood there, arms across a broad chest and feet in an athletic stance. He’d always been good looking and athletic. Seeing him now, how he’d filled out, his confidence, rocketed him into a whole new stratosphere of attractive. It didn’t hurt that he was clearly ripped under that t-shirt. Knowing his personality, his intelligence, his sense of humor made her figure that most women threw themselves at him. God help her, he stirred something deep inside her. Something she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

A little voice told her she should’ve felt that way about her husband. She’d loved Des. Always would. Granted, it had never been that all-consuming, fireworks kind of love. It was comfortable. It was friends who’d known each other their entire lives. It was a deep sense of caring. And he’d needed her.

Gina turned to her mother. “We’ve been catching up and it’s been nice to have a friend here in Gunner.”

Mother stared at a spot on the carpet at the mention of a friend. Her expression dropped, and her body stilled. Gina didn’t need to be a mind reader to know her mother was thinking about Brittany. “It’s terrible to think what happened. And next door.”

The town of Gunner didn’t see violent crime. Gina heard about it on the news regularly living in a major city but this was a shock for a small town. She felt it more, too, probably because it hit so close to home.

“It’s still so hard to believe.” Gina took a seat on the opposite end of the sofa.

Isaac followed suit, reclaiming his spot on the loveseat.

“Such a shame. So much loss.” Mother exhaled. “Why is it bad news always seems to come in threes?”

Gina didn’t feel the need to point out Des had died a year-and-a-half ago. Her father and Brittany were three months apart. Besides, her mother’s question was rhetorical.

Everly stirred. Gina hopped to her feet to check on her daughter. The sudden movement caused blood to rush from her head and she almost lost her balance. Hand on the armrest, she steadied herself.

Isaac was at her side in the next beat. The man could move like a panther. His hand on her arm guided her toward the kitchen. “I can check on her if you want.”

“She’s had so much change lately. Waking up to a stranger might throw her off.” She appreciated his offer and wasn’t sure if Everly would mind or if it was Gina who would be thrown for a loop.

The shock of seeing her daughter in a man’s arms would tip her over on a day that had already thrown enough at her. She’d never seen Everly being held by a man. Her father had doted on his granddaughter, but he was from a generation of men who didn’t carry around their grandchildren, change diapers or otherwise handle hands-on childcare.

He’d been the same with Gina when she was little, or so she’d been told. Even so, there was never a day that went by where she questioned whether her father loved her or Everly.

Peeking in on her daughter, seeing her comfortable and sleeping warmed Gina’s heart. A tear escaped. She was being overly emotional and that was okay. As her mother had so kindly said, it had been a day.

Gina didn’t have to turn to know Isaac stood behind her. She felt his presence. One step in the wrong direction and she’d be back-to-chest with him. His warm and spicy scent filled her with every breath she took. What should have been strange struck her as the most normal thing ever. She chalked it up to their history and pushed it from her thoughts.

“Beautiful kid.” His voice was so low she almost didn’t hear him.

Pride ballooned inside Gina. She couldn’t agree more. Everly was the best of her and Des.

Knowing her daughter was blissfully asleep and unaware of the day’s events, Gina turned to go back into the living room. She stopped herself before she ran into Isaac’s chest. She looked up and their eyes locked.

In that split-second before he looked away, it was the most intimate moment of her life.