A Sheltering Love

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Claire ground her back teeth at his high-handed tone. “I’m not alone. Gwen lives here, too.”

Sandy piped up. “She can come to my house, too.”

“Or she can stay with me,” Lori offered.

Everyone started talking at once. Only Nick remained silent, his black eyes watchful. Her gaze slid away from him as she tried to reason with the people who were intent on arranging her life. She hated when people tried to arrange her life.

“Excuse me, everyone,” Nick’s voice, though low, rose above the chatter, effectively cutting off the noise. “Claire’s been through a rough ordeal today. I’m sure she could use some time and space.”

Surprised by his understanding, Claire’s eyes widened.

“Of course.” Peggy took her hand. “You let us know what we can do to help.”

“I will. I promise.” Claire’s heart squeezed slightly at the woman’s offer of help and friendship.

“Okay, kids, let’s head out,” Steve said as he took the puppy from Matthew and set him on the living room floor. He led his family out of The Zone.

Before they headed to the door, Sandy and Dave elicited a promise from Claire to call if she needed anything. Nick walked out with them.

Claire watched his retreating back with a frown and fought the ridiculous urge to cry. She’d asked him to leave, but she’d thought he’d at least say goodbye. There she went again—expecting something, only to feel hurt and rejected.

Would she ever learn?

Lori leaned in close, her gaze on Nick as well, and whispered, “He’s certainly a prize worth holding on to.”

Claire shook her head, feeling suddenly very tired. “You’re too much the romantic,” she whispered back.

Lori’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “Bob, will you walk me to the shop?”

He looked surprised. “Why?”

“Because I asked you to, you big lug.” Lori rolled her eyes. “Men.” Then to Claire she said, “I’ll check on you tomorrow.”

She held up a hand as Claire opened her mouth to protest. “I know, but I’m coming, anyway.” She wrinkled her straight nose. “It smells ghastly in here.”

“I’ll light some scented candles,” Claire said.

“You shouldn’t stay here,” Bob said, his expression hard, concerned.

She tried for patience. “You sound like a broken record. This is my home. I’m not leaving. Besides, the damage is mainly outside. The water’s only on the first floor and contained in the kitchen. I’ll be fine.”

“You are so stubborn.” Exasperation echoed in his voice.

“Okay, time for us to go,” Lori declared, linking her arm through Bob’s. She gave Claire a meaningful look. “I’ll talk with you later.”

Too weary to argue, Claire nodded. “Fine.”

Lori led a reluctant Bob out, leaving Claire alone.

Her lungs hurt and her throat felt like sandpaper. The place did smell and it looked horrible—all black and charred on the back wall around the door. But it was her place. The only thing she possessed worth anything. And someone had tried to wreck it. She blew out an angry breath. She wasn’t about to let anyone destroy her dream.

A wet tickle at her ankle reminded her she now had one other possession. She bent and scratched behind Little Nick’s ears. “Hope you don’t mind that it’s just you and me, little guy.”

She straightened and moved toward the stairs when the front door opened and Nick walked back in.

A surge of happiness tore through her, catching her off guard. She trampled down the giddy pleasure. “I thought you left.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.” His expression was unreadable but there was a tension in his body she hadn’t noticed before.

“No. No disappointment. I’m glad to see you. I mean…I wanted to say goodbye.”

“I came to get my jacket.” He strode past her to where his leather jacket lay on the stool by the counter.

“Oh.” A bubble of disappointment popped in her chest. He hadn’t come to see her or to say goodbye.

He slipped the jacket on and crossed the room to stand a few feet from her. “I hear you might have a room to rent.”

“You know of a teen in trouble?”

He gave her a sharp look. “I’d intended to stay awhile wherever I stopped this evening. My bike needs a tune-up. And now that it’s getting late, I might as well stay in Pineridge. Steve recommended a mechanic a few blocks away.”

Her heart pounded in her ears. He wanted to stay here? “That’s not a good idea.”

One side of his mouth curled up into a lopsided grin. “You’d be doing me a favor. And I could pay you by doing the work to repair the back of the building. That way you don’t have to put any money out on expensive contractors and I can have a roof over my head. It would sure beat sleeping on the ground.”

“There are hotels downtown. And a Motel 6 on the outskirts, just as you come off the freeway.”

He shook his head. “I’ll take my bedroll to the park.”

“You can’t do that. You’ll get arrested.”

“Your front grass will do.”

“No. That’s ridiculous.”

Claire worried her lip, conflicted. On one hand she didn’t like the idea of anyone invading her space. And he would definitely be an invader. But wasn’t that the point of The Zone, to rent the rooms so kids wouldn’t have to sleep on the ground? That was why Gwen lived with her, because she had nowhere else to go.

Nick wasn’t a teen, but he obviously needed a place to stay for awhile. And apparently couldn’t afford a hotel. She couldn’t turn him out. She could only imagine the cost to his pride to have to ask for help. She knew her own pride held her back from asking anybody for assistance.

Yet, she couldn’t shake a strong suspicion that somehow this was all just a ruse concocted to keep her under his protection. Why did he suddenly need his bike tuned up? You’re being paranoid, she told herself.

Nick interrupted her thoughts. “I won’t get in your way.”

Heat crept up her neck. She was taking an awful long time to answer his question. Stalling, she asked, “You could fix the wall and the porch?”

“Yes. I’ve done carpentry work in the past.”

Having him take care of the repairs would save her time and money. He was offering to work in exchange for room and board.

He needed a place to stay. She had it to give. Even though it wasn’t a fair exchange. He would work harder than the rent she could charge. “I have a room. But I insist you let me pay you a small wage for the work.”

He frowned. “Not necessary.”

“It is to me.” She wouldn’t be a charity case. She’d use the money in the building fund for his wage, and insurance, she hoped, would pay for the repairs.

He considered her for a moment. “Okay. Deal.”

He held out his hand. She slipped her smaller one into his. Warmth spread up her arm and wrapped around her senses. Looking in to his dark, commanding eyes, she felt the force of his attraction drawing her in. She sent up a silent prayer for strength to resist such a glaring temptation.

She was determined not to end up paying with her heart.

The strain of the day settled in Nick’s neck as he lugged his saddlebag into The Zone. He’d taken his bike to the mechanic, a nice guy with an obvious love of Harleys. Nick had walked back to find Claire nowhere in sight and the front door unlocked.