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Leaning back, she drew her hands up to push against his chest The urge to let her fingers explore the hard planes beneath his shirt and vest had her clenching them into fists

“The harm would be to me,” she said softly, eyes closed as she wrestled between pulsing desire and self-preservation “You have nothing to lose, Loyal, but I could lose everything”

He went still, and she opened her eyes when he eased back a few inches to see her face

“Tell me what that means”

She searched his expression to see he genuinely didn’t understand Taking a deep breath, she lowered her gaze and admitted, “You have the power to break oes bad—when it goes bad, because you don’t do relationships—I will lose not only my best friend, but the family I’ve come to love as my own”

His Adam’s apple bobbed hard with his s

“I never knehat a family was until Iher eyes, and she tried to blink them away “Your parents, your brothers and sisters…I don’t knohat I’d do if I lost them They’re the only true family I’ve ever known”

Chapter 20

Loyal lifted a hand to swipe his thumb over one of the tears that escaped down Roxanna’s cheek That sharp ache settled in his chest again,it hurt with each breath he took He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any woman before, and yet what he wanted would hurt her

Because he couldn’t proain

Why not?

He hesitated for a brief second, but quickly retreated froht “So, what does that leave us with? Friends?”

“I hope so,” she whispered

“I don’t know if I can be friends with you,” he adether, he added, “Ia jackass, but, my proble to touch you and kiss you I get hard just looking at you Especially after the stables”

As he spoke, her fists had s, —and suddenly, he couldn’t resist He tipped her chin up and covered her mouth with his