For years, Ivan had kept an impenetrable grasp on Nina’s memory—including the pain her death had caused him and his family. Before now, beforeCera, he hadn’t even considered how selfish that was.
“Thank you.” He slid his solemn gaze back to hers. “I needed to hear that.”
“So did I, apparently.” The smile Cera gave him that time almost,almostreached those mesmerizing eyes.
Not there yet, sweetheart. But you will be.
He’d make damn sure of that.
Because there was something about this woman. Something he didn’t understand but was impossible to ignore. An inexplicable bond formed between two kindred souls.
And while there was still a lot more layers to Cera than what his research had uncovered, Ivan found himself eager to explore each and every one.
The pretty brunette wiped her mouth with her napkin before dropping it on top of her near-empty plate. “I don’t know about you, but I’m stuffed.”
“Yeah, I’m good.” Ivan slid out of the booth and to his feet.
There was still about a fourth of his burger and half his fries left on his plate, but he had things to do. Starting with taking a hard look into Cera’s former lovers—a list hewouldbe getting as soon as they got back to the suite.
Reaching for his wallet, he pulled out enough cash to cover their meals plus tip and tossed the bills onto the table. As he guided her toward the diner’s entrance, Ivan rested a palm against her lower back. It wasn’t a conscious move, but rather an instinctual protective move that came as natural as their shared conversation.
He pushed the glass door open, holding it wide so she could exit. Stepping out onto the sidewalk behind her, he plucked his shades from the collar of his shirt and slid them over his eyes.
“Did it get colder while we were in there, or is it just me?” She rubbed her hands up and down her upper arms for warmth as they walked.
“Feels like it.” His hands fisted at his sides to keep from reaching out and pulling her close. Shoving one fist into the pocket of his jeans, he pulled out his keys with an extra tight grip.
“Someone at work mentioned a possible winter storm over the weekend. But isn’t it too early for snow?”
Work being the local grocery store listed on her most recent W-2.
“It’s Colorado.” Ivan flashed her a wink and a smirk as he pressed the button on his fob to unlock the 4Runner’s doors. “Never too early for snow.”
His heart thumped, his cock twitching behind his zipper, when Cera rewarded him with a sweet smile of her own. Damn, she really was beautiful.
So fucking beautiful.
It was the last thought that rolled through Ivan’s brain before the world around him exploded.
10
Cera didher best not to squint as she stared at the wall directly in front of her. Just as the doctor ordered.
“Okay, Miss Davidson.” Dr. Huhne, the emergency room doctor assigned to her care, lowered the bright ass light away from Cera’s eyes and smiled. “Your pupils are equal and reactive, and I see no other signs of a concussion. The cut on your forehead’s gonna be pretty tender for a few days, but the butterfly closures should allow it to heal with minimal scarring.
“Thank you,” she offered softly, praying the exam was almost over.
I’m hanging on by a thread here, Doc. Sure would be nice if we could move things along.
She still couldn’t believe what had happened. One minute, she’d been admiring Ivan’s playful wink and sexy sideways grin, and the other…Boom!
His SUV had exploded while she and Ivan were barely a car length away.
Cera had been lifted off her feet, her body thrown like a rag doll against the brick building to their right. Now that the shock had worn off—and she’d had some time to think past the throbbing in her head—she could remember almost every terrifying moment.
The way her heart had skipped around inside her chest when Ivan had thrown that playful smirk her way. The deafening blast of heat a breath before she became weightless. Her head smacking against rough brick before she landed on the sidewalk’s unforgiving surface.
But the memory that stuck out to her the most was the way Ivan had sounded when he’d shouted her name. He’d sounded so alarmed. So determined. But there’d been something else there. Something that made her think he’d almost been…