Free Emeralds, Rubies, and Camouflage by Olivia Jaymes Page A

his head and sat down next to her, his hip pressing against her thigh.
    “No, just the opposite.” He wasn’t ready to reveal everything he was feeling. It put him in too vulnerable of a place. “But I’ve never slept with someone who worked for me before. I mightjust have ruined everything. Have I? Are you angry? Do you have…regrets?”
    “No,” she said softly, her hand coming to rest on his knee. “Do you?”
    “No. I’m just not sure where we go from here.”
    The corners of her mouth tilted up in an almost smile. “I imagine that’s bothersome for you. You like to know all the answers and every move.”
    She already knew him well.
    “Maybe we should just sleep onit and talk again in the morning,” Myra offered. “I doubt there is much to be gained by doing a post mortem right now.”
    His breathing immediately became easy with the flood of relief her words brought. It was chicken shit to be this glad but he needed to think about whether he was ready to…try. Myra was dangerous in that she was the first person in years that had the ability to truly hurt him.

    If she were so inclined.
    He wasn’t sure he was ready for that. If he ever would be. It was easier to hide himself away in this house day after day, week after week, only coming out every now and then while the rest of the world went about their business.
    Never letting anyone in was safe.
    “I think that’s a good idea. We can talk about it tomorrow after we’ve both had a good night’s sleep.”
    He leaned down and kissed her soft cheek and brushed her silky hair out of her eyes. Despite the maelstrom of emotions that churned in his gut one thing was clear – he wanted to touch her. Leaving her after their lovemaking and going back to his own rooms was like ripping off a limb. His body yearned for hers but his mind was saying slow down.
    His mind won.
    “Goodnight, Holt.” Myra’s brown eyesgave nothing away – happy or sad. He left her room with the niggling feeling that he was making a mistake. He should turn back before it was too late. Hold her all night long and make love until they were both thoroughly exhausted.
    That was his heart talking.
    He thought it had been mortally wounded in that bombing but it was – to his shock – very much alive.

Chapter Eight
    ‡
    E verything between Holt and Myra had changed. She could feel it and it wasn’t for the better.
    The two of them plus Amelia had an awkward and tense breakfast. Myra and Holt picked at the pancakes she’d made while the little girl chattered on and on about what shewanted to do that day. They both tried valiantly to pay attention, but their minds were far away, still in Myra’s bedroom.
    She’d had an awful time trying to sleep last night. The whole room seemed to smell of Holt and sex, especially the sheets. Finally around three in the morning she’d fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion, no closer to knowing how to handle things than she’d been hours before.

    By the time Fiona and Bart showed up mid-morning Myra’s nerves were stretched taut and she wanted to stand in the middle of the house and scream at the top of her lungs. Holt looked no better, dark circles under his eyes and curt answers to every question. It must have obvious that something was going on between her and Holt because the older couple immediately offered to take Amelia to the horsebarn.
    “I guess they could tell we needed to talk,” Holt said after the couple retreated with Amelia between them. “I don’t know about you but I think I need more coffee.”
    There wasn’t enough caffeine in the world to make Myra alert, but she nodded and followed Holt into the bright, cheery kitchen that seemed to mock her gloomy mood. Last night with Holt had been the best of her entire life butfrom his guarded expression this morning she was pretty sure he didn’t feel the same way.
    Once again she’d let her dreams and fantasies rule her better sense. What she knew about men would fit on the