Free The Lawman's Nanny Op by Carla Cassidy Page B

fire in her kiss, he’d felt that same yearning to be her everything, to be the one.
    Her words to him had been an unwelcome dose of reality and reminded him that what they’d once shared had been broken ultimately by her inability to trust him, her inability to believe in him.
    Apparently nothing had changed and he’d be a fool to attempt any kind of a relationship with her. He’d keep her safe. He’d do his duty as the deputy assigned to her case, but there was no way in hell he intended to let Portia or any other woman into his heart.

Chapter 6
    D espite the lateness of the night before, Portia awoke at dawn with the taste of regret lingering in her mouth. Shame washed over her as she thought about what she’d said to Caleb.
    Her words had been hateful and had nothing to do with the truth. Caleb wasn’t a womanizer. Sure, he dated a lot, but why wouldn’t he? He was handsome and single and, besides, he probably didn’t date any more than she did.
    She’d been wrong to say what she had, but she’d been desperate to create a chasm between them, had needed a defense against the incredible want that had built up inside her with his touch.
    As he’d kissed her, as he’d held her so tight against the lean heat of his body, all she’d wanted to do was take him into her bedroom and make love. The desire had been so intense it had frightened her and she’d had to do something to douse the fire.
    She sighed and rolled over on her side to look out the window where the light of morning was just beginning to creep across the sky.
    It was too early to get out of bed and so she remained beneath the fresh-scented sheet with only her thoughts as company. Maybe Caleb was right, maybe she’d never really understood what kind of man he was—what kind of man he’d become.
    What if he’d always been telling the truth? What if he hadn’t cheated on her with Jayme Cordell? She couldn’t even remember now who had told her about Caleb’s betrayal. She sighed once again. What difference did it all make now?
    It had been ten years ago. There was no going back in time to change things. She’d once believed that Caleb was the one, but now she sensed a simmering anger in him that occasionally flashed in his eyes, that hardened the line of his jaw.
    Maybe it was because his sister was missing, or perhaps it was some damage that Laura had left behind when she’d moved from town. Surely he couldn’t have any residual resentment toward Portia for something that had happened years ago when they had both been kids.
    Portia only knew that as much as she wanted Caleb and he might want her, she didn’t believe he was the one, didn’t believe he wanted to be the one.
    She frowned irritably. What was she thinking? She didn’t want another chance with Caleb. She just wanted him to find out who was after her and to get her life back to normal.
    She needed her kids back in the day care. She missed their happy faces, their smacking kisses and their hugs. They had been the most important people in her life and without them there was a huge hole in her heart.
    She desperately wanted a child of her own, but for now she had to be content with her children on loan, and at the moment she didn’t even have them. Caleb had been right, until they knew exactly what was happening it was best that she stay away from the children she loved.
    Sick of her own thoughts, she got out of bed and headed for the adjoining bathroom, hoping a hot shower would banish all thoughts of Caleb and how close she’d come to making love to him the night before.
    But as she stood beneath the hot spray of water all she could think about was how Caleb’s kisses had thrilled her, how his touch had torched through her with a desire she hadn’t felt for any other man.
    She certainly hadn’t remained celibate during the last ten years. There had been two men she’d dated with whom she’d been intimate, one who had eventually moved out of town for his business, the other