Free Winter's Heat by Tami Vinson Page B

acute need to comfort Winter.
    Reaching out to do so, a wave of helplessness engulfed him when she flinched away at his tentative touch. He quickly snatched his hand away as her frightened reaction gutted him.
    Oh, god did he save her in time?
    He had to try and reach her. If his familiar touch wouldn’t do, maybe his voice would.
    “ It’s okay sweetheart. It’s me, Eric.” He tried to make his voice as soothing as possible to break through the fear he felt pouring off of her in waves. He clenched his jaw in suppressed anger as he took in the tattered and ripped dress falling off of her now violently shivering body.
    “ Winter, please…let me help you.” He pleaded. He couldn’t stand it, he had to hold her. Running his fingers restlessly through his hair, he was at a lost to see her so distraught.
    He reached down and got his phone to flip it open. Just as he was about to dial 911, he heard the whisper of her voice.
    “ Eric...?” The sound of her hoarse voice had his full attention.
    “ Yes, sweetheart I’m here.” He prayed he had gotten through to her.
    Watching the silent tears roll down her smooth cheeks made his own eyes burn. With all his strength, he’d never felt so helpless as he watched her valiantly try to pull herself together.
    Slowly sitting up, Winter tried to cover herself as best as she could with torn dress she’d worn earlier.
    “ Sweetheart, please…let me help you.” He uttered those quiet words. As he watched, a ragged breath shuttered through her body right before she fell into the warm cocoon of his chest sobbing like her heart was breaking.
    He had seen many things in his life both in and out of his line of work. But he had not been affected by any of it as he was now by the woman in his arms. So many different thoughts and emotions were going through him and the most prominent of them was to protect her with his very life.
    He loved this woman with all that he was and all that he was going to be. Looking back, he regretted every moment of every second that he hadn’t realized that. And as he rocked her in his arms, he struck with the fact that tonight he’d almost lost the chance completely to tell her.
    He was only sorry that he hadn’t listened to his first mind and taken care of the situation earlier. But if she allowed him to, he would spend the rest of his life keeping her safe with every breath that he took from this moment forward.
    “ Winter, if you’re listening…I want you to know that it’s gonna be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.” The thick huskiness of his voice betrayed his strong emotion as he murmured the words softly in her ear.
    The next thing he did was his least favorite thing to do, but it needed to be done.
    “ Sweetheart, I’m going to call the police.” He hated having to put her through the interrogation he knew was coming. The only other alternative was to finish the beat down he’d started on Randy and bury him in an unmarked grave.
    Shaking off that sadistic train of thought, he grabbed his phone and dialed 911 to give the address to the apartment and a short and concise description of the crime that had taken place.
    The whole time, he soothingly stroked his hand over Winter’s back to comfort her.
    When he finally got off the phone, he went to move them both off the floor. He wanted to at least give her something to cover herself up without disturbing any evidence until the police got there. Adjusting her in his arms, he easily lifted his precious cargo and carried her into what he assumed was her bedroom by its neat appearance.
    He fought the need to keep her wrapped up in the shelter of his arms as he laid her comfortably down on the bed. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea he thought, based on the shattered look about her tearstained face. Instead he sat beside her and held her hand.
    “ Baby, the police are on their way here to arrest Randy. They’ll want to ask you some questions…do you think you’re up to