Free Protecting Rose by Cheryl Yeko

patterns. It took her over an hour to find a handful of clips for her hair. Nate patiently stayed at her side and provided his opinion when asked as she admired one after another.
    As they left the shop, he stopped at a pretzel vendor. “Would you like a hot pretzel?”
    “Sure.”
    “What kind do you want”?
    “Surprise me.”
    He ordered two cinnamon and sugar pretzels and sodas.
    Rose took her cinnamon pretzel with a raised brow and a smile.
    Nate laughed. “Yeah, yeah. So I like cinnamon. Sue me.”
    Rose sighed, any remaining tension drained away. There was something intimate about being in such a romantic setting with Nate on a beautiful summer’s day. She had to remind herself he was only here to protect her. Although the way he looked at her sometimes made her wonder if it wasn’t more than that. That maybe he cared for her...just a little.
    Lost in her thoughts, she was unprepared when Nate grabbed her arm and shoved her behind him as he stepped in front of her. In the distance, the sound of loud shouts grew near.
    Gone in an instant was the gentle protector she’d come to know over the prior days. There was nothing kind or gentle about the warrior who stood before her in full battle mode. His body tensed as he reached under the back of his shirt to grip the gun tucked there. With her heart in her throat, Rose held her breath as Nate studied the milling crowd.
    She stepped closer and placed her hands on his back to peek around his shoulder. A tall man sprinted through the crowd with a purse clutched in his hand as he shoved people aside. An overweight security guard gave chase, but fell further and further behind.
    The tall guy headed their way. Nate’s shoulders relaxed and he released the grip on his gun. The muscles across his back rippled under her palms when he reached out to grab the guy as he neared. Nate threw him to the ground, where he landed with a hard, dull thud on his belly. He reached down and flattened the thief’s face into the pavement, his knee firmly placed at the small of the guy’s back.
    “Don’t move, asshole,” Nate snarled. He frisked him and seemed satisfied when he found no weapon.
    Rose stared in wide-eyed wonder at Nate’s raw masculine power and strength of command. As a crowd gathered, Rose could see she was not the only woman who was in awe of this handsome warrior, as well as a few men.
    At that moment, he embodied every woman’s fantasy hero. His piercing blue eyes matched the sky overhead. Strength and confidence rolled off him as effortlessly as the sun shined. His shirt clung to his lean muscular frame like a second skin, biceps rippled to distraction as he subdued the thief.
    Nate jerked the purse-snatcher up off the ground and handed him over to the bewildered security guard. “You got it from here?” He reached into his back pocket to pull out his badge and handed it to the guard.
    The security guard glanced at the badge and gave him a quick nod. “Thanks, man,” he replied, his eyes wide with awe.
    When Nate strode over and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to pull her close, a sense of pride and possessiveness filled her, much to her dismay.
    “Are you all right, sweetheart?” His voice was tight with concern.
    She met his scrutinizing gaze. “Yes, I’m fine.”
    The women all watched her with envy, both young and old as Nate gave her a warm smile and a quick hug. He didn’t seem to notice the admiring glances directed his way as they made their way through the crowd, only having eyes for her. Maybe a romantic ride on the Ferris wheel with Nate was not such a bad idea after all, she pondered as the sun started to set.
     
    He was so screwed. Nate ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he drove back to Milwaukee, glancing over at Rose. She was sleeping peacefully on the seat next to him. Her wig tossed on the seat beside her, her gloriously tousled hair cascaded around her angelic face. Her full luscious lips slightly parted as long dark lashes