Free Sanctuary (Family Justice Book 3) by Suzanne Halliday Page A

enough for now. No need to rub her nose in it while she was in a vulnerable state.
    Brody wanted to kiss George when he started making doggie noises by the door. Perfect timing.
    “I think he needs to go out,” she muttered darkly.
    Smiling, he answered drily, “I can see that.” Walking to the basket by the front door where she kept his leash, he grabbed it and then casually waved his hand. “I’ll run him down to the dog park. Give you a chance to freshen up.”
    First, she tensed, but then she relaxed at his suggestion. Good. He was trying to establish a middle ground between nothing and fucking like maniacs. They were making headway whether she realized it or not. And he wasn’t talking about her letting down her guard when he comforted her. Nope. He was talking about the fact that she answered the door at all. Or that she let him in when she could have just as easily slammed it in his face.
    “When I get back, I’ll heat up the Thai food, pour us some peasant champagne, and we’ll see where things go, hmmm?”
    She ignored the ‘where things go’ comment, barely. With her thumb pointing back over her shoulder, she almost smiled. “Thai food? For real? Why the hell didn’t you say so?”
    Hooking the collar and leash onto the excited pup was a challenge, but he got it done. Giving her a fast once-over to be sure she was okay with him stepping out, he thought to ask, “How long do you need?”
    The pink in her cheeks turned to flaming red. In a flash, he got it. She wasn’t used to someone treating her like a woman. Knowing what he did about her traumatic marriage and its aftermath, he suspected she’d never experienced anyone caring even a little how she felt. About anything.
    A burst of happiness fired off inside him when she attempted a brief smile. “Well, now that you told me there’s Thai in the kitchen, I’ll hurry. I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Maybe twenty minutes?”
    “You’re on,” he quipped. “Now, lock the door behind me, and I’ll go tire this big lug out.” He patted the dog’s head and gave a quick tug on the leash to move him along.
    At the door, he turned around and fixed her with a serious look. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
    Before she could react, he turned away.
    “Come on, George. Let’s go get a run on. Give our lady a chance to get her head straight.”

    In the bathroom, Heather switched on the water, pushed her messy bun into a shower cap, and stripped. Thank god, her hair was clean, or she’d be reaching for the shampoo instead of quickly dashing beneath the stream of warm water to rinse off.
    Gnashing her teeth, she let the water caress her skin and willed her emotions to settle down. Eventually, he was going to ask her what just happened, and she wasn’t sure what to say.
    Hell. She wasn’t entirely sure what all that was about. One second, it was business as usual. Maybe a touch off due to the strangeness of the situation but nothing she couldn’t handle. And then that weird stretching sensation followed by … nothing. Just total relief. She hadn’t felt that way in years.
    And now … well, shit. All the stuff she’d clung to for so long no longer seemed to fit, and it was freaking her out. The fierce tension and need for absolute control she relied took a hike, leaving her vulnerable. And uncertain.
    Laying in Brody’s arms, listening to his deep breathing, she’d felt safe. His embrace created a sanctuary against years of anguish and helped spark a flicker of hope deep inside.
    She loved her parents and brother. But despite the march of time, they were so caught up in her agony that she could barely deal with them at this time of year. Brody knew the whole dirty truth. Because he was also a conflicted soul with too much bullshit in his head, she didn’t feel the need to slap on a happy face so everyone else was fine while she slowly died inside. He knew she’d be a mess today but came anyway, surprising her with his