Free Calling Kupid (Kupid's Cove Book 1) by Katie Mettner

something in her voice I couldn’t explain. Maybe it was her defensiveness or maybe it was her sadness, but something in me wanted to know, so I could make it better for her.
    “Did someone hurt you, Katie?” I asked. “Besides me, that is. Like physically hurt you.”
    I shrugged out of my coat and laid it across the arm of the couch, so she could see I planned to stay.
    She adjusted the icepack and ran her hands across the towel to smooth it out a few times. “When I was fourteen my brother died in a car accident. I was the first to find him and I tried to get him out of the car. He was already gone, but I didn’t know that, so I tore up my knee in my vain attempt to rescue him. I had surgery to repair the problem, but sometimes it still bothers me.”
    I took her hand, caressing the top with my thumb. “I’m sorry for prying. I just want to spend a little time with you to get to know you better. I didn’t mean to dredge up old memories.”
    “Why do you want to spend time with me, Gideon? You aren’t staying in Snowberry and you’ve made it clear you aren’t interested in sleeping with me. What is your endgame?”
    “Maybe I’m not staying in Snowberry, but I would love to have sweet, passionate sex with you. You bring out something in me that I’ve never experienced before, a deep sense of protectiveness.”
    “I don’t need anyone to protect me. I’ve been alone for the last eight years and managed.”
    I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it. “Managed, yes, but have you lived? Have you had a meaningful relationship with anyone? Have you gotten close to or loved anyone?”
    She rolled her eyes. “You sound like Winifred. I haven’t had a lot of time for dating, Gideon. I went to law school, which was a full time job. After I graduated, I became a partner in a law firm, also time consuming. I’m just getting to the point where I feel like I have time to devote to my personal life.”
    “Me, too.” I grinned.
    She shook her head at me. “You never give up, do you?”
    “Not when I want something.”
    “And you want me? Forgive me if I find that one to be a line.”
    “It’s not a line. I wanted you then and I want you now. Then was the wrong time for us. I can’t say the same for the present. Maybe this is the right time. Maybe we both need to accept that.”
    She swung her legs down to the floor, the icepack sliding to the floor. She opened her mouth, but I put my finger to her lips.
    “For Lord’s sake do not say it. If I hear you say one more time that you aren’t my class of people, I might kiss you senseless.”
    “I’m not your class of people,” she whispered.
    I didn’t think, just reacted, pulling her into my arms and crushing my lips to hers. I cradled her, rested her head on the arm of the couch, making love to her mouth the way I wanted to make love to her body. Slowly, thoroughly, and sweetly. A sound came from her that I could only define as pure pleasure. It made that one part I’ve never allowed to be involved with a woman before, feel something it never has. I didn’t want to let her go and that was as frightening as it was alluring.
    I rested my hand on her soft waist before slowly running it up the length of her, caressing the side of her soft, perky breast. I plunged my fingers into her silky hair that was so incredibly soft it felt like downy feathers against my skin. Her bottom slid closer to me pressing my bulging need into my abdomen. I moaned into her mouth and she let her lips fall open, so I could explore that part of her. I wanted to explore every part of her, but I would take what she was willing to give, for now. I released her lips to kiss down her jaw line to her neck.
    “You’re so incredible, Katie. Your scent, your body, and the sounds you make as I kiss you. I’m completely lost in all of you.”
    “It’s taken me almost a year to get over you. Now you’re back. Why is this happening?” she cried.
    “Quite possibly it’s happening