Free Chance Lost by Jo Larue

realizing until then that she’d been holding it. It felt like for the first time since her Sensei’s passing that she was experiencing a family again, and it felt good. They asked more questions and she answered them all as best she could. She wasn’t ready yet to tell Sylas her personal secrets, but these questions, for now, were about the property.
     
    They talked until the sun peeked over the horizon. Chance yawned and leaned into Sylas. He must have sensed she was about to fall asleep. Sylas picked her up and moved towards Jack’s house. Chance had to fight the need to pull away and protect herself. She hoped he could not feel the tension in her body while he effortlessly carried her inside the house. She felt like a feather in his strong arms.
     
    Jack led the way to one of his spare rooms. Sylas thanked him, closed the door, and set her on her feet. He removed the blanket and her jacket. She looked up and he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. “No worries, babe. I can sleep in another room. You’re safe from unwanted advances.”
     
    Chance was seriously conflicted. Her emotions were running rampant and felt she was losing control of them. She wanted to let go of her fears and enjoy the moment. On the other side of the coin, she was scared witless of what could happen if she did. She was not prepared for the different emotions hitting her from all sides. Be alone forever or learn to trust. Chance found herself trembling as she fought the need to run.
     
    “I… I don’t want you to go, but,” was all she could manage to get out, lost in his glowing gaze again. Sylas seemed to understand and set her on the edge of the bed. “I understand, babe. No worries. I will tuck you in under the covers and sleep on top of them. I promise to behave while you sleep. Scouts honor.” Sylas waited while she debated it in her mind. Finally nodding her assent, he pulled her boots off, noticing her weapons as he placed them to the side.
     
    “Always ready for a fight, Chance? Remind me not to piss you off anytime soon.” He chuckled. Giving her another chaste kiss, he gently pushed her back onto the pillows and tucked her in under the blankets. She studied him as he removed his boots and jacket. He was the perfect example of the male species; all muscle, strength, and he exuded boundless power, yet he treated her as gently as a newborn. Sylas joined her on the bed, on top of the covers. Reaching under her, he pulled her into him, with her back to his chest and she fell asleep with his arm as her pillow, feeling like she was home.
     
    Chance woke up disoriented and stiffened. There was a man wrapped around her and she started to jump up, when she realized she was still fully dressed and under a blanket. Then she remembered Sylas putting her to bed. “Easy babe. It’s just me. Good afternoon, beautiful, sleep well?” he whispered as he placed a kiss on top of her head. Chance turned her body around to look at him. His eyes were half lidded and glowing a dark emerald green. She could stare at those eyes forever if he let her, and it was funny, but the glowing eye thing didn’t seem to register as something wrong, just different. It was what made him Sylas to her.
     
    “Yes, did you?” she asked after a moment.
     
    “Better than I have in… a very long time. Thank you for asking me to stay with you last night, but I honestly didn’t think you would.”
     
    “Why? Because we didn’t…” was all she could get out before Sylas stopped the protest with his fingers caressing her lips.
     
    “No, I don’t want you to think that, Chance. I know you’re not ready for a more intimate relationship. It’s far too soon. When you said you didn’t want me to leave, I understood exactly what you meant, because I felt the same. You wanted to feel closeness without sexual pressure and I wanted to feel you in my arms for longer than a few minutes. It was selfish of me, but I took advantage of your needs.”
     
    “You