Free Natural-Born Protector / Saved by the Monarch by Carla Cassidy

like. He loved watermelon but didn’t like oranges. He enjoyed horseback riding and swimming but disliked jogging.
    Maddie seemed to love everything and while they atetheir pizza and salad she kept them entertained with stories of friends from her school in Texas and all the places in town she and her grandmother had visited.
    Melody found the interaction between Hank and his daughter strained. Hank seemed ill at ease around her and Maddie spent most of the evening talking to Melody.
    After dinner they moved into the living room where Hank and Melody sat on the sofa and Maddie sat on the floor between Melody’s legs so Melody could brush her silky, fine dark hair.
    “My mommy used to brush my hair every night, but Grandma never has time and Daddy doesn’t know how to do it right,” Maddie said as Melody worked. Melody’s heart squeezed with pain for the little girl who’d lost her mother.
    “I see you’ve started working on painting,” Hank said and gestured to the wildflowers on the wall that had been partially painted over.
    “Fred sent over a painter to take care of it. He was just here for a little while this morning and is supposed to come back tomorrow to finish it.”
    “I can think of a few things I’d like to finish,” he replied beneath his breath.
    Just that easily the memory of their kiss exploded in her head and brought with it a tension that was palpable in the air between them.
    “I want it just like yours,” Maddie said, breaking the spell.
    Melody pulled the last of Maddie’s hair up and secured it with an elastic band. “There,” she said. “Just like mine.”
    “Thanks.” Maddie got up and ran to the hall mirror to admire her reflection.
    “My mother is going to stop by here in a little while and get Maddie,” he said. “She’s going to spend the night with her grandma.”
    “Grandma promised me we’d watch my favorite movie tonight,” Maddie said as she ran back into the living room.
    “That sounds like fun,” Melody replied, still intensely aware of Hank seated next to her.
    Maddie reached up and touched her ponytail. “Do I look like a cowgirl?”
    “Like Annie Oakley herself,” Melody replied.
    “Who is Annie Oakley?” Maddie asked.
    The conversation that followed was about famous cowgirls and cowboys and by the time they’d finished with that, Hank’s mother arrived at the door.
    Susan Tyler was an attractive woman with Hank’s blue eyes, a mop of graying dark hair and a friendly smile. She introduced herself to Melody with a firm handshake. “Maddie and Hank have been telling me all about you,” she said. “I’m so sorry about your sister.”
    “Thank you. I’ve been enjoying the company of your granddaughter over the last couple of days.”
    Susan smiled and cast a look of obvious love at Maddie. “I’ve told her she’s like a building rat, scurrying around here and there. I think she knows more gossip about the people in this building than anyone.”
    “Mrs. Walker wears a wig,” Maddie quipped. “And Mr. Walker drinks too much.”
    Susan laughed. “See what I mean?” She motioned to the little girl. “Come on, honey. Let’s go watch thatmovie of yours. It was nice to finally meet you, Melody.” With that she and Maddie went out the door, leaving Melody alone with Hank.
    He smiled at her, a lazy heated smile that warmed her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. “Now, how about we finish what we started last night.”
    Hank had been on a slow simmer since she’d left his door the night before. The simmer had continued throughout this evening. As he’d watched her brushing Maddie’s hair he’d wanted to reach out and release Melody’s long dark hair from its band, feel the silky strands fall through his fingers and spill over his palms.
    The sundress she wore emphasized her slender curves and exposed just enough skin to keep his imagination working overtime. As they’d eaten pizza, as they’d talked about everyday things, all