Page 13 of Contentious

“You’ve seen all his photos?”

“Hell yes. My job is to gather as much information about a subject as I can find, and there was a lot out there on him because of the public nature of his work.”

“He’s a social media whore.”

“That proved helpful to me.”

“I had to get a court order to prohibit him from posting pictures of Ty and to take down the ones he’d already posted.”

“I’m sorry he’s put you through hell.”

“You don’t know the half of it.”

“Is there other stuff I should know to help keep you guys safe?”

“He’s insidious. Just when I think we’ve seen the last of him, he resurfaces with some outrageous demand and threatens to take me back to court to see ‘his son,’ as if he’s had anything to do with raising him or paying the bills.”

“He doesn’t pay support?”

“I didn’t want it. That would’ve kept me tied to him, and we don’t need his money. We just want him to leave us alone.”

“He should have to pay for his kid.”

“Yes, he should have to, but there would be so many strings attached that it wasn’t worth it to me. I got full custody. That was all I cared about.”

“He’s such a spectacular kid.”

She flashed that million-dollar smile. “Isn’t he?”

“I had the best time with him when we hung out.”

“He’s talked about you constantly since then. Mr. Carson said this, and Mr. Carson said that.”

“Oh jeez… That’s kind of scary.”

She laughed again, and this time, the sound penetrated the wall he’d built around his heart to keep people out, like a shot of adrenaline that coursed through his system, leaving him unsettled by his reaction.

Funny thing, though… Despite the boundaries he’d set earlier, he wished she could stay, that he could sleep next to her and the comfort he felt in her presence. The family blowup had been easier to navigate with her by his side.

Enough, he thought. You’re tired, emotionally drained and not thinking clearly. Time to call it a night before you do something stupid.

“I suppose I ought to get you home so I can function tomorrow.” He stood and offered her a hand up.

The minute her hand connected with his, he realized his mistake in touching her, because he had to resist a powerful urge to draw her closer, to kiss her perfect lips, to make her sigh.

As his gaze connected with hers, he understood that she was fighting the same battle.

Great…

He released her hand, stepped back and led the way to the kitchen and then to the garage, where he held the car door for her. All at once, it seemed imperative to get her and her sexy scent and mysterious aura out of his house and vehicle before he did something that couldn’t be undone. It became clear to him, as he drove her home, that he needed to be careful around her.

She posed a threat to his well-ordered life. When she was around, he didn’t think as clearly as he usually did. He’d never been with a woman who had him talking to himself about how to maintain control. Keeping his distance was ingrained so deeply, he never had to actively think about it.

Except with her.

He would continue to protect her and Ty until the matter with Marlon was resolved, he would teach Ty how to surf and attend one of his hockey games as promised, and then he’d get the hell away from her before he made a huge mistake. As he navigated the twisting turns that led to her home on Mulholland Drive, she sang along to “Stairway to Heaven,” and he tried to reset his emotions to the usual calm, cool, collected setting that powered him through his days.

Carson Remington didn’t get wound up about anything. Ever. And he wasn’t going to start now, when there was far too much at stake for both of them. Protecting her and her sweet son was his only mission where she was concerned, and he’d make sure he stayed focused on that and not her dazzling smile or gorgeous blue eyes or the sweet little dimple that appeared in her cheek when she flashed the dirty grin that made him want to moan every time it was directed his way. He’d realized over the course of this eventful evening that being near her was like juggling dynamite, and as a practical kind of guy, he tended to stay away from things that could blow up his entire existence.