“I’m home. Ya happy now?’ Beck’s gravelly voice demanded. ‘Yes, I am.’ ‘Yer’ treatin’ me like i’m some idiot kid,’ he complained. ‘Gee, I wonder where I learned that?’ He hung up on her.”

“Do what ya have to do to pay off yer debt with Heaven,’ he said, his concern for proper speech abandoned. ‘But ya do not die on me, ya understand? I can’t live without ya. Yer all I got, woman.’ Her breath caught in her lungs. ‘I don’t want to be here if you’re not.”

“I’m not going to faint at the sight of your butt,’ she said. ‘Ya might, and I don’t want that on my conscience,’ he said, tossing the jeans aside.”

“As Beck drove out of the garage, he gave the parking attendants a big toothy smile and a wave. “There's some snow on the fifth level. Thought ya might like to know. Y'all have a nice day, now!” he called out.No wonder Dad liked working with you.”

“I promised Paul I'd keep ya safe, he said. If that means packin' yer ass out of town so it doesen't get humped by a smooth talkin' loser, that's the way it's gonna be.”

“I can't face losin' ya, Riley. Yer all I got left in this world.”That brutal honesty again. He'd peeled away more armor, and this time he'd exposed his heart.”

“Beck must have seen how frightened she was because his expression softened. He leaned close, and whispered, “Do ya trust me, Riley?”Tears built in her eyes.“Yes,” she whispered, trembling in fear. Always.“Then it'll be all right,” he replied. Beck gently placed a kiss on her forehead.”