When Bruce Met Cyn by Lori Foster Read Free Book Online

doesn’t quibble.” She nodded toward the building. “So these are your digs?”
    Bruce relaxed. Finding herself alone with him in a less-than-public place didn’t seem to alarm her at all. Other than her brief, overwhelming fear on the road, she’d been as at ease as a long acquaintance.
    â€œThis will eventually be my church.” Pride filled him as he gestured to the two-story, red brick house now sporting a very large, not-quite-complete addition. Because he’d been gone overnight, he’d left the porch light on and it showed the destroyed lawn typical of new construction. The building wasn’t fancy, but he loved it.
    God didn’t need fancy, and neither did Bruce.
    â€œIt doesn’t look like a church.”
    He watched her smooth her unruly curls, tossed by the wind. It distracted him, and made him think of things he shouldn’t. He shook his head. “In the same way that I don’t look like a preacher?”
    â€œJust the opposite. It’s too plain to be a church.” She lightly elbowed him. “And you’re too hunky to be a preacher.”
    Plenty of women had teased and flirted with him, but he’d never paid much attention, never lost sight of the fact that they needed him and depended on him. With Cyn, it was different and he had to deliberately keep his mind off taboo speculation. With her, he didn’t just see the bravado of a woman covering past hurts. He saw long, silky hair and warm, smooth skin. He smelled her—the scent of woman, more provocative than any manufactured perfume. He enjoyed her bold gaze, the tilt of her sexy mouth…“Did I mention that my father was a preacher, too?”
    Thank God, she’d been unaware of his intimate perusal. She smiled without a care. “Does he look like you?”
    Mentioning his family would hopefully help him keep his head. “Not really. He’s darker. My brother and I got our fair hair from our mother, but our brown eyes from Dad.”
    â€œDad’s gotta love the bounty hunter, huh?”
    Bruce enjoyed her teasing. “We’re very proud of Bryan. He helps people, same as we try to do. It’s just that his methods are…a little different.”
    â€œYeah, I can imagine.” She winked at him. “So, where are we going to eat?”
    â€œThe construction crew’s managed to leave most of my living quarters around back untouched. It’s small, but then I’m only one person. I don’t need much space.”
    â€œLead the way.” But when Cyn went to take a step, she stumbled, and Bruce saw a grimace on her face.
    She was hurt more than she wanted to admit, stubborn woman. “Lean on me, and I’ll help you inside.” He put his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
    Even though she held herself stiffly—due more to pride than discomfort at his closeness, he was sure—he was very aware of her softness, of how slight she felt against his side, the heat of her small body. The top of her head aligned with his mouth, and he fought the instinct to plant a small kiss on her forehead.
    She was dead tired, had probably been on the road for hours, but she still smelled fresh and spicy and so much like a woman that Bruce almost stumbled, too.
    As they passed the side of the church, she noticed the crumbled wall where plastic had been tacked up to protect against the weather. “You sleep in there with your house open?”
    â€œVisitation isn’t exactly a hotbed of crime, and it’s not for long. They’re saying within a month, but it’ll probably take longer. I’m learning that in construction, a month often means three months. A very nice glass block niche will go there. Shay, my sister-in-law, donated the money for it. We’ll use it as a sunny play area for the little ones who come to church with their parents.”
    â€œShe donated that, huh?”
    â€œDid I mention that