Page 40 of Her Noble Protector
“Lisa?”
“You sleeping?” she asked.
“Nope. Wanna come on out?”
“Yeah.” She sounded relieved at his answer.
He pushed up out of the sleeping bag and wished he had a shirt on. Being a guide, she had to have seen a lot of men without their shirts, but right now, he didn’t think this was a great idea. He leaned over to his backpack and snagged it, grabbing a t-shirt and shoving his arms into it before she came out onto the patio.
“Where’s Camilla?”
“She had a reservation at a hotel. She’ll be back tomorrow morning,” he assured her.
Lisa gave a half smile as she sat down on the edge of the chair. What he wouldn’t give to see a full smile from this woman.
“Thank you for having Camilla come here,” she said quietly. He watched as she pushed her pretty, dark-brown hair off her face and looked out over her backyard, out into the night sky.
“You’re welcome,” he responded just as quietly.
He turned his head away from her even though he didn’t want to so that he could look at the night sky as well.
“I’ve never met somebody as patient as you are.”
Raiden laughed but continued to look at the stars.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because I’m not that patient. You should ask my cousin Leif. Trust me, I can be pretty damned impatient.”
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, hoping that he hadn’t scared her. By the looks of things, he hadn’t.
“But you’re patient with me.”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Honey, that’s what you need.”
“You also make me feel safe. Do you always make everybody feel safe?”
“Nope.” Again he glanced over at her and saw her chewing on his answer.
“Raiden?”
“Right here,” he smiled.
“You’ve made me think that I’m important to you.”
This time he turned back to her so he could look at her straight on. “Then I’m doing my job right.”
His jaw clenched and his hands fisted when he saw her eyes welling up with tears.
“I’m not important.” Her voice was low.
“Depends who’s doing the looking, Lisa. I’ve thought you were important and special from the moment I clapped eyes on you.”
She continued to stare at him. No single tear fell, but he could see how it was killing her to hold them in.
