by Taylor Hart
The Protective One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance
By Cami Checketts
The only way MacKenzie would be safe to go home again was when she heard that Solomon Squire had been booked into a maximum security prison where he belonged. She sighed, hoping that day would come soon, but forcing herself to acknowledge it might never come.
“You keep pulling that face and it’ll stick that way.” The slow drawl of Haley’s older brother, Isaac, from the open doorway made her stomach smolder, and that ticked her off almost as much as the insult, but at least she didn’t jump in fear at a man’s voice.
“Maybe I like my face this way.” She stood to face him and wished his looks were as off-putting as his sarcastic personality. But no, his face was perfect—olive skin, manly lines, and those green eyes that drew her in. Of course he had to have dark hair with just the right amount of curl and beefy muscles in all the right places.
Isaac reached up and touched the skin next to her mouth. She tingled and tried to back away, but ran into the shelf. His hand dropped to his side.
“You look stressed.”
“Thanks. Such a compliment.”
“I’m sorry.” He shoved a hand through his curls. “Haley would kick me in the pants if she knew you were unhappy. Take a break. I’ll watch the shop for a while.”
MacKenzie’s eyebrows rose. “When did you decide to play nice?”
Isaac scowled. “You still mad at me because I called you one of the gold diggers?”
“Oh, big surprise that I would take offense to that.” They’d met for the second time in over ten years when Haley had brought MacKenzie into the store to train her. The only downside of this escape plan was she’d been so excited to see Isaac again. He was her first—not to mention most amazing—kiss at the very mature age of fourteen. He hadn’t remembered her or the kiss and that alone had about taken her under. His first line to her was, “Oh, another one of Haley’s gold digger friends looking for a billionaire.” What a jerk. A heartbreaking, much-too-good-looking jerk.
“Hey, I’m sorry, all right?” He glanced at the display over her shoulder. “Don’t get all offended.”
“Don’t get all offended?” MacKenzie pushed around him, but unfortunately brushed against his muscular arm. She felt the connection all the way down to her toes and it frustrated her even more. Why was she always attracted to the Neanderthal idiots? If her body could pick a man to be attracted to who wasn’t a sarcastic loser, she would be grateful. “I think I’ll take that break, not sure if I’ll make it back before closing time,” she tossed over her shoulder.
Isaac nodded but didn’t answer. She could feel his eyes on her as she left the store.
**
Isaac Turnbow pushed all his air out as he watched MacKenzie go. Crap. Apparently he’d said the wrong thing again. She was so breathtakingly beautiful it was like his mind got stuck because his eyes were too busy staring and he had no clue what he was saying until he realized that he’d upset her.
Isaac had finished feeding the calves early, got cleaned up, and told his dad he was going into town for a parts run.
“Make sure to check on MacKenzie,” his dad had said with a huge smirk.
Isaac hadn’t been able to hide his grin, knowing MacKenzie was the only reason he was coming to town. Now he’d messed it all up, again.
He strode to the front desk and plopped down on the employee’s stool. Did she even remember their kiss? He’d been seventeen and much too full of himself, but she’d taken his breath away even then with her wavy brown hair framing naturally tan skin that was smooth and smelled intoxicating. Her lips were a perfect pink pout, even when she smiled, but his favorite part was her deep brown eyes filled with a mischievous sparkle.
They’d gone to a dance with Haley and some other friends. After a couple hours he’d convinced her to only dance with him and then he’d taken her down by the creek, away from all the noise and his sister’s watchful eyes. The kiss had been more euphoric than hang gliding. He honestly couldn’t say that another kiss had compared to it since. That definitely wasn’t for lack of trying. He’d dated a lot of fun and interesting women in Crested Butte and when he went to University of Colorado, but he could never get MacKenzie’s fine-boned features, sweet-tasting lips, and easy way of bantering with him, out of his mind. She’d changed in the past ten years. More beautiful, but there was something in her eyes now, the innocence was replaced by a wariness that made him wonder if something traumatic had happened to her.
The door swung open and Isaac’s fists immediately clenched. Brad Hall strode in confidently, but faltered when he saw Isaac sitting at the counter. “Oh, um.” He backed toward the door. “What happened to the hot girl working here this morning?”
Isaac stood and folded his arms across his chest. “That hot girl is my fiancée and I’d appreciate you never looking at or talking to her. We clear?”
Brad nodded quickly, though his eyes betrayed that the weasel would be all over MacKenzie, given any sort of chance, even if he did think she was engaged. Isaac hated the entire crooked Hall family, especially Brad. He never wanted to think about the fact that Brad was Isaac’s nephew’s biological father. Taz had a real father now in Haley’s fiancé, Cal Johnson, and if Brad even glanced in Haley’s direction Isaac wouldn’t have to kill him—Cal would do it for him.
He blamed himself all the same for the damage Brad had inflicted on Haley. He should’ve pummeled Brad repeatedly years ago. Haley still didn’t know about the one time he had thumped Brad, but it had accomplished the goal—Brad promised never to touch Haley again. If the police chief had given Isaac grief for months, such as tickets for going a mile over the speed limit, well that was one of the hazards of living in a small town that was firmly in the Hall’s back pockets.
Brad hurried to the door and swung it open. “See ya,” he mumbled on his way out.
Isaac didn’t respond. He growled and paced the small lobby of the store. Luckily there were no customers to see his agitation. What if Brad ran into MacKenzie? He would smooth talk her and do anything he could to worm his way into her good graces. The thought made Isaac want to rush out and find her so he could protect her. He thought about MacKenzie’s quick retorts and smiled. Maybe she’d tell Brad off before he got a chance to manipulate his way into her heart.
Hopefully Brad would believe they were engaged. Isaac stopped pacing. His heart thudded loudly in his chest. He’d told Brad they were engaged. It was only to protect MacKenzie, but what if she found out? She would not like that, not one bit. Oh, no. Flipping the switch so the open sign dimmed, Isaac wrote a hurried note, Be back in 15, shoved it in the window and locked the door behind him. He needed to find MacKenzie before Brad did.
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About the Author
Taylor Hart has always been drawn to a good love triangle, hot chocolate and long conversations with new friends. Writing has always been a passion that has consumed her dreams and forced her to sit in a trance for long hours, completely obsessed with people that don’t really exist. Taylor would have been a country star if she could have carried a tune—maybe in the next life. Find Taylor at:
www.taylorhartbooks.com │ Twitter: @taylorfaithhart │ Facebook: Taylor Hart
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