His to Protect: Book 1 in the Bound to Him Series by Sandra Antoni (the reading list TXT) 📗

“It’s just…I’m only here for two weeks, and then I have to return home. I don’t…I mean…” I couldn’t find the right words to explain, but he cut me off before I could say anything more.

“Don’t say anything else. I know what you are thinking, Chelsea, but we have almost two full weeks. Let’s just focus on that and see how much we can accomplish in that time,” he said. That would have to be enough because it was all we had, so I readily agreed.

Breakfast was wonderful. This little café was eclectic, and I definitely enjoyed the ambiance of the place. We both got made-to-order omelets, and we kept up a conversation as we ate. Zeke was so personable, and I had not seen anything about him that I did not like. Except that he lived in Arizona, but I quickly pushed that thought away. We had two weeks.

Jessica would be flipping her shit right now if she knew that I had taken her advice. The opportunity had presented itself, but the only problem now was that I was falling for him. Jessica would never believe that. I mean, I’d only known him less than forty-eight hours, but I already knew that it was true.

Whatever this was that connected Zeke and me, I knew that I was going to be heading back to Kansas City with a broken heart. However, like Zeke had said, we still had two weeks ahead of us, and that would have to be enough. So, my plan was to enjoy the time that we had together.

When we left the café and were on the road once again, I glanced over at Zeke. He turned an adorable smile on me and reached for my hand. I could get used to this, but I knew I shouldn’t.

Glancing out the window, I wondered where we were headed. I didn’t ask any questions because I liked surprises. Zeke must have some kind of internal radar directed at my thoughts.

“How come you haven’t asked where we are headed yet? Aren’t you curious?” he asked, and I grinned over at him.

“I can’t help it. Sure, I’m curious, but I love surprises. That, and I figured if it wasn’t a surprise, then you would have already told me,” I replied. He laughed and the sound filled the car. Oh yes, I could definitely get used to this. To Zeke.

When we pulled down a long driveway, it looked like we were approaching a small airport. A very small airport. I gave Zeke a funny look as he parked the car.

“Do you trust me?” he asked me, lifting my hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to my knuckles. I just nodded. There was no doubt in my mind that I trusted him, but I did not trust myself to speak just yet. I felt myself gulp as I swallowed a lump in my throat.

When we were out of the car, we headed towards a door on the side of a small building. I moved slowly with the crutches, but Zeke put his hand on my back. It was steadying and comforting. Zeke held open the door and I stepped inside. We entered what looked like a small waiting area that ran the length of the room.

To our left was a wall of windows that looked into an office. There was a man sitting at a desk with a phone to his ear. When he looked up and saw us, he indicated with his hand to give him a minute. Zeke nodded back at him and waved.

A few minutes later, I was being introduced to another friend of Zeke’s. Matthew Stark. Owner of this airstrip and a pilot. I saw him take in the crutches.

“You definitely won’t need to worry about using those where we are headed,” Matthew said with a smile.

I glanced over at Zeke and he just winked at me. That had me melting inside…from just a look. I was so head over heels for him, and I knew this could only end in heartache for me. However, I was not willing to end it.

“If you guys are ready, follow me,” Matthew said, and turned and headed across the room to the opposite wall from where we had entered. He pushed open a door that led outside.

Both men walked slowly enough that I could keep up with them and I was grateful. Zeke put his hand on my back again as we walked outside together. Matthew led us a good distance away from the building and towards a waiting helicopter. I looked up at Zeke, but he just smiled down at me.

Matthew opened the door of the helicopter and Zeke took the crutches from me and slid them in on the floor. Then he reached around my waist and lifted me up and into the seat, climbing in behind me. Matthew opened the pilot’s door and stepped inside.

Zeke helped me get the seatbelt straps fastened, and I felt myself beginning to panic. Flying was not my favorite, and I had never been in a helicopter before. Zeke must have had that internal radar focused on my thoughts again. He was kneeling beside me, and he reached up and cupped my cheeks with his hands.

“Do you trust me?” he asked again. I reached up and grasped his wrists. Then I nodded. His lips met mine. It was a chaste kiss, but it was what I needed to calm my racing heart.

When we had our headphones on, it was odd to hear Zeke’s voice in my head like this. We kept up a continual conversation, and I knew what he was doing. He was trying to distract me, and I thought it was sweet. With my hand tucked in his, we waited for the pilot to get the helicopter ready, and then we were taking off.

Matthew had obviously done this hundreds of times, and he pointed out all kinds of sights to see beneath us