A Love for Safekeeping Read Online Free PDF

Yet…Kyle was experienced, and he…
    A sigh of resignation escaped her. “Maybe you’re right. I even suspected Norm Skylar when he scared me in the school parking lot. I don’t understand. I’ve never been a wimp.”
    He gave her arm a squeeze and rose. “You’re not a wimp. Everyone gets frightened on occasion. Even me.”
    She couldn’t imagine him frightened. But she was.“Could you wait a minute while I get my head together?”
    “Sure. Take all the time you need.”
    Her eyes filled with gratitude, and Kyle watched her as she headed down the hall. He plopped his back against the love seat cushion and gazed around the room—feminine, but practical. Cozy, he’d call it.
    His thoughts drifted to Jane’s situation. Could he be wrong? Her room was vandalized by kids. The tires? He didn’t know for sure. And now the stalker. Could the man have been some innocent guy heading home or…could she be correct? Was it—
    “Whoa!” The word shot from his mouth, and he jerked backward as an object plopped into his lap. His heart raced, far over the speed limit. He struggled to gain composure while the culprit purred up at him.
    Embarrassed at his reaction, he caught his breath and grinned at the furry creature in his lap. “You must be Wilcox. You scared me, man. I think I’ve caught a case of nerves from your mistress.”
    Wilcox gazed at him with chartreuse eyes and purred loudly while Kyle rubbed the cat’s fur.
    He tousled the cat’s head, addressing the fur ball. “You know, Wilcox,” he said, staring into the cat’s eyes, “hopefully it won’t be long before we’ll be on a first-name basis.”
    As he completed his sentence, Jane entered the room, eyeing him with curiosity. “So you’ve met my buddy.”
    Kyle set the cat on the floor. “Yep. He and I have already become quite attached. He told me to call him Will.”
    “Oh, really.”
    Her tone made him smile. She had changed intojeans and a long T-shirt. A pair of furry slippers hugged her feet. He leaned back, ready to explain why he had dropped by.
    As if reading his mind, she arched an eyebrow. “So, now that I’ve calmed down a little, why are you here? And—” she lowered her voice “—how did you know where I live?”
    “A police officer can find out anything. Since I was passing by… I, ah, well, I remembered we need to make dinner plans.”
    He’d promised to call. She nodded, watching him squirm.
    “Is Saturday good for you? I’m off duty this weekend.”
    Jane marveled at his unexpected discomfort. He seemed as nervous as she was. “Saturday’s good.”
    His shoulders relaxed. “Great, but I’m still holding you to that home-cooked dinner.”
    Tension knotted in her chest. He was moving too fast, though part of her longed for his friendship. “We could come back for coffee after dinner.”
    “And pie.” He gave her a bright smile. “Peach or berry—any kind of berry. Oh, and ice cream. Warm pie, cold ice cream.”
    “That’s a pretty straightforward order,” she said.
    “My dad taught me to be honest. He’s a minister.”
    As if hit in the stomach, she flinched. “A minister’s son?” The words flew from her mouth, and her mind wrestled to recover from the surprise. She grabbed her first available thought. “Then I’ll expect good things from you.”
    “Don’t expect much. My dad’s the minister.” He gave her a toying wink. “I’m just your average sinner. Stole a softball from the five-and-dime when I was akid. Threw spitballs over the balcony at the movies. Cheated on a question on one of my exams.”
    Jane listened to his confession. She pictured hers like bloodred neon across her forehead. Trying to protect my mother, I prayed my father would die. That was one of her secret, guilt-ridden sins. One God had granted. She could never tell anyone, especially a preacher’s son.
    He rose and brushed her cheek with his fingers, his eyes warm and natural as summer rain.
    She wanted to fall on her knees,