Protecting You

One moment of hesitation and I lost Maggie forever.

Since then, we've spent the last fifteen years in this small town, circling each other and pretending neither remembers how right it felt when we were best friends.

Now she's a single mom and she doesn't need a "broody, grumpy cop" like me complicating her life. No matter how many times her heated gaze scorches my skin, I can never have her in the way I want.

Completely.

So I push her away-but it's for her own good.

Because if she knew the truth of what I did, she wouldn't just have hurt feelings--she would truly hate me.

She has a guarded heart, and it's all my fault.

But I don't have a heart at all. I gave it to Maggie O'Brien a long time ago.