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It is so wonderful to know that my story has such an awesome following; it really makes a girl speechless. So, with nothing left to say, enjoy part 14.

Let me know what you think.

As always, thank you for reading!

Chapter 14: Emotions

Hands grabbed her shoulders and she was lifted effortlessly to her feet. They turned her slowly around and she was again facing the leather vest. His hands remained on her upper arms, gently holding her in place. DG would not lift her gaze. She felt foolish and small.

"I never want to hear you say that again," he stated. It wasn't calm but it wasn't forceful either. It was a unique combination of the two that left her unsettled. His chest rose and fell in perfect time and he appeared to still be in complete control of his emotions, as usual.

Nodding in response, she didn't think her voice would work under the current conditions. DG also knew that he was right; wishing for death wasn't the answer. It was the coward's way out, and she was no coward.

She would have to face the obstacles one at a time. Zero was gone. She was here, home, in the O.Z. That left the marriage conundrum. Pushing the thoughts aside, she hoped her face was impassive, however the tears running down her cheeks made that impossible.

Fingers under her chin forced her to raise her head, her eyes meeting Cain's gaze. His blue eyes pierced through hers with an unusual amount of intensity. Grazing his thumb across her right cheek he brushed away the stray tears that were falling. She felt her knees go weak and it took all her strength to stay upright and hold his gaze with her own.

"I didn't think I'd get here in time," he said quietly. "I thought you'd do something… impulsive."

DG felt her cheeks warm at the words. Bodyguard. Standing up straighter she twisted her chin out of his grasp, staring back at him with hostility. "Well, I'm safe and sound. We can go back to the palace now." She went to brush past him again but he stepped in front of her once more.

"You might be safe, but you're definitely not sound," he ground out, bending down to be eye level with DG. "That's the second time I wasn't there to protect you and it'll be the last."

Turning her face away from his, she was still angry. "In case you didn't notice, I took care of the situation myself." It was harsher than she had originally meant it to be but it was already said and done.

"I noticed," Cain replied quietly. He reached forward grabbing the sides of her open robe and draping them around her thoroughly. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest at the gesture. Taking the belt in his hands he nimbly secured it in a bow to keep it from opening. "But I want to take care of you," he added as he finished with the fastening. He shuffled a bit in front of her.

"Yeah," she scoffed, turning to face the lake for the umpteenth time. "That's what bodyguards do."

"DG," he prodded, "I don't mean as a bodyguard."

It was hard to curb her feelings. They weren't friends, hadn't been for some time and that had been her decision. They were on a professional level, she had told herself never to tread the line again, but it was easier said than done. He was standing so close and she was in desperate need of comfort. It took all her energy to keep herself from throwing her body into his warm embrace.

She sighed loudly, shoulders slumping under the weight of his admission. "I told you, we can't be friends," DG replied softly, head drooping. This was beyond difficult.

When his arms wrapped around her slim waist and his chin rested on the top of her head she shuddered. What was going on? He'd rarely initiated any embrace let alone one as intimate as this, for that's exactly what it was. Cain pulled her to him, her back leaning against his chest and his arms snaked around her further.

"What are you doing?" she wheezed out, her breath having failed her miserably. Heat rushed through her in contrast to the cold weather around them. She felt him move his right arm from her body to sweep the hair away from the left side of her face to hang over her right shoulder. He replaced his arm and his head dipped down to the crook of her neck.

She heard and felt him breathe deeply against the exposed skin of her collarbone. He didn't answer, just pulled her in closer, if it was possible. "Mr. Cain," she hissed, her brain clouding over at the current situation.

The low growl that erupted from Cain caused her to shudder again. "Stop the Mr. crap," he ground out, his hot breath tickling her neck. She smothered the urge to giggle at the sensation. "The name is Wyatt," it was another command.

This was getting complicated and if they stayed like that much longer DG was convinced she would give in to her needs and then she would end up more heart broken. Shifting in his arms she tried to extricate herself, unsuccessfully.

"Where you going, Darlin'?" There was that endearing word. He had said it earlier but she thought it was just a slip of the tongue, now she wasn't so sure.

"Wwwhat're you doing?" she stuttered the question again. This had to be a dream; a beautiful, delicious dream from which she never wanted to wake. Her head was reeling and if this turned out to be some sort of mistake she thought she would die.

"I can't keep my feelings at bay anymore, DG," Cain admitted. "I care for you too much." When his lips touched the place where her neck met her collarbone DG gasped audibly. Her knees gave way beneath her and she felt the strong arms of Cain holding her up. DG's head whirled and she lost all sense of time and place.

It was too much; it was all too much. She began to lose focus. The lake became a blur. Everything spun around her, too fast. Her eye's fluttered closed and she remembered no more.