What she’d seen in his eyes—and felt in her heart—had terrified her. Now that she’d caught her breath, she missed him with the same intensity.

Would she ever be able to trust? He had the power to hurt her more than anyone she’d let into her life. Her mother had died, her father abandoned her, and her aunt betrayed her. Could she give anyone the power to wound her again?

A knock sounded on her door, firm, demanding.

She should have known he wouldn’t let her off so easily. The next knock was louder. He wasn’t leaving.

She gathered the courage to face him, but she hadn’t moved when she heard him in the foyer. Had she forgotten to lock the door? She heard it shut. The deadbolt clicked into place. His boot heels rang on the tile until he was standing directly behind her body. His shadow fell over her.

“Louisa,” he said with gentle insistence.

Her throat couldn’t form words. Her lungs tightened, inelastic and unyielding. It felt as if her rib cage had turned to steel, refusing to expand. Light-headed, Louisa suddenly remembered to breathe.

His hands closed over her biceps. Warmth seeped through the cotton knit of her light sweater. With easy pressure, he turned her around to face him. She stared at the direct center of his chest. “I’ll completely respect your decision if you want this to end between us, but I think you don’t. I hope you don’t.”

Raising her chin, she searched his eyes. There was no sign of anger, just tenderness and worry.

“Talk to me.” He rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

“I can’t.” Her voice was barely a whisper. But she took a step forward and pressed her face to his chest, turning her head to listen to the steady thump of his heartbeat.

A relieved sigh left his chest as he closed his arms around her.

His wide palm stroked up and down her back.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No.” She hesitated. Trusting him was frightening, but the thought of him leaving scared her more. Her life hadn’t been great before she met him, but how could she go back to that cold, loveless existence now that she’d tasted what life could really offer? “But I need to understand why you’re here. Why you came after me after I ran out on you in the middle of . . .” She waved a hand.

“Understand what? That I care about you? That I wanted to make sure you were all right?” His hand cupped the unbruised side of her jaw. He tilted her face up. A quick flash of anger blazed his eyes and heated her skin.

He cared about her enough to chase after her in the middle of the night.