Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Chapter 601

Roseanne Cole clung to the man like a child holding onto a tree for dear life. In this moment, she was the koala, and Owen Reynolds was her sturdy eucalyptus. "I'm so, so sorry, I didn't mean to- that dog scared the living daylights out of me..." she stammered, trying to find her footing and disentangle herself from him.

But-

His hands remained firmly on her waist, the warmth from his grip penetrating even the thickest layers of her winter coat, sending a rush of heat throughout her body.

A blush spread across Roseanne's cheeks, blooming into a deep crimson that even tinted the tips of her ears a delicate pink.

"Pro-Professor..." she managed, putting a bit more effort into her struggle.

Yet Owen's grip was unyielding, as if his hands were clamps locked around her.

"Scared?" Owen suddenly spoke, his voice a husky whisper.

It was unclear if he was referring to the dog or the current, rather intimate, predicament.

Roseanne nodded, "A bit."

dog or

the one who jumped up, aren't

cheeks flamed even hotter, as if they might start bleeding from the sheer embarrassment: "I'm sorry, I didn't think,

in the narrow stairwell, she had nowhere to hide. Standing still would have meant taking the full brunt of the animal's charge. Despite the awkwardness, Roseanne felt no regret. Given another chance, she was sure she would make the same leap

let me down now?" She asked softly, not realizing how close her lips were to his ear. As she spoke, her breath, warm and lightly scented, brushed against his

moving her away from his body but not loosening his grip entirely, just enough to

asked, his voice even raspier

in the commotion, spirited away by the mischievous dog. Glancing down at her sock-clad foot, then at the grime-streaked stairwell, she instinctively tightened her hold around

want to

idea even as her mind considered

might actually attempt to navigate the stairs in her socks. Instead, he hoisted her up property and

up at his chiseled jawline, feeling the strength and steadiness of

her all

her

with a calm

moment, she inhaled the faint, woodsy