People ran toward him. The dog turned to look around, its eyes catching light and glinting for the camera before it leapt over a fence, clearing more than ten feet before sprinting away.
A strange popping sound filled my ears, then all noise ceased. The sun began to set suddenly and the sky grew dark. Nothing made sense. In the dim light, Emmitt’s eyes appeared before me, filled with worry.
Thankfully, the lights went out. I was glad I didn’t have to see any more.
* * * *
Several someone’s called my name. I opened my eyes, disoriented. I heard Jim speaking.
“She’s okay. She just fainted. Emmitt caught her. She’s not hurt.”
Fainted? The image of Richard came back to me in a rush, and I closed my eyes. Oh, Richard. Blake said he’d died, but he hadn’t said how. I’d assumed something like poison or a setup mugging. Why would they do something so obvious?
“I don’t know,” Nana said. I hadn’t realized I’d spoke my question aloud.
A hand smoothed back my hair. I opened my eyes again and saw Emmitt. His deep blue eyes caressed my face. His arms cradled me as I half-sat in his lap.
“Nice catch,” I whispered. Some of the worry melted from his face, and his lips tilted up at the corners slightly.
“For you, always.”
I sat up, and he kept an arm around me. Blood rushed to my head, making me dizzy. I smiled at the boys. Their expressions were just as worried as Emmitt’s.
“I’m okay. Just got too warm. I think I need to go through the sprinkler,” I suggested.
Liam watched me a moment longer than Aden. He knew I lied. Smart boy. Jim encouraged them to go back to playing with him.
“I’m assuming that was Richard based on your reaction and question,” Nana said. I nodded. “This has gone too far. We need to find those responsible. They are killing, and that endangers us all. What we saw...that is not who we are,” she said sadly.
She rose and walked into the house. A moment later, I heard her speaking. Emmitt stayed close, comforting me. My eyes traveled the trees, scanning. Nothing had really changed, nothing to think that Blake and his men were any closer to finding me, but it didn’t matter. Fear ruled me, again.
Chapter 13
At first, I couldn’t bring myself to let the boys out of my sight. Nana, Jim, and Emmitt all took turns talking to me, saying what I already understood. Nothing had changed except that we now knew how Richard had died. Though I knew they were right, it didn’t ease my fears. Liam and Aden, clueless about what I’d witnessed, didn’t understand my sudden smothering presence and started to rebel.
Reluctantly, I gave Liam and Aden a bit of much needed distance, but my concession didn’t change my nights. The slightest noise would bring me out of a doze, and panic would set in much like our first night there. So the week passed slowly, and within a few days, my head ached from poor sleep and constant worry.
Each day the concern in Emmitt’s watchful gaze grew. Thursday night after dinner, he pulled me aside.
“I’ll sleep on the couch after the boys go to bed.”
He didn’t ask, and I didn’t try to tell him no. I hoped having him there would help me sleep through the night.
When an ominous rumbling of thunder woke me Friday morning, I had mixed feelings. Liam and Aden would need to stay inside, but I’d forced too much inside time already this week. Today, they would mutiny for sure.
I heard a creak in the hall outside my door then the rapid patter of feet. Worried, I flew from bed, making it to my door just in time to look down the hall and see the boys disappear out of the apartment. Calling their names, I raced after them.
As I reached the end of the hall, Emmitt stepped into my path. He caught me in his arms and spun us, absorbing my momentum. It didn’t prevent my nose from connecting with his sternum with enough force that my eyes watered.
“Ow!” I squinted up at him.
“I’m sorry.” A tender look crept into his gaze as he studied me.
My breath caught as he slowly lowered his head. Was he really going to kiss me? I hadn’t even brushed my teeth! I closed my eyes. My heart started to beat erratically, and I couldn’t control my breathing. Then, his lips touched the tip of my nose. My eyes flew open.
“I wouldn’t have stepped in front of you if I’d known you’d get hurt.” He reached up and gently pushed back a strand of my hair that had fallen forward during our collision.
“Uh. It’s okay.” My thoughts jumbled together. “Just a minute.” Instead of continuing my chase, I pivoted on my heel and fled to the bathroom.
I rejoined him a minute later, minty fresh and with untangled hair. He stood at the stove, watching the pan on the burner until he heard me approach.
“How are you feeling?”
I tried not to stare at his chest as he spoke. Smacking myself against it, though painful to my nose, had been wonderful for the rest of me.
“Fine,” I said. “No permanent damage.”
He gave me an odd look but said nothing. Instead, he handed me a plate with a single egg and toast. After a few home-cooked breakfasts, he’d caught onto my portion size.
With the second bite in my mouth, I realized he hadn’t been asking about my nose but about how I felt in general. My fears revolving around Blake had abated with some decent sleep, but thanks to the platonic kiss on the nose, I was confused again. I took a drink of the juice he’d set before me, calmed myself with a slow breath, then asked the big question.
“What are we?”
He paused mid-chew to look at me, just like he had in the diner. It made me smile. He swallowed and tilted his head.
“I’m not sure I understand the question.”
Of course not. I needed a morning blush to start the day off right.
Frustrated, I stood.
“I get this.” I leaned forward and planted a light kiss on his nose, surprising him.
“And I get this.” I moved close to his neck, inhaled his scent, and trailed my nose against his skin as he’d done several times to me.
“And I’m told...” His skin suddenly rippled beneath my touch, and I pulled back.
His eyes glittered as he struggled for control.
“I’m sorry,” I said, stepping away.
He followed me, moving fluidly from his stool. His calm, midnight eyes tracked every move I made.
“Don’t be. I’m fine. Finish your question.” His voice was rough and intense, and it made my heart drop into my stomach.
Holding my ground, I let him crowd me. Better to leave room to turn and run than to be backed against a wall. Not that I thought I’d need to run from Emmitt, but it never hurt to leave options open.
He didn’t stop moving until he was a hand’s width away from me. I struggled to maintain eye contact. I knew what I’d done to him, and I really wanted to touch him again. But I couldn’t. Not until I understood how he saw us.
“I, uh, was just going to say that...um.” I cleared my throat. “You said I’m yours and that biting equals an engagement. But I don’t understand where that leaves us now. What are we?”
“As you asked, we are friends,” he said.
I felt a brief stab of disappointment. Then, he leaned in again. He didn’t inhale or use his nose this time. He dropped his mouth to my neck. It wasn’t a kiss exactly, just a brush of his lips that blazed a path on my sensitive skin. I couldn’t help myself; I lightly rested my hands against his chest and leaned into the feeling as I struggled to focus.
“But, I hope we are friends who are working their way to dating.”
It took a moment for his words to register. Ah. That’s right. His dinner invitation.