Page 28 of Twisted Hearts

Maybe pushing him away wasn’t the right decision. After all, he could help me…but I’d already made that decision to stop pushing him away when I asked for the favor.

“Will you walk me home?”

“Only if you give me your name,” he said, grinning, and some of the tension melted from his broad shoulders.

“Addi,” I said, this time without hesitation. “My name is Addi.”

“Well then, Addi, I’d be happy to walk you home. Shawn Blakely, nice to officially meet you.” He held out his hand, but before my palm pressed to his, the door behind me opened and I flinched at the loud sound.

God, would I ever stop being so skittish at noises and people?

“Everything okay out here?” Malcolm asked, and I spun, putting my back to the wall so I could see both men.

“It’s good. Um, but, you don’t have to walk me home anymore.” I nodded toward Shawn. “Shawn’s going to do it.”

Malcolm, the good boss and protector he was in his own right, gave Shawn an inspecting perusal. For his part, Shawn let him, not seeming threatened at all that Malcolm was taking his measure.

He glanced back at me, brows raised, hands on his hips. “You sure?”

“I’m sure.” I was. This was the right decision. Besides, Malcolm had already done so much for me.

“Okay then, but don’t forget about what I said.”

The mace—right. “I won’t. Promise. And thank you again, for everything.”

“Keep working hard. That’s all I ask.” To Shawn, he said, “Make sure she’s safe.”

“With my life.” And I had no doubt he meant every word of it.

“Good night then.” Malcolm stepped back, and I turned toward Shawn.

His smile was wide and kind, so at odds with the seriousness he’d shown me only minutes before. Still, I felt it.

Itrustedhim, even though I didn’t know him.

Shawn held out his hand again, and this time, I took it.

His fingers closed around mine, so warm, so large, and so firm but comforting. The warmth from his hand traveled from my fingertips all the way up my arm, releasing stress and causing heat to bloom in other areas.

Wow.My lips parted, my tongue sliding out to wet them.

His gaze dropped to my mouth, and he rolled his lips together.

How could one touch do so much to me?

I had been right earlier—he was more dangerous to my heart than Daniel ever could have been.

But I was finding it harder to care.

9

Shawn

She was beautiful. Extremely so. With her auburn hair and her pale green eyes, I could have stayed on the sidewalk talking to Addi until the sun came up and longer. I barely knew anything about this woman except for the fact that my body reacted to her nearness in a way I didn’t know if I’d ever experienced. I was also learning she didn’t trust men.

She had cried on what she called the best day of her life, and I’d caught her desire to give me her name at the bar before something had flashed in those eyes and the purse of her lips as she said no.

I still felt like a dick for making that move. There was a hesitancy in her I’d seen enough of in my life, the way she startled easily, the way she always seemed to have weight on her back foot like she was ready to flee at any given moment.

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