Page 41 of Protect Me
Vik made a noise in his throat. He leaned back, the picture of casual ease, and crossed his right ankle across his uninjured knee. He peered out on the mountains, hints of the lake sparkling in the background. My gaze wandered to his well-sculpted calves, the ease of his flip flops and simple shorts. The man could wear burlap and I’d find him the sexiest person on the planet.
“No fun plans for me either,” he murmured. “That’s sad, because summer is the best. Ripe with opportunities for crazy things.”
“Your forté,” I quipped.
He laughed, gesturing to his leg with a flippant wave. “This makes it difficult, for sure. But yes, crazy things are a speciality of mine.”
“You obviously have thoughts.”
He flashed a quick grin. “I do.”
“And they are?” I drawled.
“What if we figure out some fun things to do together?”
“Like what?”
He shrugged. “Anything. At this point, I’ve been holed up in my apartment for too long. I need sunshine, adventure, and people. The job will help but . . . I’m bored.”
My heart raced at the thought of planning something with Vikram, even if borne from boredom. I’d take any opportunity to spend time with him, as a pseudo-little-sister, tenant, or old family friend.
“With you,” I heard myself say, “I’m up for anything.”
Heat blossomed through my cheeks. Could I reveal my cards any more clearly than that? Did he notice the purl of warmth in the tone that I had no way of pulling back? My response to Vikram was a study of wild things. Control one second, none the next. He brought an erratic side out of me that I’d once loved.
Absent-mindedly, he passed the tea my way. I had a long pull this time, letting the cold drink center me back into reality. Away from the spicy flutters of heat that shot through me every time he spoke. When I handed it back, his fingers wrapped around mine. My breath caught. He paused, glanced at me with interest, and held it.
A thousand years seemed to pass.
Too soon—but after far too long at the same time—the warmth of his fingers slipped away. My heart banged around my throat in reckless flails as I leaned back, cleared my throat, and attempted to pull myself together. I set the drink aside, unable to wrap my thoughts around drinking it.
Ho-leee coconuts.
This man.
Wordless, we remained on the porch for another five minutes. The butterflies in my stomach slowed. My clenched body unwound. A morsel at a time, I wrestled my thoughts back under control.
“I should go back to work,” I said, standing. Vik smiled up at me.
“Thanks, Kate. See you tonight?”
All the awkwardness melted away. Crush, brother-to-my-best-friend, or something else, Vikram was, above all, my friend.
“Tonight.”
His eyes followed me all the way in, and lingered long after I left.
Kinoshi, town attorney for Pineville, stared at me from over the top of a glossy desk. He had a perpetually kind expression and dimpled cheeks. The professional-chic feel of his space, with neatly stacked papers, black-and-white decorations, and a cool hit of peppermint, put me at ease.
“Most judges are going to move a restraining order like this through the system pretty quickly,” he said as he closed a manilla folder in front of him. “In cases of sexual assault, they typically don’t dawdle. In fact, I think we could have a permanent restraining order in place within two weeks.”
I sank back against the chair. Two weeks was better than I expected. With any luck, I could stay with Vik without having to reveal why I didn’t want to leave. The words,I’ve loved you my whole life and now I love you too much to stayjust didn’t quite hit the mark.
“That’s excellent news,” I said with a sigh. “Timothy was released last week, and I haven’t seen any sign of him so far.”
“Also a good sign.”
I cleared my throat. “What if he tried to find me or follow me or something before the restraining order is in effect?”
