Page 22 of My Turkish Fling
And then something crashed.
I didn’t look at the source of the sound. I’d been so focused on his presence that my entire attention zeroed in on the spot where he stood. I looked at him, and saw him hurdling an exposed root, shaking the ferns as he scrambled to get away.
“Emir!”
He froze, then slowly turned around and stepped into the clearing. “Hello.”
I gestured for him to step closer, and he did, looking half spooked, half embarrassed.
I wiped my eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“I followed you. I was worried.” He scratched the back of his head.
“About me?” My heart squeezed at the way he looked away, fingers still deep in his hair.
He turned to me with a frown. “Well, you ran into the forest, all by yourself. It seemed… dangerous.”
A little laugh bubbled out of me like a surprise gift, lightening the load. “Dangerous?”
He walked closer until he was looming over me. “What if there’s a bear? Or a snake?”
“New Zealand doesn’t have bears or snakes.”
He groaned, scratching his head again. “Just an example. There are always dangerous things in the wild.”
I laughed, despite the pain still sitting in my chest. “The most dangerous thing in the New Zealand bush is the whitetail spider, and even that’s not lethal.”
“Are you serious?”
I smiled at his confusion, blinking away a fresh batch of tears. “I appreciate your concern, though.”
He dipped his chin, searching for my eyes. “Even if the forest is not dangerous, you’re upset. So, I’m worried.”
I turned away, summoning all my willpower to regain some control. “I’ll be okay. I’ll meet you back at the house, okay?”
Despite my best efforts, my voice cracked, and I cursed under my breath. Fucking Shaun. I’d never been like this. I’d always been able to reel it in. I’d always been able to rise above it.
Grunting with pain, he lowered himself onto the cabin steps, right next to me. “I can’t leave you here by yourself, Janie. Not like this.”
“Like what?” I spat, wiping my nose on my sleeve. “Emotional? I’m not allowed to be emotional? In private?”
I risked a glance at him and met a shocked pair of brown eyes. “Of course, you’re allowed to. But can you come back to the house with me and cry there? I’d feel better if I knew you were safe.”
I blinked at him, trying to process the words. His face held no judgment, only concern. The longer I stared at that pair of eyes, the less shame I felt. Something about him made me feel okay to be seen, even in my current state. “You want me to be safe when I cry?” I narrowed my eyes, too curious about him to even care about how red and puffy I looked.
He nodded.
“And you followed me because you thought New Zealand had bears and snakes? Or because I was upset?”
He huffed, a slight glow of embarrassment on his cheeks. “I did read about New Zealand flora and fauna.”
“So, you followed me because I was upset? How did you know I was upset?”
“I saw the newspaper. I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. But I needed to make sure you were okay.”
“Emir.” I smiled, a warm glow bursting in my chest. “That’s sweet. Dangerously sweet.”
“Dangerously?”
