Page 25 of Wolf
“I need someair.”
He stands beside his ride. He doesn’tmove.
“What?” I ask when I notice he has his eyes onme.
“Getinside.”
“Don’t do that, okay?” I say, close to my breaking point. “I’m tired, but I’ll come in soon. Give me some time to wrap my mind aroundeverything.”
“And you prefer to do that outhere?”
“Yeah, kindof.”
I look up at the sky, doing my best to find some equilibrium. My fingers rise to my earring again, and I let my eyes close for a moment. Then I feel the warmth of Thorne’s big body behind me, pulling me to the present again. I feel his leather jacket fold over myshoulders.
“Take whatever time you need.” His voice is thick and dark. It sounds the way it did when we were standing beside my car at work earlier. He was taunting me, teasing me, breathing the kind of passion into me that I didn’t know I couldfeel.
“Thanks,” I reply in awhisper.
In another life, one where he isn’t the man sent to keep tabs on me,maybe…
The long drive, the longer day, and the clean country air finally take their toll, and exhaustion hits me hard. I make my way to the front steps, Thorne a few steps behind me, and I stand aside for him to unlock the frontdoor.
He pushes it open. “Ready?”
I nod and cover my yawn, feeling some of the fight drain out of me. I don’t want him to protect me, but he’s doing it anyway. Maybe I can stop fighting just for today, and for one morenight.
I hope I don’t regretit.
14
Thorne
“Try to relax,” I tell her a minute after we walk into the safehouse.
“Really?”
“Yeah.Chill.”
“That’d be a tall order for anyone right after they’ve been shot at, flash-bombed, and had a windshield shatter on theirface.”
“Take a breath. Regroup. Better yet, dance forme.”
She shakes her head. “Ishouldn’t.”
“I’m sure you’re anatural.”
“I’m really not,” she assuresme.
“Show me,” I demand, folding my arms and waiting, watching from my spot near thesofa.
“All right, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. This is the only move I know, and just so you know, I feel like a dork.” She relaxes one knee, then the other, then pumps both her arms. I’ve never seen anything so awkward, but on her, it’scute.
“Okay stop now, before you break something,” I laugh, and she groanspainfully.
“Told you. I can’t dance.” She points toward the floor. “Two leftfeet.”
“I see that now,” Ijoke.
