“Geez, Bethi. Get a grip. People are staring.”
Paranoia fueled an adrenaline spike. My eyes popped open. My knees kept shaking, but no longer from sleep. Flight or Fight mode. I was ready to fly. Controlling my breathing and relaxing my shoulders, I glanced around. A security guard watched me. My relief sprouted a genuine smile on my face. The woman looked confused for a moment, then shook her head and turned away. I could only imagine what she thought of my odd behavior.
“Thanks,” I mumbled to Cadence, thinking of the adrenaline rush. Maybe that was the way to go. I fingered the scars on my arms. Pain, though effective, was a pointless method to stay awake. After all, it was the pain in my dreams I wanted to avoid.
Adrenaline might be the answer. I’d watched myself and others do amazing things in my dreams because of it. Although, there were times it didn’t work. The phrase “Flight or Fight” should really be “Flight, Fight, or Freeze.” So many times the surrealism of the situation shuts down a person’s brain even though the body was pumped full of that magic juice.
Fingers waggled in front of my eyes, and I realized I’d been drifting in my own thoughts. Dani stood in front of me with an amused smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes.
“I got you some caffeine pills and a Monster, but rent-a-cop over there is watching us. So how about you tell us what’s got you so messed up. And don’t say ‘no sleep’, we got that.”
Dani’s eyes pulled me in, encouraging me to let someone help. I’d tried talking to my mom about the dreams, but her answer had been to try sleeping pills. She didn’t really hear the problem within my dreams even though she listened to my whole explanation. Since I already questioned my sanity, I hadn’t wanted her to start questioning it too so I let it drop. Last thing I wanted was a padded room and an IV cocktail. No, better keep my crazies to myself.
“Haunting memories. Let’s leave it at that,” I said with a smile I didn’t feel. We were getting too serious, and I needed to break the mood somehow or pretty soon Dani wouldn’t be so willing to help me. Not even for a kiss.
Cadence cleared her throat. “Hottie approaching.”
Before I could turn to look, I felt a light tap on my shoulder.
“Pardon, do you know where the loo is?”
Loo? I turned to look over the owner of the clipped British accent. Holy, hotness. Shock and awe filled me. My heart stuttered out a beat as my mind went blank. It did that a lot lately.
The man stood well over six feet. Lean and long, his shoulders filled out his worn, brown leather jacket. The mall lights glinted off his bronzed, mussed hair and highlighted the amused twinkle in his hazel eyes. Eyes a girl could lose herself in. Why couldn’t I have kissed him instead of Dani? The wayward thought bounced around in my head for a moment as I stared at his dark brown lashes and tried not to sigh. Or drool. I reined myself in not wanting to hurt Dani’s feelings. She still had what I needed. I blinked at him while trying to think. His lips twitched as he waited for me. His gaze skimmed me, not settling anywhere, just taking me in the same as I was doing to him.
A sense of familiarity settled over me, and my stomach did a weird little flip. I tried to study him with indifference. Was this someone I knew but my sleep deprived brain had forgotten? Embarrassing.
I closed my mouth, swallowed hard, hoped I wouldn’t blush, and tried for cool-sarcastic, “Oh my God, an accent. Take me, I’m yours.”
Dani and Cadence sniggered. I curved my lips in a smile as I waited for him to go away. I just wanted to get my stuff and leave.
Something in the man’s expression changed. He tilted his head and took a slow deep breath. I thought for a moment he had a witty reply or would say something rude. Instead, he leaned toward me, his eyes locked on mine, and murmured, “You smell amazing.”
My insides froze and, for the second time in five minutes, adrenaline spiked through my veins. He pulled back, his intense gaze never leaving mine. I struggled to contain my panic and to think clearly. I did not smell amazing.
His pupils dilated as he continued to watch me. A smile tugged at his lips.
A small sound escaped me somewhere between a whimper and a throat clearing. Dani moved beside me. I knew she was trying to figure out my reaction, but I couldn’t spare her more than a passing thought.
He caught the noise. Awareness crept into his eyes almost as if he’d emerged from a trance. His smile faded and he began to look troubled. It didn’t matter. I’d witnessed that concentrated look before and knew what he meant, what he was.