Embrace the Night

Page 187



That, at least, had not changed.

Chapter Two

She was there again, sitting alone on the gray stone bench, with only the moon for company. He had seen her in the small neighborhood park located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac every night for the past week, felt himself drawn to her without knowing why. Perhaps it was the golden color of her hair, or simply the knowledge that she looked as lost and alone as he felt.

Tonight, she was crying. Silent tears washed down her cheeks as she stared at the swings silhouetted in the darkness. He noticed she made no move to wipe the tears away, only sat there in the dark, looking forlorn.

Before he quite realized what he was doing, he found himself walking toward her.

She looked up, startled, as he sat down beside her. He saw the sudden panic that flared in the depths of her dark brown eyes as she started to rise.

He placed a restraining hand on her arm. "Don't go," he said quietly. She stared at him, her heart pounding wildly.

"Please," he said.

She shivered at the sound of his voice. It was deep and sexy and inexplicably sad. "Who are you?" She stared at his hand, alarmed by the strength of his grip. "What do you want?"

"I mean you no harm."

"Then let me go."

He held her a moment longer, then released his hold on her arm. "Stay a while," he urged.

"Why?" She glanced around, reassured by the presence of other people nearby. "What do you want from me?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I saw you crying, and… you reminded me of someone I knew a long time ago."

She made a soft sound of disdain. "That's the oldest line in the book." "So it is," he agreed with a wry grin. "It was old even when I was young."

She sniffed, wiping the tears from her eyes so she could see him more clearly. "You don't look so old to me."

"I'm older than you think," he replied ruefully. "Tell me, why do you weep?"

"Weep?" She laughed softly. In all her 23 years, she'd never heard anyone use that word except in books.