She nods, her mouth trembling like she’s about to cry, but she blows out a steady breath instead. I can’t help but admire the hell out of her. “He took away everything that was important to me.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to assure her that I will never do that to her, but I swallow my words. She needs a friend, I remind myself, and eventually friends can become lovers.
Before I can say anything, Jake gives a sharp bark and pulls hard against his leash, which somehow trips Evangeline. With a squeal, she falls forward, right into me. Wrapping one arm around her, I manage to catch her and get Jake under control.
“Sit,” I say in a deeper than normal voice, the one that I rarely use so that Jake knows he needs to listen to me.
Immediately, Jake’s behind hits the ground.
“Good dog.” Purposefully, I lighten my tone. No need to fuss at him now. Besides, he can’t help his natural reaction to a squirrel or cat. Most likely it was Saylor’s cat—the damn thing escapes her apartment at least once a day.
Evangeline’s small hands come between us as her head tips up. The ends of her soft, silky hair brush my skin. She’s so damn fragile in my arms, yet she’s made of substantial curves. Full breasts press against my chest and I swear to God, it’s the best damn feeling. White-hot desire surges and my heart kicks against my chest. Blood rushes in my ears. I’ve never been more acutely aware of anyone like this before. My cock starts to get hard, and I shift my hips back, not wanting to scare her.
While the case file I read on her indicated that there wasn’t any sexual trauma, I can’t be sure of her reaction. Besides, even women who have healthy relationships with men wouldn’t welcome a woody from a so-called friend.
“Are you okay?” I ask, making no move to let her go. This close to her, I can see that her eyes are more blue than green, like the color of the ocean at Wrightsville Beach.
“Let go of me.” Her voice is strangely tight.
“I didn’t mean to touch you, but you were about to fall.”
She visibly swallows and a tremor runs through her body. “I understand, but I need you to let go of me before I scream.”
Damn it. I wish that I didn’t have Jake with me right now. Two hands with Evangeline are a hell of a lot better than one. “Can you give me second, angel? I have to make sure you won’t fall.”
Her fingers curl into my shirt, pressing so hard that I can feel her nails. “Please.”
Slowly pulling my arm out from behind her, I check the position of Jake’s leash and pause. “Evangeline, the leash is behind both of your legs. I need you to lift your right foot. Can you do that for me, sweetheart?”
With a nod, her leg lifts far off the ground so that I can clear my dog’s leash. “Good job. Now the left, and you’re done.”
Another tremor and a quick lift frees her from danger. She pulls away from me, her chest heaving as she does. “Thank you.”
“Do you still want to hear my story?”
“I don’t know.”
At least she’s honest with me. “How about if I see you at the park tomorrow, I’ll share with you over tacos. If not, then maybe another time. Either way, Jake will be a happy camper.”
“Okay.”
“Night, Evangeline.” I leave before she does, even while I keep an ear out for her footsteps. While I don’t want her to fear me more than she already does, I won’t compromise her safety. And to a cop, every situation is potentially dangerous.
When I catch the echo of her steps, I allow Jake to run up the porch steps. Once I open the door, I unhook the leash and let him go. He bounds up the stairs and stops at the top, waiting for me.
“You don’t have to hold the door for me,” Evangeline says, and I turn. She’s sitting on the bottom step.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
She bows her head, exposing the slender lines of her neck. “Not yet, but I’m getting there.”
“You’ll get there. If my mom could, then anyone can,” I say.
Jerking around, she stares at me, her lips parted. “Your mom?”
“Yeah,” I say gruffly. “She’s part of the reason why I became a cop.”
“Was she like me?”
I know what she’s asking, but I need her to come to the park tomorrow. I’m almost one hundred percent certain that if I spill all my secrets to her now, she won’t bother. Yeah, it’s selfish of me, but I don’t give a damn.
Yet, I can’t play head games with her, either.
“A little.”
Her gaze runs over me. “Night, Hunter.”
Without replying, I let the door shut behind me and jog up the stairs. It’s all I can do to keep my focus off her. I scratch behind one of Jake’s ears. “Good boy.”
As I stride down the hallway, Jake trots alongside me. On the one hand I feel like this afternoon with Evangeline was a step in the right direction, but on the other, her reaction to being grabbed by me, even to keep her from getting hurt, felt like a million steps back. None of it is her fault, and that’s not something I’m struggling with.
What I am struggling with—this driving desire to have her in my life.
Chapter 8
Evangeline