2. Amanda

Chapter 2

Amanda

The last customer leaves and I dim the lights before quickly locking the door. Like always, I stand in the semi-darkness and watch the buildings across the street, looking for moving shadows.

Wait! Is someone crouching by the library door ? Are they staring my way ? I breathe faster, trying not to let panic overwhelm me. I hate the surge of fear flooding my body and pinning my feet to the floor.

My hand grips the door lock, and I hold on like I’m lost at sea and it’s the only life preserver in sight.

The shadow moves, its large tail wagging furiously as a dog bounds down the steps toward someone calling for it. My shoulders sag and I instinctively clutch the necklace I always wear.

It’s nothing but a cheap red ladybug on a chain to others, but a priceless gift given to me years ago by a boy who cared when I was afraid. A boy who tried to make the hell of Gentle Children’s Home not so bad for me. I rub my fingers over the initials he’d scratched into the back of the ladybug after telling me to be brave and someday I’d be able to fly away.

Headlights sweep along the road, biting through the darkness. The car slows, idling in front of the shop. My heart calms once I recognize it. My friend Ruly gets out and walks to the door.

She recently married her best friend Dash and I’m glad she finally got her happily ever after.

I unlock the door and open it to let her in. “What are you doing here?”

“Taking you to the self-defense class.”

“How did you know about that?”

“Butterfly Buck saw Leo in the bookstore earlier and figured he was inviting you.”

I smile at the mention of Buck, the town’s oldest artist. He’s going on ninety and used to shuffle around town painting small, colorful butterflies on things.

A series of butterflies painted on the hood of the mayor’s car caused a huge ruckus and now Buck is a lot sneakier when he paints.

I get into Ruly’s car, glad for the ride and the company. She and I met one night after she got drunk and climbed the water tower. I’m deathly afraid of heights but I couldn’t leave her there and didn’t have my phone on me to call for help.

I’d gotten her down and we’ve been friends ever since she came to the bookstore the next morning.

She pulls to a stop on Pearl Street right in front of the building where I’m guessing Leo awaits somewhere on the other side of those doors.

After I glance around the area, I get out of the car, then realize I was the only one who did. I lean down and ask, “Aren’t you coming in?”

“I will if you want me to.”

She’s asking if I’m okay. I haven’t told her too much about my past because the less she knows about it the better it is for her.

“No, I can do this.” I shut the car door and then turn and walk resolutely toward the building.

The inside is brightly lit and that eases my mind. It’s also not empty. A group of women in workout clothes speedwalk around the common area. A handful of people in hard hats and safety vests are pulling late hours to work inside one of the spaces soon to be rented.

At the end of the building, a small sign by a door announces it’s the place for self-defense classes.

I stride toward it, my sneakers making no sound as I move.

Opening the door, I step in. It closes quietly behind me and I’m directly across a tall reception desk but there’s no one working there.

“You’re here.” A voice says.

His voice. The one that makes me want to curl into him and snuggle against his side.

I nod and point to myself because I’m awkward like that. “Yes. It’s Amanda.”

He blinks and raises a brow when I say my name. Disappointment?

Gesturing toward a room with mats on the floor, I ask, “Is that where everyone is meeting?”

“Yes, but it’s only you and me.”

The two of us. Alone together.

He’s not wearing his hat, and his dark hair is a tousled mess. Like he ran his fingers through it and forgot to smooth it back down.

“No one else,” I say, fighting the urge to fix his hair just because I want to know how it feels to touch it.

“Unless you’re scared to be here with me.”

I don’t fear this man. I fear the pull, the hunger I have toward him. I fear the naughty things I think about him. I fear making a fool of myself. “Um…no.”

His gaze glides over me from head to toe.

My breasts get heavier, my nipples growing taut. I work a swallow down. “What’s the charge for the class?”

“For you? Nothing.”

“Why?”

He answers with a shrug, then points to my clothes. “Can you move in what you’re wearing?”

I run my hand along my jeans. They’re snug so there’s not much give. I hadn’t thought about that. “I didn’t bring anything to change into.”

“I brought you something.”

He goes behind the reception desk and returns with a bag he holds out to me.

I take it from him, brushing my fingers against his and it sends a jolt through me.

“Thank you,” I say as I pull out the new t-shirt and gym shorts. “I should pay you for the class and for these.”

“I won’t accept it. You can change in there.” He gestures toward the bathroom.

I scurry to it and quickly change, surprised that the clothes fit perfectly, then I’m bothered by it. Has he purchased clothes for so many women that he can accurately guess size?

“It fits,” I say as I come back to where he stands, legs apart, arms crossed. A still life of hotness in a plain t-shirt and sweatpants. Pants that don’t hide what he’s packing between his legs. I’m betting he knows how to expertly use what he carries oh-so-well.

I’d love to have my bet proved.

I meet his eyes, and he knows I was looking at his cock and licking my chops. Caught eye-banging him. How embarrassing.

I hurriedly glance away from his gaze, away from how it heats my insides and spreads lust through me.

He asks, “Are you okay with me putting my hands on you?”

Leo

Her eyes widen, then she blushes. “Hands on me. The self-defense. That’s how it’s done. Yes, of course it is.”

Her nipples poke through her clothes and a gentleman would look away. Wouldn’t comment. But I’ve been a beast for too many years now.

“Cold?”

“What? Not at all. It’s a little hot in here.” Then it must click what I’m talking about. Her blush darkens and she closes her eyes briefly. Then she opens them and clears her throat. “I’m excited. About safety.”

“Mmm.”

“Do I know you?” she blurts out, her eyebrows drawing into a frown as she studies my face.

“We met for the first time at the bookstore.” But I know what she means. There’s something about her that draws me in. Like she’s a siren and I’m a sailor enchanted, unable to resist.

If I believed in reincarnation, I’d say we were connected in another life. She reminds me of Samantha. My sweet Sammie.

I move to a mat and motion for her to follow me. “Over here. Turn and put your back to me.”

Oh, sweet apple pie she does exactly that. I guess I wasn’t clear enough. She didn’t leave any space between our bodies. Her ass is against the front of my pants and my rapidly growing cock.

I clasp her upper arms and move her away.

“Too close?” she asks, completely oblivious to my reaction.

“A little.” I clear my throat, forcing myself to stop thinking the dirty thoughts I’m having. “First scenario. Someone comes up behind you, and you realize it’s a bad situation. What’s the first thing you do?”

“Reach back and?—”

We both freeze as she grabs my cock.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” she says. “I swear. I put my hand back to push you away.”

Meanwhile, my cock is ecstatic.

“Amanda, let go.”

She jerks her hand around the front of her body and lets out a groan of embarrassment.

“If you’re going for a man’s junk, make it count.”

She spins to face me. “I didn’t mean to. I would never grab that big—” She presses her lips together on a wince.

I grind my teeth together, buying a few precious seconds for cock composure.

“Let’s move on.” She’s obviously flustered and I want to put her at ease.

Relief crosses her face.

An hour later, she flops onto the mat, breathing fast.

I walk to the back to bring her a bottle of water.

She sits upright and takes it.

When she smiles, I’m slammed with a sense of déjà vu. “Are you from here?” I don’t know how I would have missed her around town during my school days but anything’s possible.

Her smile withers like an unwatered flower under a brutal sun.

“No.”

I wait for her add more to that, but she stands. “I should head home.”

“I’ll take you.”

She glances toward one of the windows and stares intently at the dark before she nods. “Okay. I’m in the apartments behind the library.”

I frown. Lucky River is a safe little town where everyone looks out for their neighbor, but I’ve been in that building and I’m not comfortable with how easy it is to get inside. I’m going to do something about that.

“Alright, let’s go.” I hit the lights as I reach for the door and the room plunges into darkness.

“Turn the lights on!”

Her voice is pitched high, dripping with fear.

I hit the switch. I thought she was right behind me.

Amanda stands frozen on the mat, her face devoid of color. “The lights were out that night too,” she whispered, her eyes haunted by the ghost of something I can’t see.

I rush to her and pull her into my arms, my hand on the back of her head, soothing her the way I did a frightened puppy I once rescued. “It’s okay, honey. I’m here.”

Her body trembles against mine for a heated minute before she pushes away. “I’m fine.”

“Bullshit. Why don’t you like the dark?”

She laughs but it’s fake. “A lot of people are afraid of the dark.”

“That wasn’t fear, honey. That was terror. Did someone hurt you?”

Her big blue eyes focus on mine. “I want to go home.”

A memory tickles my brain. A broken little voice sitting beside me on dirty concrete steps, lower lip quivering asking me if she could please go home. I failed that girl.

I won’t fail this one.

“Alright, honey. I’ll take you.”

I wrap an arm around her shoulder, and she leaves it there, walking against my side as we exit the building. I tuck her into the passenger side of my truck.

I come around and get in, turning on the heater even though it’s hot as hell tonight.

After a few minutes, she leans forward and turns it off but remains silent until we reach her place.

I shut off the truck and come around to get her.

“Goodnight,” she says the minute her feet hit the parking lot.

“I’m walking you in.”

The fear in her eyes wars with her wanting to tell me she’s okay, but I know. I recognize the signs she’s exhibiting.

Finally, she nods and leads the way to the staircase. “It’s on the third floor. I don’t like elevators.”

“Because you can get trapped. Because you don’t know who’s waiting for you on the other side when the doors open.”

“How did you know?” she whispers, her breath coming out in small puffs of exertion as we reach the third floor landing.

“Work experience.” I take the key from her and unlock the door, stepping inside. “I’ll check everything before I go.”

I turn on all the lights, test the windows, open the closets, then look under the bed. “No monsters,” I say as I return to her side.

She puts a hand on my bicep as I start to leave.

“Wait. Don’t go. Stay with me tonight.”