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He reached for her, his damp fingers curling around her face. “It’s not weakness. It’s fear. An understandable one. You’ve been through a lot.”
She blew out a mouthful of air. “You don’t need to give me a ride home. I can wait it out.”
“I know I don’t need to, but I want to. I want to know you’re home and safe. I’ll call Marley and we’ll get your car home for you.”
“You’ll have to tell him why. Once is understandable. Twice is…” she trailed off.
“Can I tell you something?” he asked her.
She nodded.
“Marley won’t care. Not one damn bit. He won’t see you as weak because you’re not. He won’t see you as stupid, because Marley’s seen trauma, too. He’s a volunteer firefighter, he’s seen enough fender benders to know it’s wise to stay off the road unless you’re confident in the rain.”
“Was he on duty when…” she trailed off.
Pres shook his head. “No. And I’m glad for that because I would have hated for him to be the one to break it to me.”
“Who told you?”
“A police officer.”
She blew out a mouthful of air. “I feel like an idiot. I got hurt. You lost everything and you can drive without blinking.”
“I didn’t lose everything.” His voice was thick. Sure. “Now can I take my girl home?”
“Your girl?” A rush of warmth went through her.
“Yeah.” His gaze flickered to hers. “I think that’s what you are.”
Her breath caught. “I think I am too. If you’re my…”
“Don’t say boy.”
She started to laugh. “You’re definitely not that. My man.”
He held his hand out to her. She slid her palm into his and they walked down the hallway, Cassie turning off the lights as they went. Gemma had already shut down all the computers and locked away everything that needed to be locked. Cassie grabbed her bag from the staff room and turned off the final lights.
“Have you got a jacket?” he asked her. Rain was still lashing against the front doors.
“No.” It had been warm and sunny that morning.
“Then we’ll have to make a run for it.”
She nodded. “Let me set the alarm and then we can go.” She keyed in the code and waited for the countdown to begin, then Presley pushed the front door open, his arms bracing against the force of the wind, and the two of them stepped outside.
“I have to lock up,” she shouted. She could already feel the rain hitting her body, even though Presley was trying in vain to shield her.
It was funny how chivalrous the man could be. How in everything he did, he was aware of his size, of his strength.
Of his innate masculinity.
When she heard the bolts click into place she pulled the key from the lock and put it in her pocket. “Okay,” she shouted over the torrent of the rain. “I’m ready.”
He pulled her in front of him, letting her lead the way while his body stooped over hers, but it was futile. By the time the two of them got into the car, they were both soaked. She felt terrible for dripping water all over the leather seats of the Beast.
He started the engine, switching the heat up to high, despite the fact it wasn’t actually cold outside. Just as wet as it could get in the summer in West Virginia.
“Okay, so before I take you home, I have a question,” he told her.
