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He tipped her chin up with his fingers. “They were interested in you.”
“I guess.”
“You’re shaking. You need to sit down.”
He took her to the back of the shop and put her in the chair.
“I’ll be right back.”
She nodded.
He was right. She was shaking. She clasped her hands together and tried to force the tremors to stop, but every time she did, the thoughts of what could have happened with those two men came barreling at her, and the shivers started again.
“Okay, come on. I’m taking you upstairs.”
Her head shot up. “But the shop—”
“Is closed. Locked up tight. It was almost closing time, anyway.”
She wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. She’d be useless to her customers right now. Dammit.
He helped her up and on shaky legs she climbed the stairs to her apartment, where she collapsed on the sofa.
“Got any coffee or tea?”
“Both.”
“Tea would probably be better for you.”
“Far-left-hand cabinet. I don’t need you to wait on me. I’m all right.”
He shot her a disbelieving look from the kitchen. “Yeah, you look all right. If you stood up, you’d probably fall over. Just sit there and I’ll fix you something.”
“Fine. And I’m not helpless, you know.”
“Never thought you were.”
“I was ready to bean that one guy with the glass sculpture. I also have a pretty decent right arm. I would have pitched the coral at the door guy, and would have likely hit him, too. Or at least injured him enough to go for the alarm. Or I could have hurt or disabled them both enough to give me time to run upstairs and lock myself in the apartment or gotten to my phone in time.”
“Uh-huh. I’m sure you could have taken them both down single-handed.”
“Now you’re making fun of me.”
“Am I?”
Jed handed her the cup of tea. She looked up at him and smiled, then took it with shaky hands.
“Thanks.” She took a sip, and the warmth spread throughout her body. She’d needed this.
He kneeled down beside her. “You’re pale.”
“I’m tougher than you think.” Or maybe she was just trying to convince herself so she wouldn’t be scared out of her mind.
“Obviously. You had an entire plan in mind to kick their asses. You didn’t need me.”
She put the cup on the table beside her. “I so did. You’re my hero. I might have had a plan, but who knows if I would have been able to carry it out. At the time I was terrified.”
“Hey, you didn’t fall apart like most people would have. I give you a lot of credit for that. You weren’t a babbling baby and you held yourself together. I’m sure you would have executed whatever you had in mind with precision. I’m just glad I showed up and made them change their minds about whatever it was they thought about doing.”
