“Well, apparently they did more than try.” I nod toward the vial of blood and think about the fact I can’t remember a damn thing from last night. “And why would I be upset? You protected me.”
He tilts his head, studying me like I’m a puzzle piece he can’t seem to fit in the bigger picture.
“Why did you, by the way?”
“Why did I what?”
“Protect me.” I stuff another bite of food into my mouth, using my tongue to lick a runaway crumb off my lip.
“I don’t like to see women being taken advantage of.”
“Even women like me?”
“Women like you?” he repeats, not following.
“You know,” I wiggle my fingers in the air, whispering sarcastically, “adangerous criminal.”
That earns me a smirk. “Even you.”
“Interesting,” I sing, tapping a finger on the counter. I am so excited that my chest is fluttering. I have to force myself to stay calm and slightly still because my limbs are itching to move with all that I’ve learned this morning. Pushing the remnants of my breakfast away, I steady myself and hop up onto the counter. “So, what are we doing today?”
“What are you talking about?”
“This thing between us feels like it’s getting pretty serious. Should we go on a real date? A picnic maybe?”
He scoffs, barely managing to cover the smile teasing his lips. “It’s not that serious, Stark.”
I screw my face up in disbelief. “You followed me to a party, saved me from date rape,took my blood,” I say, pointing to the vial again, “and made me breakfast.” I wave a hand at the crumbs on the plate next to me. “Feels pretty serious to me.”
Colin grunts, lifting himself out of the chair and pushing off the counter, disappearing into the foyer as he calls behind him, “I have to go to work.”
“Wait!” I hop off the counter and run after him, wrapping my hand around his forearm and turning him back to me. The instant charge where our skin touches spirals through me, and it takes considerable effort to draw my eyes away from the black ink under my fingers and up to his eyes where he’s staring at me in question. “I have something to do today that you could probably convince your boss falls into your realm of work.”
Finding the person who drugged me is on my list of things to do, as well, but I’ll wait until Colin’s gone to do that.
His eyes are full of questions, but I know he won’t turn me down. He’s too curious about what I do in my free time, which is a win for me because it’ll help him get to know me better. “You can drive us,” I chirp when the question in his eye fades to acceptance. “I just need to get ready.”
I bound up the staircase again, ignoring Colin when he yells, “Hurry!”
***
I pinch the bridge of my nose, the sharp ache that’s been hovering in my brain all morning slowly dissipating.
I don’t tell Colin exactly where we’re going, just tell him when to slow down and when to turn, which seems to irritate him because I know he likes being in control.
He looks surprised when we pull up to Hope House, shifting his truck into park and looking over at me from the driver’s seat.
“Is this a joke?”
His brusque words catch me off guard, and it’s the first time I find myself hesitating when I respond to him. “Why would it be a joke?”
He searches my features for something—what, I don’t know.
I take my seatbelt off and climb out of his truck, staring at him as he remains in his seat.
“Come on,” I urge. “We won’t bite.” I smile gently and shut the door, waiting in front of his truck until he climbs out and falls into step with me as we head toward the gated entrance.
Hope House was my temporary home for a very brief blip of time. The two-story U-shaped structure stands nestled into a clearing of tall pine trees, fitting so perfectly into the scene you’d think it was meant to be there. Four Peaks looms against the backdrop, appearing painted against the blue sky, the giant mountain promising security from any outsiders that attempt to penetrate the warm bubble that this property is.
