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Careful not to jostle her, he got up from the couch and grabbed the empty plates and glasses from the coffee table. He went to the kitchen and flipped on the light. Andi’s kitchen was a mirror image of his on the other side, but hers had a lot more color. A bright aqua toaster, a yellow bowl of apples on the counter, and a collection of Super Mario Bros. fridge magnets complete with turtles, redbrick blocks, and green pipes.
He set the dirty dishes in the sink and glanced up. The window above the sink had a small ledge, and Andi had a line of little, round metal bells sitting on it. He’d noticed another set like it on the windowsill in the living room. They didn’t match the rest of her style, so they’d stood out, and he’d wondered if she was one of those people who left Christmas decorations out year-round. He touched one of the bells, but it rolled off the ledge, and he caught it before it could hit the sink. Sensitive little things.
Only then did he realize what they were there for.Noise.
If someone tried to break in through a window, it would send the bells rolling and clanging. He glanced over his shoulder back toward the living room, concern moving through him. Was Andi that frightened? He’d had an alarm installed, and the new dead bolts were top quality. He’d wanted her to feel safe, but obviously, she was still worried. He hated that she felt so insecure in her own place.
A floorboard creaked behind him, and he turned, bell still clutched in his palm.
Andi stood in the doorway, arms crossed like she was cold, and her hair askew from her nap. “I fell asleep on you again.”
“It’s fine. I hadn’t realized how late it’d gotten. I was just picking up the dishes.” He set the bell back on the windowsill carefully and then turned back to her. “I was going to wake you before I headed out.”
Her gaze went to the window, and she rubbed her arms as if chilled. “I see you found my silly security measure.”
He tried to gauge her expression. “You still don’t feel safe.”
She stepped inside the kitchen and shrugged. “I’m not sure I ever feel truly safe, but those were there before the alarm was installed. I left them in case I forget to turn on the alarm.”
“Is there anything I can do? To make you feel more secure here?” he asked, stepping closer, concerned about that haunted look in her eyes.
Andi gave him a wan smile. “It’s not about the house or the neighborhood or anything like that.” She tapped her temple. “It’s all up here, unfortunately. There’s part of me that knows no one is ever one hundred percent safe, that there’s only so much you can do. There is no foolproof plan. But I still try.”
His jaw flexed, her tone saying everything she wasn’t. “Someone hurt you.”
She looked down, her posture closing. “Yeah. Inside a house with the best security system money can buy. So I honestly don’t know why I think Christmas bells would help anything.”
His lungs deflated as a sharp kick of anger went through him. Someone hadhurtAndi. Sweet, upbeat Andi. Hurt her badly enough that she never felt safe, that she expected dates to spike her drink and murder her in her sleep, that she spent her life immersed in horror to prepare herself. He wanted to ask all the questions, but he could tell she’d said more than she wanted to.
He moved into her space and reached out, putting his hands on her upper arms. “I’m sorry.”
She looked up, black liner smudged. “For what?”
“That you had to go through whatever you’ve been through. That some pathetic excuse for a human hurt you. I’m sorry you don’t feel safe.”
“Thanks.” She blinked, her eyes going a little shiny. “If it makes you feel better, I feel safer right now.”
His chest filled up with relief at that. “I’m glad. You can feel safe with me, Andi. I swear. I’ve got shit I’m dealing with and my life is kind of a dumpster fire right now, but I would never harm you—or anyone. I became a firefighter because I wanted to be one of the good guys.”
She stared at him for a long moment and then stepped forward, bringing her fully into his space. Before he realized what was happening, she slid her arms around his waist, put her cheek to his chest, and hugged him. The feel of her against him was a shock, but his reflexes finally caught up, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him. Her head tucked right under his chin and the smell of her fruity shampoo filled his nose. He closed his eyes and gave himself over to the moment.
But what started as comfort seemed to morph into something else as the hug went on, the air crackling with it. His body began to take notice of Andi’s curves, her softness, her warmth. His heart picked up speed. He stayed very, very still.
Her hold on him eased after a while, and she leaned back a little, looking up at him, so close he could see the dark-blue ring around her pupils. She wet her lips. “Hill?”
“Yeah?” he said, his voice suddenly hoarse as he worried she could read his thoughts on his face. In his previous life, he would’ve labeled Andi’s expression as an invitation to be kissed. But he didn’t trust his instincts on that anymore, so he stayed stock-still.
However, he didn’t have to worry about misreading things for long because Andi pushed up on her toes and leaned in. He closed his eyes, anticipation rushing through him, but instead of feeling her mouth against his, he felt the soft brush of her lips against his cheek.
“Thanks for coming over,” she said softly and then her warmth was gone.
He let out a breath and opened his eyes as she stepped back, trying to get his brain back on track. “Sure. Thanks for the invite. This was fun.”
She nodded and gripped her elbows again, looking more closed off than he’d seen her all night.
“You okay?” he asked, frowning.
She gave him a humorless smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired. I think I pushed past my limit tonight.”
