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Nothing stirs again for at least a dozen more steps and I’m really starting to wonder if I imagined the whole thing. Maybe it was just a bird or something. Sounded like a big bird if it was.How big do the birds get around here?
Shaking my head, I try and pull myself out of the nonsense roiling around in my brain. It’s not a big bird. It was probably just my imagination.
And then another bush rustles off to the side. My hackles lift like a wild animal and my heart stutters in my chest.
“Franklin?” I plead. I need him to say that I’m imagining things. But the look on his face doesn’t say that. And that’s scarier than anything else at this point. The serious, determined look on Franklin’s stern face, the harsh lines settling on him like a dark cloud covering the sun.
He just nods and subtly nods his head forward, talking out of the side of his mouth again, so low that no one else can hear him. “Just move.”
Without thinking, I follow his instructions to the letter and he falls behind me slightly, whistling and tromping like he’s having the time of his life.
But his eyes are always moving. Those laser-blue eyes pierce the shadows, seeing everything but not showing by one iota of movement that he’s doing it.
The man’s a damn sphinx. Inscrutable and all-knowing, all seeing. I should be a nervous wreck but I’m not. I relax and walk softly, carefully, content to let him handle it.
He smiles slightly, his lips curling just the slightest little bit and it makes my heart quiver again. A shiver all the way down to the bone strikes me.
What if something happens to Franklin?
That’s a chilling thought. My heart sinks as I wonder if I should tell him to leave but before I can turn and say it, my steps slowing to do just that, he moves so fast that I barely get a gasp out.
“Don’t even think about it, Cassie. I’m fine and so are you. If it’s your ex, he doesn’t have the nerve to do anything while someone else is standing beside you. So just relax, keep walking. We’re almost back home.”
I nod slowly and then take a deep breath, pushing down my insane fears. Franklin knows more than me. I’ll have to take his word for it that he’s right.
The rest of the way home, no matter how hard I listen, I don’t hear a thing and once again I start thinking that maybe it was my imagination. Ash’s pushy attitude and stalker tendencies are riding my last nerves right now. I could be forgiven for losing my mind just a bit. By rights I should be sitting in a corner, crying.
Franklin holds his hand out for my keys and takes them with a subtle shake of his head when I start to push my way in first. Nodding, I follow him and stay on his heels as he checks every single room of my house methodically, silently stalking my solid wood floors and looking behind every door.
The man’s thorough and after he’s done, I breathe a sigh of relief. He smiles at me and the sparkle in his turquoise eyes makes my knees shake and I snap them tight, smiling back.
“Thanks, Franklin. I really appreciate it.” I want to hug his big, strong body and normally I would but I don’t think he’s a hugger. He’d be great at it. Big and strong, he’d smother a girl in his muscular goodness. I could die a happy woman smothered like that.
I jerk at my own mind.No! I don’t want another man.I just want to live my life in peace.You could if you had a man like Franklin,my mind whispers to me but I shut that bitch down. I have enough trouble with Ash right now. I can’t try and work on another relationship if I’m still dealing with the fallout from the last one.
Franklin nods at me and his smile fades. “Do you feel better now?”
I nod. “Yes, thank you. I know I messed up your walk home and I’m really sorry. I do appreciate your help though.”
He nods. “It was probably nothing but the wind but it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you ever feel like there’s something wrong, don’t hesitate to call me, Cassidy.”
My heart thumps in my ears and I can’t help myself. “You called me Cassie before.”
His dark brow lifts and that luscious mouth of his quirks up. “I thought you didn’t like that. You made a face.”
“I like it when you say it.” I stop, my breath hitching when I realize I might have given too much away. “All my friends actually.”
“Am I your friend, Cassie?” His rough, deep voice sends an electric buzz straight to my belly, like a bunch of butterflies are tearing up my insides.
“Yeah,” I say harshly, my voice cracking. I clear my throat. “Yeah. Any guy that’s as sweet as you is pretty much a great friend. I’d have to be stupid to say no.” And although a lot of people have called me stupid for getting involved with Ash, I’m not that stupid.
A true, happy smile blinds me. “I wouldn’t say that. But thank you.” He backs away and hits the door, waving at me and it’s a little awkward, a little cute and even he seems startled, darting out the door.
I close it and lean against it, smiling. Who knew that Franklin Smith, the huge grumpy man next door, would end up being such a nice guy?
CHAPTER7
FRANKLIN
