by Anna Scott
“Hope, I’d never hurt you, okay? I’ve never in my life hurt a woman. Please, don’t be afraid of me.” Taking one step toward me, he extended his arms, inviting me to hug him. Propelling myself forward, I was determined to move past it. I needed the comfort and I thought that Jake might too.
Quite a while later, Jake and I sat together on the couch. He still held me in his arms and was twirling a piece of my long hair around his finger. The action seemed mindless, almost like he didn’t realize he was doing it. Once I’d calmed completely, he spoke.
“Hope, I need you to tell me what happened with your ex. If he’s the one who left that stuff, it would help if I knew who he was.”
Though Jake didn’t work for a local police agency, working for the DEA, gave him insight and the ability to find people who didn’t want to be found. Making the decision to trust him with at least part of my story, I began.
“His name is Tim Johnson. We went to college together. We dated for about three years, then four years ago, he hit me. I went to the local police, but by the time they went to find him, he disappeared.” I pressed deeper into his chest, reveling in the comfort he was providing. I needed his strength before I could continue.
“I don’t know where he went, but they weren’t able to find him so the protection order was never served.” My brief explanation left a heck of a lot out, but it was about all I could tell him. I didn’t want to see the pitying look I always got. Jake couldn’t see me that way, not like a woman who needed to be saved, or a woman not strong enough to protect herself.
He stayed quiet for a long time. So long, I began to feel uncomfortable. I began to get up from the couch, I wanted to be anywhere but right there. I’d go into the kitchen and get a drink, anything. Before I’d risen fully, Jake’s fingers encircled my wrist lightly and pulled me back down.
“Don’t go.” He was a man of few words, usually anyway. A few times when he was really upset he could be long-winded, but those times were rare. Since I hadn’t really wanted a drink, I sat again, anticipating what he’d say next.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked quietly.
Was he serious? I couldn’t imagine a person I wanted to know less; except maybe my father. He’d never let me live it down. Of course, he acted the same way, just without the fists.
Hanging my head, peering down at my lap, I clasped my hands together and took another deep breath.
“I didn’t want you to know.” Honesty, I decided was probably best, especially when dealing with Jake. He was a straight-talker, but also was extremely intelligent, if he wanted to, he could get ahold of the old reports and read it all for himself anyway, and he’d figure it out.
“Why, especially with the note the other morning?”
I really wanted to go for a run right now. That was the best way to clear my head. Feeling the wind, smelling nature all around gave me peace and helped me to feel empowered. I hated it, but I hadn’t gone running outside alone all week.
With the fear of Tim, out there somewhere watching me, I didn’t want to be caught out like that, especially because my favorite time to run was sunrise, when the world was mostly quiet.
“I still struggle with the shame of it all, I know that I shouldn’t, that it isn’t my fault, but on some level, I think that I could have done something before things got so bad. I didn’t want you to see me that way.” Apparently, the honesty thing had taken over my tongue, why was I telling him all this?
“Come here,” he said, moving one arm behind my back and the other reached around front to guide my face into his chest. He held me there like that for a long time. He was really good at being the comforter. I wondered if anyone else had ever seen this side of Jake.
I didn’t cry, thankfully, but it was a struggle. After a few minutes, I moved my arms to circle his waist and relaxed into the hug. It was an awkward position, our legs both faced forward on the couch, but our torsos turned into each other. Jake leaned us back and cradled me against him. It wasn’t the embrace of a lover, but that of support and friendship. Somehow, he knew exactly what I needed.
“I think you should stay with me for a while.” Jake’s suggestion caught me completely off guard. My entire body stiffened. I tried to pull away, but he settled me by running his fingers through my hair and speaking soothingly.
“I have to keep you safe, Hope. I don’t know why, but I need to. I have a guest room if you don’t want to sleep with me, you can stay in there. I’m not asking for more from you than you want to give me.”
“You did so much work here, though, I think I’m safe at home.” Certainly, I was trying to convince myself as well as him.
“I hope so. The thing is, whoever is doing this knows where you live. He doesn’t know where I live.”
Nodding into his chest, I accepted what he said. I’d gladly agree with him, but I was worried about what would happen between us. I wasn’t that strong. If he’d moved on, if he brought other women home, I wouldn’t be able to handle that. Ridiculous, I knew, but it was the truth.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” I argued.
“Why not?” He’d kept his voice soft, but the note of frustration showed through anyway.
“What if-” I couldn’t finish that sentence. It would have been way too telling.
“What if, what? I already told you that you can stay in the guest room if you want. I won’t pressure you, even though we are amazing together.” His eyes twinkled with mischief and his lips tipped up at the edges.
We’d never spoken openly about the night we had sex. He tried, but I hadn’t let him. I wasn’t usually that kind of girl and I didn’t want to become one now. I had a long-standing attraction to him and between that and the heightened emotion of the day, I’d pulled him in and acted like a wild woman, which I most certainly was not.
“I know what you must think, after the way I acted that night, but I’m not like that, not really. I don’t want you to think that something like that is going to happen again.”
His fingers brushed along my cheek as he looked deeper into my eyes.
“I don’t think you’re like anything. I’ve known you for a few years, but I can still remember the moment we met. I remember the long red skirt you had on. Your beautiful hair was loose, hanging down your back and your eyes sparkled with happiness as you laughed because of something Nolan had just said. You were - are - the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. I was attracted to you immediately, but over the years, I’ve watched you and that attraction has only grown. Now, it isn’t only your amazing beauty, but the woman you are that has my full attention.”
I’d been wrong. It wasn’t only when he was angry that Jake could be long winded. What he’d said was wonderful, was I wrong about him, about what he felt for me?
“I can’t do the one-night stand thing, Jake, it just isn’t in me.” His body tensed immediately when I finished talking.
“I never wanted a one-night stand, Hope. I tried to talk to you the next day, but you dodged my calls. You’ve been avoiding me for weeks.”
“I was embarrassed.” My whispered words belayed the tremble in my voice and the hesitation of the confession.
Tightening his arms around me again, he pulled me closer again. Speaking now, into the top of my head; “We need to figure out why you so easily feel shame for things, especially things you shouldn’t.”
I closed my eyes, knowing exactly where that nasty habit came from. I shook my head slightly, not wanting to delve into that mess.
“Stay with me, Hope. I want to keep you safe and I want to see if I can break those walls of yours down. Will you let me try?”
“Yeah,” my capitulation was quiet, but the joy and excitement made me feel like my insides were jumping up and down with glee. I wanted to see where things could go between us, I wanted Jake to keep me safe from my crazy ex. I wanted him to hold me, just like this forever, but I didn’t trust it, didn’t believe something so beautiful could be meant for me.
&nb
sp; Dragging me along with him, Jake stood from the couch and guided me to my room. I stiffened and he chuckled at my obvious concern.
“Just packing a bag, that’s all we’re doing.” Relief swept over me and I relaxed again.
A couple of hours later, I was settled in Jake’s guest room. It could only be considered a guest room because it had a bed. Otherwise, it appeared to be a man’s catchall room. I could see the various sports equipment, his desk and laptop and a huge TV on the wall. It matched the overall look of his house. There wasn’t any decorating style, no personal items displayed, but it was clean.
Settling in, I’d arranged my things, and got ready for bed, found my book and got under the covers to read a while until sleep would finally overtake me. I noticed a movement by the door and saw Jake there, leaning against the frame. I didn’t know how long he’d been standing there, but his eyes were liquid, lazy blue pools and totally focused on me. I couldn’t imagine what he was thinking at that point, but whatever it was, it was good.
Striding toward me, he leaned over me, braced a hand on each side of my body, and leaned down so his face was just inches from mine. In my nervousness, my tongue swiped out and licked my bottom lip, his eyes caught the movement and his eyes went from lazy to hot in an instant.
“I came in to say goodnight,” he growled, in a low sexy voice, making my entire body tremble with desire.
“Goodnight,” I breathed, but felt my breasts tighten in anticipation of what would hopefully come next. My body had taken control, overriding the signals of restraint my brain was sending out. I had no business doing anything physical with Jake tonight, but my heated core disagreed. I’d felt him inside me once and I wanted to feel him again. My heart rate had increased, my breathing ragged with his close proximity. The smirk on his devilishly handsome face told me that he noticed.
Jake leaned in, eyes trained on my mouth, arms, bending to bring his chest closer as the shrill tone of my phone’s text alert sounded, filling the otherwise silent room. I watched as Jake’s eyes rolled and he pulled back. Now sitting on the edge of the bed next to my hip, he watched me reach to the nightstand and grab my phone.
I swiped the screen and read the new message from an unknown number.
Unknown Number: Where did you go, Hope? Don’t think I can’t find you.
My entire body stiffened as Jake’s hand shot out and grabbed the phone from me. He read the text, then he pushed some buttons, I assumed to try and find out who was sending it. He cursed, loudly and dropped his head in frustration. I could tell by the waves rolling off him that he was holding his anger in, but just barely. I found it endearing that he would try to shield me from his emotions like that, knowing at least part of my story, that he’d restrain himself as not to frighten me. I almost loved him in that moment.
Of course the pull of desire had been broken, the proverbial bucket of cold water dumped over both of us, so when Jake stood from the bed, he leaned down and kissed the top of my head chastely and muttered a quiet “good night.”
I wasn’t surprised to see him walk out of the room. Disappointed? Maybe a little, but honestly, I wasn’t ready. Sure, I wanted to see where things could go between us, but we didn’t need to move into a physical relationship right now, there was too much going on.
Coming to terms with that, I got all the pillows arranged around me, just how I liked them and shut out the light. I lay in the darkness, with only the light from the hallway coming through the crack under the bedroom door and practiced my focus techniques. It took almost an hour, but finally my mind stopped racing and my body relaxed into sleep.
It was a few hours later when I was jolted awake by a blood-curdling scream. Unfortunately, like so many other nights just like this one, the one screaming was me.
Chapter 6
Jake
I sprang up from the bed, reaching out to grab the Glock off my nightstand. Hope was screaming, whatever was wrong, I didn’t know, but I wouldn’t let anyone hurt her again.
I ran from my room, through the hallway and made it to her bedroom within seconds. I flung the door open, shielded my body with the wall and peered around the doorframe to assess the danger. What I found, absolutely broke my heart and any resolve I had that would keep me away from this woman.
Hope sat up, wide eyed and terrified in the middle of my guest bed. Pillows surrounded her body in a U-shape, two on each side and one for her head. She barely had room to roll over.
Her hair was a wild and disheveled mess, but she’d never been more beautiful. All of her defenses were down, she looked tiny in the middle of her nest of pillows; tiny and alone. Looking around, I confirmed that there wasn’t anyone else in the room, then walked in and sat my weapon on the nearest piece of furniture - my desk.
Making it to the bed, I sat on the side, used two fingers to gently move her face so I could look into her eyes and figure out what the hell was going on.
“What’s wrong?” I kept my voice as low as I could, not wanting to frighten her any more than she obviously already was.
Hope shook her head, eyes still wild, but calming some. She didn’t speak, but I watched as she swallowed and took a few deep breaths. Finally, after an interminable wait, she answered.
“I’m sorry I woke you, it was just a dream.” Her voice was different than I’d ever heard it, stilted and quiet. She was obviously very upset by whatever she’d dreamed about. I didn’t have any experience with this, the dreams, absolutely, I had nightmares all the time, but I didn’t know how to help someone else in the same situation.
“What can I do?” I asked her, her answering smile was hesitant, but genuine. Relief spread through my veins at the sight of it. The affect this woman had on me with just her smile was absolutely life-altering. It made me want to scoop her up and protect her from anything that could ever touch her.
After a few minutes, her breathing steadied, the pulse pounding against the side of her delicate throat slowed and she allowed me to pull her into my chest and hold her. I spent a long time there caressing her hair, stroking the long straight strands.
The feel of the silky soft tresses was enough to make my heart rate increase to inappropriate levels. She didn’t need me to make a move on her now, obviously, but with the feel of her sweet body against mine it was about all I could do, not to lay her back against the bed and let instinct take over.
Hope’s gentle hands, that had once been clasped firmly around my back, holding onto me for dear life, were now relaxed and I could feel that her body was pliant and preparing for sleep again. Still holding her, I twisted on the bed and laid us both down, my head on the pillow, hers nestled into my chest. I waited, listened for a long time until her body relaxed completely.
Thankfully, I was working in the office for the next several weeks. I was gathering intel and doing some surveillance for my next assignment. That was good, since I could work when Hope did and be home when she was.
Over the next several days, I made it a point to follow her to work every morning and if I wasn’t home when she got there, she checked in with me to let me know she was safe. No more strange phone calls had come in. When I’d gone by her house, no packages or unwanted gifts had been left either. The asshole had stopped, but I knew it wouldn’t last forever.
Hope agreed to be careful coming and going to work each day, promised to take a different path every time. We’d talked about how to watch for a tail, to take note if she saw the same vehicle more than once and I had slapped a GPS tracking device on the underside of her little Toyota Camry, just in case. She knew about it, and thankfully she didn’t fight me.
Her nightmares had, continued, however, to the point that by the third night, I got her to sleep in my bed with me. I hadn’t made a move, though my dick protested my restraint vehemently every night and morning.
With all this shit surrounding her, I wasn’t going to be the dick who acted like he just wanted to get in between her thighs – those luscious, milky white thighs. Groaning, I readj
usted myself and tried to focus on the road in front of me.
I was headed back to Hope’s. I came by every couple of days to check things out. She hadn’t been here at all. Her mail was delivered to a Post Office box, so at least that was secure. Any mail that came to the house was usually junk mail.
Instead of pulling right up to the house, I waited at the stop sign on the corner and took a minute to look around. I didn’t see anything out of place, but I made the turn down the side street anyway and did a quick tour of the neighborhood. I was especially interested in the street that ran behind her house, she had neighbors there, but the yards were large with full size trees.
The streets were quiet, a few people coming home from work, lights on inside several houses and an older couple out walking a little white dog. My hackles rose, because it was too perfect. Nothing was ever this simple. The guy didn’t just fall off the face of the earth, unfortunately. Turning the corner back onto Hope’s street, I drove slowly up the block, paying attention to every car. Still, nothing was out of place.
I parked two houses down and across the street, then waited. My truck had heavily tinted windows and got traded in for a different one frequently since I used it for surveillance. It wouldn’t do to have the local dealers see me and know who I was. Now, I waited and watched.
Local residents came and went, cars passed by, still nothing. Leaving the truck where it was, I exited and walked to Hope’s house. Using the key, she’d given me, I entered, not seeing anything obvious outside. No notes, no flowers, nothing on the porch or around it.
The inside of the house was quiet. The lights were on in her spare bedroom and in the kitchen. I’d installed variable, alternating automatic lights in each of the main rooms, especially those lining the front of the house. Lights would turn on for a while, sporadically, making it appear that someone was in the house.
I scanned each room, checked the doors and windows, and looked over the alarm panel. There wasn’t one thing wrong. Scanning the picture window in the dining room for the third time, I paused and studied it. It was the only window in the house that wasn’t covered. I looked over the entire window, the molding around it, but I couldn’t figure out what had caught my attention. What was it about this window that caught my eye?