Page 83 of Help Wanted

She let out a sigh. “You didn’t do anything that horrible, Zane. I think I freaked out. I got spooked and I used it as a reason to push you away before you could hurt me. I’m the one who should apologize.”

It was easier to speak her mind in light of what had happened. Having a gun pointed at you put things in perspective.

“I acted like a dick.”

Somehow she was laughing at the same time tears leaked from her eyes. She looked up at him and watched as the smile on his face faded into something more serious. More intense.

Then he leaned down and kissed her. It was a soft touch of lips. At least for the first time. When he bent down the second time, he pulled her closer and kissed her more urgently. His arms encircled her body, holding her against him, and she remembered a flash from earlier in the day when someone else had grabbed her arm and shook her. Threatening to shoot her if she didn’t turn over all the money they had. The man’s breath had been foul—beer and stale cigarette smoke. She didn’t want those memories to intrude on this happy moment with Zane, but she couldn’t fight it off.

He pulled away slightly when she froze.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, looking up at him. His eyes got wide.

He muttered a curse. “I’m such a jackass. I’m sorry, Kenley. I can’t believe I was so—” He shook his head and took a step back. “After what nearly happened to you today, now I’m here pawing all over you and forcing my way into your home.” More curses she couldn’t quite make out.

“No. It’s not like that,” she assured him. “Not exactly.” She sat on the edge of the sofa and he sat next to her, his hand resting on her shoulder to offer comfort, but nothing more.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked. His words were soft and kind, but she noticed his other hand was clenched so hard the knuckles were white.

“It seems like a bad dream. Like it didn’t really happen.” His hand clenched even harder. She didn’t want to think about it anymore.

It could have ended differently for her. Brady could have been delayed somewhere along the way or not even come in to the office.

But that hadn’t happened. He’d walked in and stopped the man with the gun.

Though stopped was not really the word. She’d always seen something scary lurking in Brady’s eyes. That thing was unleashed on the scrawny man, who hadn’t known what hit him.

She knew that man couldn’t hurt her anymore. Brady said he was in the hospital. What she was afraid of was being haunted by the memories for the rest of her life. Up until that morning she’d been fine to be alone at the office and in her home. Now she didn’t know if she’d ever feel safe to be alone again. She didn’t want to think about the gun or the man or the fear anymore. She wanted to think about something else. Something good.

“I need you.”

“I’m sorry?”

He obviously didn’t understand, and why would he? It was an unusual request. “I need you to help block out what happened.”

“Oh.” His brows rose in surprise. “I’m not sure if that’s a good—”

She didn’t wait for him to argue whatever point he may have had, valid or not. She kissed him. This made sense to her. She wanted Zane to push the bad memories away. She wanted someone to touch her, whom she trusted and… loved. Yes, she did love him.

“Please,” she begged, hoping she could convince him by pressing closer. “Just for tonight. I don’t need any promises. Touch me. I don’t want to think about that man anymore. Take it away.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said. “It would kill me if I did something else that caused you pain.”

“Then don’t say no. Help me. Please. I want you to be the last person who has touched me.”

She looked into his eyes, testing his resolve. He glanced away from her with a look of pure torture, then with a groan he pulled her against him and kissed her hard.

* * *

Zane couldn’t believe he was going along with this. He knew better, but she was convincing. He’d flown home to do whatever he could to help her. He surely wasn’t expecting this.

But as she tugged up his shirt and ran her hands along his bare chest, he wasn’t going to stop her. He would go along with her plan and hope she didn’t regret it afterward.

She pulled her clothes off as if she was in some kind of race and then lay back on the bed, waiting for him to catch up. As he climbed on top of her he noticed a slight flinch and he pulled away. She was still frightened.

“I’m not so sure this is a good idea,” he said, though his body urged him—no begged him—to move on. But this wasn’t about his body or about him at all. This was about Kenley and what she needed.

“I’m fine.”