Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
He seemed, damaged…no that’s not the right word. It was more like he was running away from something and the way he’d chafed at my parents’ thanks was also very telling. If I didn’t find it so sad it would’ve been laughable.
The discomfort that had been so obvious to me though it had gone completely over my parents’ heads, was a sure sign that there was something going on behind those eyes. Something that touched me deep inside.
As a psych major I tend to pick up on the emotions of others rather easily. I’ve never felt this vulnerable before though, never let myself be this bothered by another’s pain. If I did that then I wouldn’t be very good at my chosen profession.
But for some insane reason it bothers me that he seems so wounded. Not only that, but I have the inexplicable feeling that he needs me. That somehow I can make the sadness in his eyes go away.
It’s the strangest thing, because from what I recall the strong, take charge man who’d stood between me, and danger the night before didn’t quite come across as the needy type.
In fact the way he’d been so obviously uncomfortable with mine and my parents’ gratitude, the way he’d all but ran out the door, said that he would rather be left alone.
Still I couldn’t shake the feeling that last night was not the last time I’d see him. I feel almost compelled to search him out, to see where this feeling of knowing would go. It’s the first time I’ve felt anything this strong, or have something stay on my mind this long.
It’s not that I’m a callous person, or someone who doesn’t understand or care about the plight of others. But I’d been so sheltered all my life that this stuff was all new to me. And the events of the night before were definitely not part of my normal.
If I didn’t know better, I could almost believe that I was focusing on him as hard as I am to avoid thinking about the absolute horror of the situation I’d found myself in last night.
But in fact, I’d hardly spent any time thinking about the two men at all, and had been solely focused on the enigmatic man who’d come to my rescue. I’m not sure if that was a good thing or not.
Then again it’s not like I have much of a choice. My mind has chosen to go where it wants to and so far it’s chosen to completely blank out the whole sordid ordeal and stay stuck instead on the man who’d followed me into my dreams.
“Are you feeling okay dear?” Mom’s voice broke into my thoughts, reminding me that I was not alone. I’d been so lost in my head I’d forgotten that she was still here.
She put her hand on my forehead and declared me warm to the touch. I nibbled on the corner of a slice of toast and ignored her words since I had a pretty good idea why I was fever warm and it had nothing to do with me being sick.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I shook my head no, knowing that it was pointless, that she would push until she got what she wanted. Mom is a great advocate for communication.
She thinks that there’s nothing that can’t be fixed by getting it all out in the open. Usually I’d agree with her, but right now I didn’t want to waste time dwelling on what those boys had done, or were about to do to me.
I’d been afraid to close my eyes last night lest I relived the attack. But instead my night and dreams had been filled with him. His scent, his strength; his eyes. Always his eyes. And the look in them when he looked back at me. Will I ever get them out of my head?
I knew his name now, had been saying it to myself over and over again ever since waking up this morning. Braden Scott. Even his name sounded manly, strong. Braden and Cassie Scott. I’ve gone off the deep end, or reverted back to middle school.
That fluttery feeling was back again. It had appeared the first time I got a glimpse of him at the station the night before. With better lighting and no fear to cloud my judgment I was finally able to see the man beneath the brawn.
That instant feeling of knowing had hit me in the gut and hours later, after a night spent dreaming of being in his arms, the feeling was still there, maybe a little stronger even.
I’d spent a good part of the night before sleep finally took me, dissecting my feelings and trying to find the answers to what was going on with me. I knew it wasn’t good to dwell too deeply on anything following an experience like the one I had, but there was no getting away from my own thoughts.