Page 13 of Keeping Her Safe

“When is that?” She was still looking out the window.

“Soon,” he said, “Do you want to sit by the window?”

“No,” she answered, still looking.

“Let’s change.” He stood up, and to his surprise, she got up too, and they switched places. “Computer?”

“Okay, here.” She shoved it at him, then wrapped her arms around her stomach.

Sliding it into the bag, he looked at the back of her head. She was looking out the window again. Half her body was turned towards the window, and he noticed she was wearing a ring. He had never noticed she wore rings, but today, her thumb was spinning it with ease because it was too big for her.

“Who’s ring?”

“My mom’s. I thought I would leave it with them.” She pulled her hand away from her and looked at the ring.

“Them?”

“Her girls.” She moved her hand back so that she was hugging herself again.

He tilted his head in confusion. “Aren’t you one of her girls?”

“No, they were her girls, a group I was not a part of.” Her voice caught on the last words.

“Are you scared to fly?”

“I don’t know. I have never done it,” she admitted.

“How do you usually travel?” He wanted to know.

“I don’t travel.” She looked out the window.

“Never?”

“Never.”

“Besides Florida, where have you been?”

She shrugged. “Nowhere. Just Florida.”

“Georgia?” Everyone had been somewhere, why hadn’t she been anywhere?

“Nope, just Florida.”

“How did you promote your books?” he whispered, incredulous.

“I don’t. That’s why I have an editor and a publishing house.” She still was turning away from him, looking out the window.

“Look at me,” he said.

He was a little surprised when she actually looked at him. Her eyes were big blue orbs of fear. Taking both her hands in his, he put them together like she was praying and then held them both with one hand. With his free hand, he pushed a curl slowly behind her ear. Quietly he said, “It’s going to be fine. I will not let anything happen to you.”

The engines suddenly kicked in, and he felt her jump. As the plane started to move, he pulled her head towards his until their foreheads touched, and her eyes had nothing to look at but his. “I will take care of you. Will you let me take care of you?”

“Yes,” she breathed out the word.

“You're just fine. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispered to her again as his hand slipped into her hair. He sighed when he felt the curls encase his hand, just like he had dreamed they would.

“I will take care of you. I will be here with you the entire time. Just relax.” He held her and stared into her slowly blinking wide eyes. It took minutes for her to actually let her body relax. The plane had been in the air for a while before he saw she was smiling. Relaxed and smiling.

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