Page 26 of Obsession

“Hey. Where’d you go?”

She looked up into his warm brown eyes. “I’m sorry. Got lost there for a minute.”

Maybe it was time to stop wallowing in the angst from her teenage years, especially since Emma couldn’t deny the undercurrent of emotions between them. She brushed the thoughtaway. It wasn’t like Sam would ever trust her with his heart again. Ryan stood between them. “Look—”

“I’m sorry I said anything—this isn’t the time or place,” he said. “I’ll take you home if you’d like.”

She stared at the filets on her plate. He’d paid hard-earned money for their meal, and her conscience wouldn’t let it go to waste. “No, catfish needs to be eaten hot.”

Emma picked at her food, managing the onion rings and hush puppies well enough with her left hand. After forking a piece of catfish and immediately dropping it on the table, she gave up and used her fingers.

The waitress approached to refill their drinks. “You want a to-go box, hon?” she asked, eyeing Emma’s half-eaten food.

She shook her head. As much as she loved fried catfish, she didn’t love it warmed over. But then she remembered the cat at the visitor center. The cat she’d forgotten again. “Oh, wait, I believe I do.”

A few minutes later, Emma stood near the door as Sam waited behind Corey at the cash register, stepping back as a customer entered the restaurant. Trey. Her heart plummeted. Why did she keep running into him?

“Emma,” he said and glanced at her wrist. “What happened to your hand?”

“Sprained it, maybe broke a bone.”

“How?”

“She’s telling everyone it’s my fault,” Sam said as he and Corey joined them.

“I only said that twice,” she said. “And only because I’m tired of everyone telling me how clumsy I am, but blaming it on you wasn’t the answer.” Even if he was partially responsible. If he hadn’t stilled her hands, she wouldn’t have jerked away.

“I hope it heals quickly,” Corey said.

Sam agreed and turned to Trey. “Are you guarding the site at Mount Locust?”

“Till one, then someone else will take over. I stopped by here to get a couple of burgers to-go for later.”

“Good choice.”

“Hey, Trey,” the cashier called. “Your order is ready.”

“Coming. Be sure to add coffee to the order.” He nodded. “Hopefully it’ll be a quiet night, but then I’ll need caffeine to stay awake.”

Sam held the door for her and then silently walked her to the car. When he opened her car door without saying anything, her insecurity kicked in. Either he’d gotten upset about something or she was misreading his body language. When the silence continued as they drove to her apartment, she said, “Cat got your tongue?”

His head jerked toward her. “What?”

“You haven’t said a word since we left the restaurant. Did I do something?”

Confusion crossed his face. “Why would you think that?”

“Forget I said anything.”

“Was that a trick question?” he asked.

Men. Emma couldn’t believe she had to explain it to him, but men just didn’t get it. “You were so quiet I thought you were angry about something.”

“No. Just trying to figure out how to keep you safe when you probably won’t listen to me.”

“I really don’t think I’m in danger,” she said.

“That’s what I mean.”

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