Page 19 of Bleed for Me

Archer.

“Mind if I sit?” he motioned to the empty spot next to me.

No! Find somewhere else.That’s what I wanted to say anyways, but all I could really do was shake my head. His face lit up and he slid into the seat beside me. The heat from his body enveloped me, stroking my skin like a gentle caress. There were several spots still available, so why did he choose the one right next to me?

His words pulled me out of my thoughts, making my eyes snap to his again. “Rosalie, right?”

“Yeah.” I breathed, nervous energy sprinkling over me.

With him this close to me, I could make out the definition around his jaw and cheekbones. His skin had a natural tan to itwhich complimented his eyes. His cheekbones were sharp, and his jaw was angled—a square-cut that made it difficult to look away. His gaze dropped to my lips, his stare burning into me as he trailed it along the rest of my body.

Was he checking me out?

“You might want to be careful wearing a skirt around here,” he said suddenly. “Someone might get the wrong idea.”

My breath hitched and I turned away from him, propping my elbow on the table to shield my face. Was heimplyingsomething? That sounded kind of like a threat.

Valentine chose that moment to go over what we’d be doing today. Apparently, we were doing another questionnaire, but it was church related this time. When he made it to my table, he looked between me and Archer, uncertainty in his gaze, like he didn’t trust the man sitting at my side one bit. That just put me more on edge.

“You okay?” Valentine asked me, probably noticing how my posture was turned and how I’d made it my mission to sit as far away from Archer as possible.

If I told him I was uncomfortable with my new partner, he’d probably make me move to another seat. Not to mention, it would draw even more attention to me. So, I forced a fake smile and nodded instead.

Valentine didn’t look convinced, bouncing his gaze from me to him and back again before realizing there was nothing he could do unless I spoke up, and then walked away. A sigh slipped from my lips, and I turned my body back to the front of the room again, Archer’s body heat enveloping once more.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he explained, taking me by surprise.

“No?” I countered.

He shook his head. “I meant what I said. Just not in the way you took it.”

I thought about that for a moment. What else could he have meant by that? “Then what did you mean?” I pressed, trying to get a read on him.

He leaned in, invading my personal space. My heart galloped into my throat, but any further protest was stilted. There was nothing he could do to me in a room full of people. That thought brought me a sense of comfort.

“This place is filled with horrible people. Of people who want to take what isn’t theirs. I just meant that if you’re not careful, that skirt grants them easier access.” His warm breath was a captivating caress against my skin, my body shuddering at not only his words, but the dark look in his eyes, too.

He was…intense.

My mind drifted back to the first time I had group therapy. He obsessed, and his obsession cost someone their life. For some reason, that thought didn’t disturb me as much anymore. It wasn’t like I had much to live for now, not after losing Daisy, and knowing that I’d been the one to murder her.

Finally, he pulled back, taking his heat with him. My thoughts faded into the background, the ability to breathe coming more easily now.

Glancing down at the worksheet, I rambled off the first question. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

His jaw tensed and he glanced away, the energy around him transforming into something darker. It seemed like a simple enough question. Maybe he didn’t have plans for the future, yet? After a few moments of silence from his end, I figured he had no intention of answering, until he did. “Here.” The answer was short and direct, but it still had a powerful effect on me. A chill swept down my spine followed by sympathy. “And you?”

That was easy. “Out of college if I can ever manage to get out of here.” I smiled. His gaze dropped to my mouth again, his shoulders relaxing.

“You’re in college?”

I nodded. “I’m a Psych major.”

A slow smile stretched across his face. Holy shit. He was even more handsome when he grinned. Heat vibrated through me, followed by guilt. I shouldn’t have been admiring anyone else. Even if it was innocent. Returning my gaze back to the sheet of paper sprawled out before me, I skimmed over the next question.

“How close are you with God?” I asked.

“Not close at all. Not anymore.”

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