Page 36 of Guarding the Singer

Selene tensed in her chair. "Why... Why didn't you tell me?"

Cooper shifted on his chair and lifted his leg. He set his ankle down on his knee, but he didn't settle into the posture.

He shifted again and lowered his leg until his foot was on the ground again.

"I was hoping that it was just pranks."

"And now you know it's not?" Selene hesitated for a moment before she looked back at Cooper. "Now you think I'm in danger."

The words came out of her mouth, but she didn't feel the fear until a moment or two later.

It seized her heart, and she was suddenly short of breath.

"Selene."

Warmth.

She felt William's hand on her arm.

And she closed her eyes, enjoying the steady, reassuring heat against her skin.

"Breathe."

His hand squeezed her arm gently.

"Or, take a sip of water."

When she didn't move, she felt him lift her arm and she lifted the glass and took a slow sip of it.

William didn't hold her arm there. He'd let go as soon as she'd lifted it.

It was a thoughtful gesture. As she lowered the glass back to her lap, she opened her eyes and looked at him beside her.

The concern she saw in his eyes felt good.

It helped. A little.

"So, if I'm putting together the puzzle pieces correctly, then William is here to protect me?"

Selene turned to look at Sadie. And then at Cooper.

She was already prepared to accept his help, but she didn't expect Cooper's next words. "William is here to be your boyfriend."

PART IV

William saw it the moment that Cooper's words sank in.

He was trying to see how Selene would react to it.

To them.

He watched and swore that he saw the cogs in her head turning.

William watched her struggling to come to grips with the idea.

When she shot up out of her chair, the water in her glass splashed out.

Before it hit the carpet, she was already apologizing.

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