Page 34 of The Protégé

I stared at him, wondering what else was hiding beneath the preppy façade.

“With a slingshot and some rocks. I’m an excellent marksman.” He tossed me a serious expression. “They deserved that and more.”

More questions bubbled into my brain. “Were you following me? How long were you watching?”

“Is this your house?” He pulled into my driveway that needed repaving.

I was too intrigued by what he’d just admitted to care about what he thought about my home.

“Yeah. I live in a farmhouse-style home that needs some updates.”

As soon as he parked the car, something from my house thudded to the ground.

I groaned, got out, and walked across the lawn to pick up the shutter from the living room window. It had been damaged in last week’s thunderstorm.

“What are you going to do with that?” he asked, following me to the shed.

I dropped the broken shutter next to the other broken items. “Adding it to the to-do pile.” I looked up at the house. “If I weren’t afraid of heights, I’d climb the ladder and nail them in myself.”

He considered me for a moment. “So you’re handy around the house?”

I snorted. “Nope. I just do things to save money. The how-to videos on YouTube are helpful.”

“You’re an interesting woman.”

I crossed my arms. “Why? Because I can secure shutters?”

“That’s part of it.” He stepped closer, and my breath caught. “But it’s your ability to detach from a terrifying event that intrigues me.”

I intrigue him?My heart felt like it just grew wings. “What do you mean?”

“Minutes ago, you were harassed by drunken men. But right now, all I see is a woman unbothered by that horrific event. Instead, her attention is on shutters. It’s admirable. How do you do it?”

A gust of wind blew by, sending dandelion seeds scattering in every direction.He reached for my hair, plucking out the little white seeds.

I didn’t know what got into me, but I closed my eyes, leaning my head into his strong palm. Maybe his nearness had blocked out my logical mind. Maybe it was the dandelion seeds making the warm summermore magical, but I dropped into a quiet space with just him and me. This moment made me believe that anything was possible. That if I made a wish right now, it would be granted.

I was so attracted to this man that I believed in the impossible.

Like the breeze that arrived suddenly, the truth blew out of me softly.

“It’s you.” The words shocked me, and I opened my eyes to see him staring at me.

“What?” A crease formed between his brows.

Oh. My. God.

Pivot, Elena.

“Oh, nothing.” I slapped a hand on my forehead. “I meant to say it’syouwho looks different.”

I had no idea what I was saying or if it answered his question.

“Me?” His eyes narrowed on me, revealing no suspicion about my fib.

Well, he did seem different tonight. More dangerous. However, my slip had nothing to do with that.

“Unless you want to be a mosquito snack, come inside andI’ll explain.”

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