Page 31 of Prince of Storms
“What are you doing?” I asked, glancing at him over the hood.
“Ah, I thought I’d walk you to the door?” He sounded both tense and a hair uneasy.
Probably figured I’d reject him. I should, too, and tell him that it was okay, I didn’t need the escort. But the idea that he wanted to keep me safe all the way to the door was so charmingly chivalrous that it tweaked something inside me.
“Okay,” I said, smiling through the tremors in my legs and the butterflies in my stomach. Hadn’t I just said I was happier living alone? Without a man in my life? So, why was I giving this one openings?
I resolved not to give him any more. He was not coming inside. No hug and definitely not another kiss. I wouldn’t let that one happen again. I’d already made that mistake in the store, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. The way his hands had felt on my body, the heat of his lips as they pressed tight to mine. All of it was just so …good.
“Thank you for driving me home,” I said, grabbing my keys, making sure not to fumble with them as I inserted the right one into the lock. “I appreciate—”
There was abang, followed by a near blindingly bright flash of white from behind us.
Immediately, Tor swarmed me, putting his hands around me and holding me to the door. I thought he was attacking me until he spoke.
“Stay still,” he growled in my ear. “I’ve got you.”
He was protecting me. Putting himself in harm’s way.
No further sounds came from behind us, and so slowly, very slowly, he relaxed. I stayed still, very much abruptly aware of his superior size and strength. Things that he used to keep me safe. And there was no denying it when he was all but wrapped around me like that—Ihadfelt safe. Whatever had happened, I wasn’t scared of being hurt by it. Not with Tor there.
As I blinked back the light, my eyes slowly returned to normal, and we turned to take a look behind us.
“Oh, my god,” I whispered, surveying the aftermath. “What the hell happened?”
The entire front of Tor’s truck was mangled. The metal was blown up and out from the hood, with a gaping hole in the center. Smoke and steam wafted up from inside as something in it sagged and settled.
“I think,” he said, with a calmness I couldn’t understand, “that the battery blew up.”
“Blew up?” I asked incredulously. “That’s a thing? That can happen?”
“I guess,” he said, slowly shaking his head back and forth with disbelief. “I mean, look at it. That’s what it looks like happened.”
“Yeah,” I said, noting that he wasn’t going to inspect it but instead staying near me. Making sure I was looked after. “Still, two car troubles in one night?”
“Does seem unlikely,” he said with a frown. “I better call Ty to come get me. Are you okay if it stays there until morning? I’ll arrange a tow then.”
“Yeah, of course, not a problem,” I said, realizing he had no way back.
It didn’t seem fair to make Ty come all the way out to my house to get him. Not when he would have to turn around and come back and get me in the morning.
Fuck. I knew what the logical thing to do was. The main question was whether I could be an adult about it. So far, the odds seemed to be against me. But at least Ally would be around. And that meant I would have backup to ensure nothing untoward happened between us. She would keep me focused.
“Wait,” I said as he pulled out his cell.
Tor raised an eyebrow, the action emphasizing the gray, almost silvery circles of his irises as he stared down at me.
“You can crash on my couch,” I said awkwardly. “Then have Ty pick us both up in the morning. It’s a lot less driving that way.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “I can get him to come out here.”
“Yeah,” I said, feeling bad for Ty. “It’s fine. The couch will work. Or the floor with some pillows, since you might not actually fit. Maybe if you could shrink yourself.”
He grinned. “Plenty of times I’ve wished for that ability. Thank you, that’s very gracious of you.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, pushing the front door open while taking one last look at his ruined truck.
I was just being polite. Wasn’t I? Or was I just trying to find any excuse to spend more time with him? Tor was beyond intoxicating to be around.
