Page 12 of Salvage Him
I smiled butturnedaway.
"Yeah. I'm fine.” I pointed. “I just can't get this damn table out ofthecar."
"Here." Harrison pushed me aside. Well, not pushed, but strategically placed his hands on me and moved me with a deliberate motion. "Let megetthat."
I watched his forearms flex as he lifted the wooden folding table and pulled it out of the car. He shifted the table. It stood verticalbetweenus.
He peeked over the top down at me. A smile curled up the side of hismouth.
From the look on his face, he was used to people staringathim.
He narrowed his eyes andblinked.
The world stopped, and Iwatched.
"Following you." Henodded.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry," I said and squeezed my eyes shut to break thespell.
I grabbed my suitcase and rolled it up the circular driveway. I peeled back the plastic sheet covering the doorway and stepped into thehouse.
It was quiet. The rest of the team wasn't due to arrive foranotherhour.
"You can set it down over there." I pointed at the small space off the living room that would eventually be Paul'sstudy.
Harrison set up the table with little effort. I had been so busy staring at him that I didn't hear him when hespoke.
He stood with his hands on his hips, his eyesnarrowed.
"This okay?" he said with a hint offrustration.
"Oh, yes. I'm sorry. I'm a little distracted . . . " My voice faded away as he walkedtowardme.
"I'm Harrison." He extendedhishand.
My hand disappearedinit.
He gave me a firm shake and held it. "What'syourname?
When he didn't let go, I looked up into his eyes, and a chill ran down my back. I opened my mouth, but no wordscameout.
It was those eyes again. They rendered mecatatonic.
His hand pulled me closer as heleanedin.
I placed a hand on his abs to push him away, but when I touched the immovable force,BAM,a chill hit me again, and I stoppedbreathing.
He must have felt something too. He exhaled and looked down at ourhands.
"Wow," he whispered and droppedmyhand.
I held in a whimper from the immediate loss and turned back to my table. I could feel his presence behind me. Not physical, but no less powerful and consuming. I exhaledmyself.
"Brooklyn," I said and reached for the handle of mysuitcase.
"Brooklyn."
God, the way he saidmyname.
