Page 48 of His Heart

“I should probably go,” I said.

“Yeah, okay,” he said. “But wait one second? Please?”

He flagged down the waitress and asked for a pen and paper while I watched him, confused. The waitress fished a pen out of her apron and tore a piece of paper from her notepad. After writing something on the paper and folding it in half, he passed it to me.

“It’s my number,” he said. “Just in case.”

“Just in case, what?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “But if you ever need anything, call me. I know, I live fifteen hundred miles away, and I’m a total stranger. I just feel like I need to do this. Take it. Please.”

His voice was so stern, so serious, I didn’t think I could refuse. Narrowing my eyes at him, I picked up the folded piece of paper and slipped it into my pocket. “Okay.”

“Thanks,” he said. “It was really nice meeting you, Brooke.”

He held my gaze and I found myself trapped by his mesmerizing eyes. Were they more green now? It was like their color had shifted. That tingle in my stomach was back and I had an almost overwhelming urge to reach out and press my palm against his chest.

I tore my eyes away and grabbed my bag. “Nice to meet you too.”

Shouldering my backpack, I hurried out the door. I had to get away from him. Away from those eyes. Away from the feelings that threatened to claw their way to the surface when I looked at him.

I couldn’t deal with all this emotion. I needed to be numb. Numbing myself against it all was the only way I could survive.

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