Page 68 of Hero Unbound

“I knew it. I could tell by the way he was looking at you.”

“When?”

“Take your pick. Every time he’s seen you when you’re working, that girls’ night out night, when he came in the door a few minutes ago.All the times. Theo tends to keep to himself, but you are like some sort of magnet for him. If you’re in the vicinity, he can’t keep his eyes off you.”

Eva looked around. “He’s here?”

“Yeah, over by the door.”

She turned and looked, her eyes meeting his. She couldn’t look away. Didn’t want to look away. She knew there was no way she could possibly see the brown of his eyes from this far across the building, but she could feel them. They’d always pulled at her.

And even when those brown eyes had seen too much, they’d still always been a source of safety. Of protection. Of passion.

She stood as he walked toward her. She’d avoided him this afternoon after overhearing his conversation because she’d had way too much that needed to be said, but she couldn’t avoid him now.

Didn’t want to avoid him now.

As he reached her, someone put a slow song on the sound system, and a few couples began dancing in the back of the bar near the stage. Theo grabbed her hand.

“Dance with me, beautiful.”

She nodded, still caught in his eyes, especially now that she could fully see their golden brown. He kept the contact, almost as if he couldn’t look away either, before pulling her into his arms. She only broke eye contact when he tucked her head under his chin.

For a few moments, she just breathed in his closeness. She had so much she needed to say, but right at this second, she just wanted to enjoy the feel of safety that came from being wrapped in his strong arms.

“What are you doing here?” she finally asked.

“I got word that some of my friends I haven’t seen in a while were going to get here soon, so I thought I’d stop by. I didn’t expect to see you, although I’m glad. I didn’t hear from you this afternoon.”

She winced. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I should’ve called. Or at least gotten the dogs from you.”

“Those two are fine. When I left, they were happy as clams lying there gnawing on their bully sticks.”

“I’m glad they’re so comfortable with you.”She couldn’t help but smile. “I didn’t expect to be here tonight. Becky wanted to come.”

He trailed a thumb down her cheek. “Are you okay? You’ve got that pinched look again. I haven’t seen it for over a week, so was hoping it was gone for good.”

She should tell him. Right here, right now, get all the details out in the open. In the middle of a dance floor wasn’t a great place for this conversation, but nowhere was going to be a great place.

“What?” he whispered. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

She could. She knew she could. But she also knew it was going to change things. He wouldn’t look at her the same after this. How could he?

She took in a deep breath. They weren’t moving anymore, but none of the swaying couples around them seemed to notice. “I came by this afternoon. I overheard you and Sheriff Webb talking about my car.”

Theo let out a huff of breath. “Callum is a great sheriff, and he loves this town as if he’d spent his whole life here. But sometimes he’s looking for evil when there isn’t any. I don’t think you did anything that would set your car on fire. That’s crazy.”

“That’s just it. Sometimes I forget things. Or…get confused about what really happened.”

He tightened his fingers on her waist. “I’m not convinced that’s true. I think you may have been manipulated into thinking it was true when it really wasn’t.”

“Maybe for some things.” Those brown eyes were drawing her in again. Shesodidn’t want to say what she was about to. “But I also have made some bad choices on my own. Things I shouldn’t have done. Things—”

She broke off when the sound of shattering glass cut through the music. She turned to look for the cause and was shocked to find it had come from Becky. Pieces of glass lay all around her feet, and she was staring at the door, face completely devoid of color.

Eva spun the other way to see what had distressed her friend so much. A group had just come in, well-known enough to be stopped by people for hugs and handshakes, but she didn’t recognize any of the ones she could see.

Theo let out a low curse. “That fucking dumbass. I can’t believe he did this.”

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