Page 4 of Hidden Shadows
It took her three heartbeats before her big brown eyes connected with his.
“I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
Her brows flickered. For a moment, he thought she was going to tell him again that he couldn’t promise that. But then she turned her hand over in his and interlaced their fingers.
His heart thudded, and he had no fucking idea why. Because she looked at him,touchedhim, like she actually trusted him to keep her safe? Because this stranger was leaning on him for comfort and he liked it?
She didn’t take her gaze from his eyes, and he didn’t shift his own from hers. She watched him like he was her lifeline. The only thing keeping her calm and grounded.
The plane continued to rock and shake around them, more gasps and murmurs sounding from other passengers, but their connection never broke.
It was three minutes of turbulence before the plane finally steadied.
A long breath released from her. “Is it over?”
Before he could answer, the pilot’s voice came on again, telling them they were through the worst of it.
“It’s over, honey.” The endearment slipped from his lips before he could stop it.
“Thank you,” she whispered, before leaning her head back and closing her eyes.
She untangled her fingers, and the second their touch ended, he was left wondering why the hell his hand twitched to reach back over and take hers again.
CHAPTER3
Finley watched the snow hit the ground from the back seat of the hotel transfer car. Her cheeks were still flaming hot from waking up with her head against Nixon’s shoulder and then from her near panic attack.
God, she’d been a mess. She scrunched her eyes closed, as if that could somehow erase the memories.
Figured that she’d be seated beside the hottest man on the plane, only to thoroughly embarrass herself. She’d barely been able to look at him after that. Even when they parted, all she’d managed was a muttered goodbye before hightailing it out of there.
Argh.
His words rumbled inside her chest, tapping at her heart.
I’ve got you. You’re safe.
She grazed her cheek, sure she could still feel his breath against her skin. The way the warmth of his hand on hers had spiraled up her arm.
An involuntary shudder rolled down her spine.
But…that was over now. Her little airplane fantasy man was gone, probably to see his runway model girlfriend, while she was almost at her hotel to promote this Christmas fair.Thatwas what she needed to focus on—her job.
She pulled out her phone and frowned at two missed calls from Nate. He was her best friend’s brother, but really, he was like a brother to her too. His family had basically let her grow up at their house when her own mother couldn’t have cared less.
Why was he calling?
She tried returning the call but wasn’t surprised when it went straight to voicemail. The man was a Navy SEAL. Which again begged the question—why was he calling?
Quickly, she sent a message to her best friend, Andi.
Finley: Do you know why your brother’s calling me?
Andi didn’t reply, but that wasn’t a surprise either. She worked as a family doctor in their hometown of Redwood, so her time was usually filled with back-to-back patients.
With a sigh, she turned back to the window, the white of the snow causing a smile to tug at the corners of her lips. God, she loved Christmas. The excitement in the air. The songs that made her heart feel light. And of course the eggnog—that was an all-time favorite.
It was Thursday, just over a week away from Christmas next Saturday. And she got to spend it here, in Ontario, Canada. Gah, she was excited.
