Page 9 of Keep Me Safe

“Hold on, Liv. Let me help you.”

“Oh no, I can manage.” Her protest fell on deaf ears. Before she could open her door and climb down from the passenger seat, Paul was there to assist her. His hands slipped around her waist and guided her easily to the ground. Her body slid down his and she knew it was a deliberate move on his part. Every nerve in her body seemed to catch fire. She’d experienced a similar move hundreds of times with ballet partners as they lowered her from overhead lifts, but none felt as sensual as this.

Color filled her cheeks as her feet finally touched the ground. Paul still held her around the waist, and he didn’t seem inclined to release her. If she leaned in just a little, they would be pressed together, chest, hips and thighs. She would feel the hard wall of his body again and his arms would encircle her. Did she want that? She shouldn’t, but yes she wanted it.

She felt vulnerable and shaken and she didn’t like these raw emotions that jumped to the surface because of this guy. She lifted her chin stubbornly. “You shouldn’t do that.”

“What? Help you down?” he asked innocently but she raised a brow, making his grin turn sheepish. “Yeah, I know,” he admitted but he didn’t sound repentant. “Can I help it if I find you attractive? You’ve been on my mind every moment since you moved in next door. But whenever I try to get to know you, you brush me off. You’ve become mystery number one and I plan to uncover every last one of your secrets. I figure I should give you fair warning. You won’t be able to brush me off so easily.”

Olivia felt secure in his arms until she heard those words. She didn’t want to be the center of his attention. It meant he planned to investigate her like a cop would, and he wouldn’t leave any stone unturned until he led Ethan directly to her. “No, you can’t! You don’t know what you’ll unearth. You can’t do this!” She struggled to be free but his hands tightened at her waist and she couldn’t move. Feeling trapped made her fear grow. “Please, Paul. Don’t do anything.” She couldn’t breathe. This was her worst nightmare. Ethan would find her and she’d be trapped. He would kill her.

Paul didn’t seem to understand her growing panic. “Just tell me the truth. I will help you but you have to tell me everything.” He bent lower so he could gaze into her eyes. His expression was open and honest and she truly believed he wasn’t trying to frighten her. But her fear wasn’t rational. She was starting to feel ove

rwhelmed.

“I can’t!” she retorted. She fought against him again and she knew real panic when he refused to let her go. It reminded her of all the times Ethan had trapped her then abused her. Bile rose in her throat. Her heart pounded in her chest and she feared she might black out. “Let me go! Let me go now!” She demanded hoarsely as she pushed against him. His chest felt like a wall of steel but she fought him until he reluctantly released her.

As soon as she was free she started running. It didn’t matter where she went but she knew she had to get away. Her condo offered no protection since she couldn’t get her dumb door unlocked - especially before Paul reached her again. How could she be so stupid to trust him? He was no different than Ethan. Maybe he worked for Ethan! With a choking gasp she pushed herself to move faster. He shouted her name but she didn’t care and she certainly didn’t stop.

She didn’t even make it to the end of the complex before she heard his steps pounding after her. A sob caught in her throat as the panic drove her onward. She couldn’t outrun him, not with her injured hip, but she had to try. She had to get away.

“Stop! Please! Don’t run from me! I’m sorry! Wait!”

Thankfully he didn’t shout out her name. Even so they drew too much attention. She imagined every neighbor peering out their window. She wasn’t safe here. She pushed herself harder and faster but her leg wouldn’t comply. She could hear Paul behind her. No! She had to escape. She had to stay free. If he caught her she would never escape again.

“Stop, please!”

“No!” she cried. Her breath hitched.

“I didn’t want to do this,” he huffed. He tackled her around the waist and twisted at the last moment so she landed hard against him and not on the ground. She struggled to get loose but he rolled and pinned her beneath him.

“No!” Panic seized her and she bucked against him. “Let me go! You can’t do this. I won’t go back; you can’t make me go back to him!” she cried. She tried to lash out against him, to shove him off. He easily grasped her wrists in one fist and held them above her head. This made everything worse. Blinding panic gripped her and she tried to curl into a ball to protect herself. At any moment the blows would rain down. “Please don’t, please don’t, please don’t –“

“Shhh, Liv honey, stop! I’m not going to hurt you. Calm down honey. You’re safe. You’re safe and I’m not going to hurt you.” He reached up and brushed the hair away from her face as his words penetrated the fog and she slowly realized she was fighting Paul and not Ethan or one of his thugs. Paul was holding her carefully. He wasn’t bruising her or hurting her. And his eyes held a look of shock. Didn’t he have a clue?

“Paul.” She closed her eyes. She suddenly felt exhausted and overwhelmed. Adrenaline seeped out of her and embarrassment reared its head. “I can’t go back. I won’t.”

“Tell me what he did,” he ordered gently as he brushed the moisture from her cheeks. “Tell me who he is and what happened.”

“You already know too much.”Olivia shook her head as she pushed against him. This time he let her go immediately. “Leave it alone, Paul, please.”

He quickly gained his feet and helped her up. “What if I can’t leave it alone? I promise you’re safe with me, Liv, but I’m not going to stand by and pretend nothing’s going on. This reaction of yours, it was extreme. And I’m not an idiot. I can see you’re in trouble and I want to help you. You realize you need help, don’t you?”

“Why do you even care?” she demanded. She felt angry at everything. Her life was a wreck and she was frustrated with feeling helpless all the time. Maybe it wasn’t fair to lash out at Paul but he’d pushed her too far. She never asked for his help. “Tell me why you care. And don’t blame it on being a cop. No cop would deal with this situation if he didn’t have to, especially if it put everything he loved at risk. If you help me you’ll be in way over your head within thirty seconds, and you’ll wish you never met me. Yes, it’s that bad. So, please, Paul, tell me why you would even want to get involved in my mess? Especially when there’s not a thing you can do to help me?”

“I want to help because I care –“

“No, you don’t. You don’t even know me,” she retorted.

“Fine. You want to know the real reason?” His eyes darkened as he glared at her with his own frustration. Rather than answering as she expected, he pulled her into his arms. She didn’t fight him this time because she was too tired to put up any effort. She didn’t feel afraid anymore, just angry and tired. “This is why, Liv.” He cupped her face and his lips sought hers in a hungry kiss. She didn’t feel threatened as she had when Ethan tried to kiss her, even though there was nothing tentative about this first kiss. Paul expertly tipped her chin to the right angle as his mouth found hers. His lips were firm and demanding yet never bruising. She felt secure in his strong embrace. His tongue traced her upper lip seeking entry. She didn’t have time to think, only to react, and her reaction surprised her. She put her hands up to push him away but she fisted his shirt and drew him closer. Her lips met his with equal hunger. Fear slipped away and her tension turned into something new. She opened to him and allowed his tongue to taste hers. Her sigh mingled with his breath and she felt she was sinking into the sweet heat of desire – something she hadn’t ever felt. Not like this. Never so instant and explosive. As she responded, his kiss gentled and became teasing and searching as he explored and tasted. This new playful side left her trembling as much as the explosive first contact. She wanted more; she wanted to be closer so she could continue to feel without thinking. His teeth nipped playfully at her bottom lip before his tongue delved in for a second round. But when she felt his hands slide down her back to grip her buttock and pull her in closer to his hard body, she realized what she was doing and pushed him away.

“What is it?” he asked with a frown. He looked just as affected.

“I have to go home.” She dropped her gaze. She couldn’t look at him, not after the way she kissed him. Hadn’t she learned anything? She’d trusted Ethan blindly as well. But Ethan had never set her on fire with one simple kiss, in the middle of the neighborhood. She looked around to see if anyone was watching. Had she lost her senses completely?

“No.”

She blinked at his abrupt answer. “What?”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com