AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Adeline,” I blurt out.
“What was that?”
“Adeline, that's my name.” I try ducking my head again as embarrassment engulfs me in a hot flush, but his large hand holds my cheek in place, not allowing me to hide from his deep blue gaze.
“Adeline...”
I shiver. Maybe my name’s sexy, after all, at least when it’s spoken in Heath’s gravelly tone.
“It suits you. Do you ever go by Addie?”
“Sometimes. Depends on the person.” Truthfully, only one person has ever called me Addie, and that was my mom. I never got close enough to other people for them to feel comfortable with a shortened moniker.
And Gran hated abbreviated versions of names.
If you're going to call a child Addie, then you might as well have written it on the birth certificate. Hers says ‘Adeline.’ That’s her name, so that’s what I’m going to use.
I still remember that conversation. It was right before the plane crash when Mom had dropped me off so Gran could look after me while she was gone.
“Addie it is, then.” He grins and swipes his thumb over my bottom lip before directing his attention back to my injuries. I sit there in a daze while he quickly tends to my scratches, the fatigue from my earlier drive starting to settle over me.
I tried to cut the trip from Kansas City to Guardian Valley into manageable pieces. Driving six hours the first day. Then another six to Deadwood, South Dakota because I couldn’t not stop to visit the infamous town, especially with Gran’s love of Westerns instilled in me from a young age.
The history of the city was captivating, but loneliness crept up during the museum tours since everyone else was traveling with family. Exploring solo sounded amazing based on social media accounts I’d seen, but the reality wasn’t for me.
I’m already used to being by myself twenty-four-seven, and having the glaring hole of emptiness in my life thrown in my face because I didn’t have anyone to share the experience with was disheartening.
“All finished, Sleeping Beauty.”
I jerk to an upright position after nodding off against the passenger side headrest. Using the tips of my fingers, since my palm is lightly wrapped in gauze, I straighten my glasses and scoot closer to the edge of the seat, preparing for the impact of jumping to the street from this height.
“Thank you. I’m sorry I ruined the dance for you.”
What if he has a date waiting for him back at the community center? What if he only stepped out for some fresh air, then I waylaid him with my clumsiness?
Oh, God. This whole time I’ve been imagining what it’d be like to belong to a man like him. Not a man like him. Him. Heath. And he could have a wife or girlfriend worrying about him at the dance.
A second-wind breathes new life into my weary body at the humiliating prospect, and I hurry to scramble down from the truck and out of Heath’s life.
It stings when I grab the side of the open door, but there’s nothing for it now. I’ve got to get out of here.
“Hang on there. You didn’t ruin anything, baby. I was heading home for the night.” His hands grip my waist to stop my frantic movements. “Before you go rushing off, are you sure it’s safe for you to drive? You almost fell asleep just a minute ago.”
CHAPTER FIVE
HEATH
“You’re too fucking old for a sweet little thing like her.”
ADELINE ACTS LIKE THE hounds of hell are nipping at her heels as she tries hopping down from the truck. I don’t know what happened to morph the contented sleepy look on her face to frenzied panic, but I’m sure as hell going to find out.
“The hotel’s not too far away. I’ll be fine.”
“Then you won’t mind if I follow behind your car to make sure you're safe.” The compromise comes naturally when I’m not the kind of man to back down.
Ever.
It’s a strange concept that can only be explained by the unexpected need in my chest to agree to anything Addie wants.
