5. Emily
5
EMILY
A lexander, the man who had saved me, stood talking to the police officers beside their squad cars, occasionally bobbing his head, his gaze dancing toward me occasionally. His eyes were the deepest hazel I had ever seen, bordering on an almost tawny gold color, and my stomach twisted as I thought about it.
I sat on the steps outside my apartment, my hands resting on my knees, my tote bag on the concrete beside me. The officers had already taken my statement and had another car out looking for my attacker.
Alex said goodnight to the officers then approached me, and I stared like I’d lost my damn mind, because clearly I had.
Maybe it was the shock of being attacked and then saved, maybe I was just low on sleep after staying up all night with the book, but I couldn’t get over how gorgeous he was.
Towering and broad-shouldered, with dark hair that curled slightly at his temples, and those nearly golden eyes. His jaw was wide and strong, clean-shaven, and he had a broody quality about him. He carried himself like he could jump into action at any given moment.
So, the complete opposite of me.
I bit my lip and released it. “Thank you,” I said, as he reached me. I rose from the step, and he caught me under one elbow before I could ask for help.
He released me again straight away, but the soft touch had set my heart racing.
“There’s no need for you to thank me,” Alex said. “Anyone would have helped a woman in need.”
“I don’t know about that. You were the only one who showed up,” I said, with a sheepish grin. “I—Where did you come from, by the way? I swear, one moment it was just me and the guy, and then …” The guy who had dropped out of mid-air.
“I was walking down the street. I saw your attacker drop from above.” He pointed toward the overhang above the door.
“Is that where he came from?” I asked. “That’s weird.”
“Seems like he was banking on the element of surprise.”
We stared at each other in the darkness. Quiet. A building tension.
“You should come upstairs,” I said, even though it was madness to ask a stranger up, especially after what had just happened. But he had saved me. He had literally saved me.
“Come up?” It sounded like he wasn’t exactly sure what I meant by that.
“Yeah, to my apartment. You should come up for a cup of coffee or something to eat,” I said. “I think my roommate made cookies this morning. At least she said she was going to, so maybe you can come up and have some cookies with me.” Say cookies again, you psycho. Why was I rambling so much? It was embarrassing. “Or, I could make you a cocktail. I think I have some vodka in the fridge. Morgan says that it’s essential to keep vodka cold, just like in the Russian motherland because she’s weird. I don’t know.”
Stop. Talking. Just stop talking .
“Cookies and vodka,” Alex said slowly.
And I hung off his words. “Yeah. Or, uh?—”
“Sounds like an interesting combination. I wouldn’t want to impose.”
“You just saved my life,” I said. “You can’t impose. Please, let me thank you for tonight. I don’t know how else to thank you other than …”
“Cookies and vodka?” He didn’t smile, but there was a hint of it in his gaze.
And suddenly, I wanted nothing more than for him to smile at me. What would it look like if this surly man cracked a smile? If he looked at me with joy?
“So, what do you say?” I asked.
Alex tilted his head back and looked up at the apartment building. “Sure.”
“Great. This way.” I walked up the steps and reached for my tote, but he grabbed it before I could. “You don’t have to do that.”
“It would be my pleasure,” he said.
I swallowed. “Okay.” I let us into the apartment building, constantly aware of him at my back as we took the stairs up. “Sorry about this,” I said, filling the air between us with chatter. “The elevator’s been broken for months. Or like … sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn’t, but it's better not to take the chance. The last thing you want is to get caught between floors.” The rambling wouldn’t stop. It was like I had no control over it, and the more I talked, the more anxious I got, and the cycle repeated itself.
We reached my floor and proceeded down the cramped hallway. I was about to let us into my apartment when Michael’s door opened, and he emerged from within. Reginald Tailwag barked frantically through the opening, growling and snarling, scratching at the door, and Alexander took a step backward.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I, uh, have a history with dogs,” he said.
“With dogs? ”
But Michael snapped the door shut and leaned against it before Alex could finish the thought. “Sorry about that,” he said, with an easy grin. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him today. Just doesn’t like strangers, I guess.” Michael rubbed his eyes. “How are you, Em?”
“I’m … well, I’ve had a weird night,” I laughed. “Did you just wake up?”
“Yeah, I’ve been trying this thing where I put in earphones and listen to white noise. Sends me right off,” he said. “Anyway, I napped for an eternity. Feels like I have a literal hangover. Do you want to grab some dinner?”
“Actually, I was going to have some coffee with Alex.” I gestured to him. “This is Alex. Alex, this is Michael.”
They shook hands, and the difference between them was so stark, it was difficult not to notice it. Alex was tall, overpowering, with a presence that filled the hallway, and Michael was stocky, shorter, handsome in his own way, but nowhere near as compelling as Alex.
“Alex actually saved my life,” I said.
Michael released his hand instantly. “What? When?”
“I got attacked,” I said. “Outside the apartments. Some guy was waiting for me on top of the—It doesn’t matter. Anyway, Alex scared him off and then called the cops.”
“Are you okay?” Michael drew closer to me, and Alex stepped forward, almost as if he wanted to block him.
The pair stared at each other. A small smile twisted the corners of Michael’s lips. “Is there a problem?” he asked.
“None at all.” Alexander’s voice was deeper, resonant in the hallway.
“Mike?” I frowned. “What are you—? Look, whatever. I’m fine thanks to Alex. I was just going to have some coffee with him.” Why was I defensive over this man that I’d just met? Sure, he’d saved me, but Michael and I had been friends forever, right? Or for a really long time.
“Right,” Michael nodded. “Right. Just, uh, be careful. ”
“I’m sure Emily appreciates your care for her after she’s just been attacked,” Alex said.
An awkward silence drifted through the hall.
“Well.” I clapped my hands. “Have a good dinner, Mike.” And then I unlocked the door to my apartment and entered it. The book was where I’d left it on the kitchen counter, and an odd sense of relief settled in my chest.
Gosh, had I been afraid Morgan would take it? Last night, she’d basically called the book creepy when she’d spotted the blood stains on the pages.
But reading it had been truly fascinating.
“Come on in,” I said, moving to the kitchen. “What can I get you to drink? I have coffee, tea, water, some soda in the—” I turned and found Alex standing outside my apartment in the hall, just on the edge of stepping over the threshold. “You can come in.”
Alex stared past me at the counter and then around the room, his hands grasping the door jamb so hard that his knuckles turned white.
“Alex?”
His gaze lifted to mine, and I sucked in a breath at the intensity in his eyes. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said, his voice sounding strained. “I think … It’s late. You’ve had a scare, and you should probably lock your doors tonight and stay inside.”
“Huh?” He was going to leave? A silly part of me wondered if I’d done something wrong. Something to chase him off, which was ridiculous. This guy was just … a guy. What did I care what he thought of me?
“I’d like to see you again,” he said.
“You would.”
“If that’s something you’d be interested in, yes,” he said, “I would like to see you again.”
I stared at him, my hand moving to the counter and touching the top of the book. “See me again. Sure,” I said. “Sure, I would like that. It would give me a chance to thank you for saving my life. ”
“Forget that,” he said. “It was nothing.”
“Oh.”
His gaze landed on the book then moved to my face. “I’d like to go on a date with you.” The word “date” sounded foreign in his mouth.
“A date.” It came out as a squeak. “I don’t usually, I mean, I haven’t dated anyone in a long time. A really long time. I?—”
“Then we can go as friends,” he said, sounding urgent now.
I moved toward the door. “Are you sure you don’t want to come in for coffee?”
“I’m sure,” he said, glancing off back down the hall. “I realized that I have an appointment to get to. It would be … best if we met up another time. Would you like to go out tomorrow evening?”
“Sure,” I said. “Go where?”
“For dinner. A walk.”
“Yes. That sounds good.” He was so close, his breath brushed over my skin, and goosebumps rose on my arms and spread over my body. It was crazy, but I almost wanted to pull him into my apartment.
Alex stepped back as if he’d heard my thoughts. “Tomorrow. Eight?”
“Eight is good. I should be home by then.”
“Yes.” And then he started off down the hall.
“Wait, Alex, I didn’t get your—” But he was gone. The hall was completely empty, and I stared at it, blinking repeatedly.
Was I crazy? How on earth had he managed to get to the stairs that fast? And why had he changed his mind about coming into the apartment? Had I done something to spook him?
But no, that was impossible. He’d saved me. It wasn’t like he was afraid of me or something.
I shut the door and locked it then returned to the kitchen and placed my hand on the book, drawing comfort from the sensation of the leather under my fingertips.