Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 41918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
He’s an Iron Guardian. He’s safe, I feel it in my bones. Even if I can’t make out any of his features just yet.
The man is dressed all in black, his muscular frame accentuated by his leather jacket and the matching vest beneath. His dark hair is cropped short, longer on top, and I have the distinct feeling his eyes are fixed on me.
"I'm sorry," I stammer. "I didn't mean to touch your bike."
"It's okay," he replies, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine. "You like it?"
I nod, nervously twisting my hands. "Yeah. It's...it's very nice. But I don’t know anything about motorcycles.”
He takes a step closer, still in shadow, but I can make out more of his face now. "Safe to say you don’t ride, then.”
"Oh, no," I say, shaking my head. My cheeks are burning, and I can't seem to tear my eyes away from him. An insane part of my brain whispers, ‘You don’t ride motorcycles, but you wouldn’t mind riding him!’ It’s so inappropriate that I almost laugh out loud. Instead, I give him a much more socially acceptable reason for poking at his bike. “I wandered over to look at them because I needed a moment, that’s all.”
"A moment?" he echoes, raising a dark eyebrow.
"Yes. Um..." I'm totally thrown off by this unexpected interaction, but after a second, I finally find my words. "I'm sorry, this is going to sound crazy, but … could you walk me home? That’s an Iron Guardian thing, right? Protecting scared women?" I try to imbue some humor into my words, but they’re totally true.
He blinks at me, surprised. "Walk you home?"
"Please?" I whisper. I shouldn’t be admitting these things to a complete stranger, but he doesn’t feel like a stranger at all. “I needed a moment because I’m scared of walking home in the dark. I know it’s silly, but—”
Something seems to soften in his expression. "No need to explain. Of course, I will. Where do you live?"
I point up the hill, to the cluster of buildings in the distance. "Student housing."
"Ah, that explains the bookbag then." He comes closer, and I can smell his scent—leather and pine. It's comforting, somehow. “A college student, huh? How old are you, little bunny?”
I balk at the nickname. It’s not like I need a reminder that I’m a coward. “First off, that isn’t very nice. Second, I’m 20.”
The man chuckles, clearly amused with himself as he approaches me. “Nice is overrated.”
When the man finally steps into the light and I look up at him—way up, he has to be at least 6'4—I can see him fully for the first time. The sight of him hits me like a truck. He's devastatingly handsome, with chiseled features, piercing blue eyes, and a body that is packed with muscle. He has a short, well-kept dark beard, and an old white scar cutting through his left eyebrow. There’s a bump in the bridge of his nose, telling me it’s been broken before, but that just adds to the whole picture. Darkness and desire, all wrapped into one tall, muscular package.
It's not just how hot he is that has me shaken, though. It's also the visceral, instinctual reaction I'm having.
There's an electricity between us, an intense spark that I've never felt before. Under the thin cotton of my shirt, my nipples harden, and there’s an unfamiliar aching between my legs. Every fiber of my being is screaming that this man is meant to be mine, and even as terrified as I am, I feel safe with him. It's illogical, it makes no sense, and I don't know what to make of it, but it's the truth.
The man makes a strangled noise in his throat that morphs into something like a growl, but then the sound of his voice pulls me back into the moment. "Is there something wrong?"
"No," I lie, shaking my head. Nothing is wrong, per se, but something is happening. That’s for damn sure. "Sorry, I just spaced out for a minute there."
"I'm Luke," he says, extending a hand. Cautiously, not sure what will happen when I touch his skin considering how much just his appearance shook me, I reach out to shake his offered hand.
When our skin brushes against each other, I'm immediately aware of the flash fire of need that travels between us, a sizzling heat that spreads throughout my entire body. For a moment, I can't breathe. It's so intense, I'm almost dizzy, and when I look into Luke's eyes, I'm startled to see his pupils dilated and his breathing a little uneven.
"Emma," I manage to choke out, and he nods, withdrawing his hand. “I’m Emma.”
"Well, Emma, shall we?" He gestures forward with his free hand, seeming reluctant to let go of me. "I'm happy to walk you home."
"Thank you." I’m positive that Luke will scare away any dangers. Hell, I think even the shadows might be scared of him. So I’m safe from everything, except my suddenly unignorable attraction. When Luke finally lets my hand fall away, I’m afraid my impulse control might fail me. I want him to keep touching me. Anywhere. Everywhere.