Chapter 4

He led her out onto the dark street, the cool night air a harsh contrast to the overheated atmosphere in the bar. Shivering she leaned in closer to him and he draped his arm over her shoulder, folding her inside the warmth of his jacket.

He could feel her pressed tight to his side as they walked quickly along the street. She felt so small and vulnerable, tripping along on her heels, her clothes completely inappropriate for the cold weather. She clearly needed someone to look after her and he felt a sudden unexpected wave of protectiveness, completely at odds to the lust she'd inspired in him in the bar.

She stumbled slightly on the uneven surface and stopped for a moment to slip off her heels, swinging them absent mindedly in her free hand as she snuggled back against him, her head barely reaching up to his shoulder now that she'd removed her shoes. He struggled to reconcile this subdued creature beside him with the wanton female he'd met in the bar, although his body seemed to recognise her just as easily. Every motion of her body against his managed to send electric signals to his groin and he hurried her along, needing to get her home soon for both of their sakes, she must be freezing by now, not that she'd uttered a word of complaint.

In fact, since they'd left the bar, he realised, she hadn't said a single word, seemingly content to follow him wherever he went. Was she not concerned that he might be a threat to her? He could be planning to take her into an alley and rape her for all she knew, although after her performance earlier he doubted she'd put up more than a token resistance, but did she have no care for her own safety or well being?

Or perhaps he thought bitterly, acid burning the back of his throat, this was something she did regularly, picking up strange guys in bars and going home with them. He knew some people got a thrill out of that but he'd never seen the appeal himself. For some reason, the idea that she might be going home with a different man the following night didn't sit well with him. For crying out loud, he didn't even know her name!

Well that was something he could easily fix, he thought, stopping abruptly and holding her away from him slightly as he gazed down on her upturned face.

She looked up questioningly, her eyes meeting his steadily and again he felt that familiar tug, only this time as well as it affecting his lower regions, there was a tightness in his chest as she shivered unconsciously with the sudden absence of his warmth.

He hadn't meant to ask anything except her name, but that show of vulnerability shook him and made his voice harsher than intended as he found himself growling at her.

"Do you do this a lot? Pick up some guy at the bar, tease him, drive him wild with lust and then let him drag you back to his for a quickie?" As she mutely shook her head he continued angrily, "I could be anyone, do you not have any common sense? I could be a serial killer, collecting silly young women and chopping them into tiny pieces. What on earth were you thinking?"

His voice trailed off as he saw tears pooling in her eyes, his anger fading as quickly as it had begun. Muttering an oath under his breath he pulled her back into his chest and he held her as she shook against him. She muttered something against his shirt and he held her away from him as she lifted her head, eyes shining with unspilled tears.

"What did you say?" he whispered, certain he couldn't have heard right. It was just too bizarre.

"I trust you," she repeated quietly, holding his gaze without fear.

Well what do you say to that, he thought gobsmacked. If she would just look away then maybe he could think of a coherent answer, but her green eyes had him trapped and so he did the only thing he could think of, he kissed her.

Not a hard, passionate kiss like they'd shared at the bar, this time he pressed his lips gently to hers, felt hers pressing back, mouths moving together as her arms clasped tightly around his neck. The tightness in his chest loosening slightly as he tried to convey his apology with his body. Unable to say anything whilst she held his gaze.

With a deep breath, almost a sigh, she slowly she let her hands drop from his shoulders as she stepped back, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.

"Can we go now please? It's cold out here."