Free Hearts In Rhythm by Angel Wheeler

hooded jacket. Fear gripped her.
    She turned and began to run, her bare feet slapping the pavement. The pain and cold of the cement piercing her feet. She ignored it and ran as fast as she could. Her purse strap dropped to her elbow and bumped against her thigh. Her breath was coming hard now. She pumped her arms and pushed herself, but she wasn’t fast enough. She heard heavy breaths directly behind her. She felt a hand tighten around her arm and she screamed. The man yanked on her, slowing her down. She screamed louder and clenched her eyes shut.
    She braced herself for the assault from her attacker, she knew she would soon be pummeled with punches, kicks, and pain until he was finished taking what she wasn’t willing to offer. She tried to reach her purse and throw it at him, hoping that’s what he wanted.
    Instead, she felt nothing but two hands on her arms and heard a voice repeating, “Allie, it’s me. Allie. Allie. It’s me.”
    She stopped screaming and opened her eyes to see Brandon standing before her with a black hoodie shrouding his face. His gentle eyes were studying her, pleading with her to calm herself and see him, for who he was, not who she was imagining him to be.
    She threw both arms around him, erasing the earlier incident from her mind. She forgot the embarrassment and the attraction and was overcome with feelings of relief, comfort, and safety. She couldn’t loosen her grip. She wanted to hold onto him forever. She felt his arms wrap around her tighter and she pressed herself closer into him, willing herself to crawl inside his skin, to find a sanctuary within where she would never fear again. A place where her worries were blown away like fluff from a dandelion. She felt his arms around her like a blanket, warm and soft. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter hoping he would never let go.
    * * * *
    Brandon held onto Allie tightly as darkness settled over the entire town. It wasn’t late, but early December invited darkness to come at a ridiculously early hour. He leaned into her, breathing in the scent from the brown curly hair that was piled on top of her head. In the silence of the night, on this abandoned street, he heard her sobs being released into his jacket. She was so tender, and he couldn’t help but find that irresistible.
    He understood now that she was putting on a façade with the tough act. She was a young mother, struggling to care for her son. She was willing to sacrifice so much for Samuel. She had needs of her own, and yet she had pushed them all aside to do what needed to be done. That in itself also made her sexy to him. Not to mention, she was smoking hot on the drums.
    He knew he had tough decisions to make. He may have lost the woman he loved tonight, but the way Allie touched him, the desire that built hot inside him, the kiss she wanted all made him wonder if that was meant to be. He couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if Simone had not stepped in. As soon as he realized Allie had left on foot, he went after her. He could not even think straight.
    He reluctantly pulled himself away from her.
    “Hey,” he said softly. “Are you okay?”
    Tears streamed down her face. He reached up and wiped them away.
    She looked at him deeply. “I’m scared.”
    He pulled her closer to himself again, caressing her back. She needed taken care of, not like Simone who had her family and also made sure he knew that she could take care of herself anytime.
    “Let me walk you the rest of the way home,” he said and he smiled when she agreed.
    The air was brisk as Allie and Brandon walked toward her house. A strong gust of wind rattled the dead leaves on the end of the oak trees, as the last few hung on. They were always the last to fall. The crunchy leaves blew across the sidewalk and Allie pulled her sweater closer. She wished she’d remembered a heavier coat when she left home. That seemed like such a long time ago considering all that had taken place.
    Brandon noticed