Free You Belong With Me by Shannon Guymon Page B

comfort seep into her. She felt two arms gently pull at her shoulders and turn her so that she was now being held firmly against a strong chest. Minutes passed as she continued to cry, letting every tear she’d ever held back in the homes, hospitals, courtrooms and police stations finally free. As her shaking and sobbing subsided, she realized something strange. Max was a lot taller and harder than she looked.
                  Layla pulled back from the arms holding her and wiped her eyes, now feeling embarrassed at having cried for so long. “Sorry about that,” she said, in a hoarse, husky voice as she opened her eyes.
                  She was not looking at Max.
                  She was looking at Michael Bender.
                  He was staring down at her with sad, worried eyes. Layla’s mouth fell open and she stumbled backwards, gripping the counter with her hands as she stared at Michael, aghast and horrified at what he’d just witnessed.
                  “I thought you were Max,” she whispered, covering her mouth with her hands and turning away in mortification.
                  Michael stepped forward, taking her hands in his and lowering them, forcing her to look up into his face.
                  “Don’t be ashamed about your feelings Layla. You just had too many of them. It was good that you let all the sadness out. If you don’t, it just eats at you,” he said as if he knew somehow.
                  Layla shook her head and shut her eyes “I don’t know how to get rid of the pain. It just stays and stays and never leaves.”
                  Michael stepped closer and wiped the tears off her cheek as gently as if she were four years old. “I go sailing. The water helps for some reason. I like to go hiking too. Sometimes when I reach the top of wherever I’m trying to get, I just scream until I can’t scream any longer.”
                  Layla opened her eyes and blinked at him, not even pushing him away when he pushed her hair back from her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb.
                  “I’d like to try that someday,” she finally said, her throat hurting after all of her sobbing.
                  Michael smiled down into her face and nodded. “I’ll take you hiking with me next time.”
                  Layla closed her eyes and took in a deep shaky breath, still trying to gain control. She was surprised when Michael sighed and then pulled her into his arms again. She shocked herself even more by putting her arms around his waist as he held her tightly and more tears seeped out of her eyes, wetting his dress shirt.
                  When she finally pulled away, he let her go slowly. “Is there something I can do? Has someone hurt you or upset you?” he asked, his eyes going hot and dangerous.
                  Layla shook her head, smiling as she moved away from him so she could grab a towel to wipe her eyes. “No, not really. It’s nothing like that. Well, yes and no, I guess. I um, used to be a social worker before I came here. I had a really rough year and I burned out. Max was kind enough to rip open a few unhealed wounds just now and you walked in at the wrong time. Sorry,” she said, looking away, feeling awkward.
                  Michael frowned and stepped toward her, taking her shoulders in his hands. “Don’t be sorry,” he said softly shaking his head at her. “Just let me help.”
                  Layla looked up at him and dabbed at her eyes again as they refused to stop leaking. “You don’t even know me Michael. Why in the world would you want to help me?” she asked, trying to grip the shreds of her dignity together and put a little distance between them.
                  Michael frowned down into her eyes as he looked deep. “Let me in Layla. I’ll