Free After We Fall by Marquita Valentine Page B

a tremor runs through her body. “I understand, but I need you to let go of me before I scream.”
    Damn it. I wish that I didn’t have Jake with me right now. Two hands with Evangeline are a hell of a lot better than one. “Can you give me second, angel? I have to make sure you won’t fall.”
    Her fingers curl into my shirt, pressing so hard that I can feel her nails. “Please.”
    Slowly pulling my arm out from behind her, I check the position of Jake’s leash and pause. “Evangeline, the leash is behind both of your legs. I need you to lift your right foot. Can you do that for me, sweetheart?”
    With a nod, her leg lifts far off the ground so that I can clear my dog’s leash. “Good job. Now the left, and you’re done.”
    Another tremor and a quick lift frees her from danger. She pulls away from me, her chest heaving as she does. “Thank you.”
    “Do you still want to hear my story?”
    “I don’t know.”
    At least she’s honest with me. “How about if I see you at the park tomorrow, I’ll share with you over tacos. If not, then maybe another time. Either way, Jake will be a happy camper.”
    “Okay.”
    “Night, Evangeline.” I leave before she does, even while I keep an ear out for her footsteps. While I don’t want her to fear me more than she already does, I won’t compromise her safety. And to a cop, every situation is potentially dangerous.
    When I catch the echo of her steps, I allow Jake to run up the porch steps. Once I open the door, I unhook the leash and let him go. He bounds up the stairs and stops at the top, waiting for me.
    “You don’t have to hold the door for me,” Evangeline says, and I turn. She’s sitting on the bottom step.
    “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    She bows her head, exposing the slender lines of her neck. “Not yet, but I’m getting there.”
    “You’ll get there. If my mom could, then anyone can,” I say.
    Jerking around, she stares at me, her lips parted. “Your mom?”
    “Yeah,” I say gruffly. “She’s part of the reason why I became a cop.”
    “Was she like me?”
    I know what she’s asking, but I need her to come to the park tomorrow. I’m almost one hundred percent certain that if I spill all my secrets to her now, she won’t bother. Yeah, it’s selfish of me, but I don’t give a damn.
    Yet, I can’t play head games with her, either.
    “A little.”
    Her gaze runs over me. “Night, Hunter.”
    Without replying, I let the door shut behind me and jog up the stairs. It’s all I can do to keep my focus off her. I scratch behind one of Jake’s ears. “Good boy.”
    As I stride down the hallway, Jake trots alongside me. On the one hand I feel like this afternoon with Evangeline was a step in the right direction, but on the other, her reaction to being grabbed by me, even to keep her from getting hurt, felt like a million steps back. None of it is her fault, and that’s not something I’m struggling with.
    What I am struggling with—this driving desire to have her in my life.

Chapter 8
Evangeline
    I avoid the dog park, and basically the entire park in general, for the next week. Working at the animal shelter helps keep me busy and my mind off things.
Him.
Well, mostly, but I haven’t been on any walks this week, either. Call me a coward, but I don’t care.
    Besides, I’m not afraid of Hunter.
    Actually, I’m terrified by my reaction to him, by how disturbingly
nice
it was to be held like that. For a man’s hand to protect instead of hurt. A strong arm to prevent me from falling instead of holding me down.
    Who am I kidding? Being held by Hunter was more than nice, more than great…quite simply it was exquisite. For a brief moment, I felt normal, safe, and protected. For a brief moment, I was a woman being held by a man.
    Until I wasn’t. Until all I could feel was Penn’s hand, Penn’s arm keeping me prisoner while he corrected my behavior, my forgetfulness…or my breathing too loudly.
    Memories threaten to rise, but I