Free Zenith Falling by Leanne Davis

to.”
    She didn’t know what to say. Why was he being so kind to her? Finally, she gratefully nodded her acceptance. What else could she do? She certainly didn’t have the money.
    “I didn’t plan on coming to see you,” she explained. “But it just seemed like I needed to reassure you, I don’t know, let you know how much it meant to me. That I didn’t take it lightly.”
    “The last thing I would expect you to do is take things lightly . You’ve never been one take anything lightly, even as a teenager.” What did that mean? She couldn’t bear to keep eye contact with him any longer. It made her skin flash from hot to cold and left her stomach churning with nerves.
    “I also thought –”
    “Thought what?”
    “That maybe you might suspect I was pulling a scam on you.”
    “Like your mother? ” His voice was low and kind. He knew her family’s history. “No, I didn’t think that.”
    “Why not? Why d idn’t you think that?”
    “Because you didn’t expect for us to meet up again, nor could you have known I’d be passing by the church again that night , now, could you? Quit worrying so much about it. I’m not.”
    The words sounded so soothing, and simple to follow. Yet , it felt like so much more to her. Too much. Why was that? Was it because they were being spoken to her by someone who shouldn’t be so kind to her? Or so soothing to her? Rob said things like that to her, but she couldn’t believe him. He didn’t know or care what she worried about, or even understand the kinds of things she fretted over.
    “Thank you,” she said quietly as she got up. She flipped her coat off, suddenly feeling too hot in her strange reaction to Nick.
    “What is that?”
    “What’s what?” Joelle asked, looking down as she followed Nick’s gaze.
    “On your arm?”
    “Oh. Our initials. My husband’s and mine.” She held out her wrist.
    “Like wedding rings?”
    She laughed. “Like we couldn’t afford much in the way of weddings rings, so we did this to start.”
    “Huh. Very permanent.”
    “That was the idea. Being married and all.”
    Nick got up and walked with her towards the door to his office. Was he going to call her escort back to make sure she left properly secured? But no, he merely opened the door politely for her. She started through, then turned at the last second and said, “The other day, why did you say I could call you if I needed anything?”
    “Because you can.”
    She stared at the toe of her boot before she looked up at him. “But why? Why would you say that to me? I’m a stranger. A nothing.”
    “You’re not a nothing.” His tone was so quiet and gentle, it made goose bumps break out over her skin. It was as if he just caressed her, not merely spoken to her.
    “Well , to you, I am.”
    His gazed scanned her face. He ran a hand through his faint, barely-there beard. It was sexy as hell. She was surprised he’d let his scruff go for a few days. He seemed the type to always be clean-shaven and perfect. She forced herself to look down, away from him and thoughts about his sexy, barely-there beard. She didn’t go for guys with beards… so seriously, what was wrong with her?
    “Joelle, did you think that I was using that to come on to you? Is that what has you so worked up?
    “No. No of course not, I just wondered.”
    “If I were coming on to you, trust me, you wouldn’t have to ask me if I were.”
    She swallowed, what could she say to that? Of course , he wouldn’t be coming onto her. She was married. She was… well… she was everything he would no doubt avoid in a date.
    “You have crap for family. I know that. I was merely offering my help if you needed it again. Because like it or not, you could need it.”
    She nodded. It was more than anyone else did for her. Maybe that’s why she didn’t trust his intentions towards her. She’d learned a long time ago, she could trust no one, but herself.
    She turned and left the office, still berating herself for