Free Linked by Barbara Huffert Page A

You need to relax.”
    “I know. I’m sorry I’m acting like such a wacko but I never had anyone stay with me before and I’m a little nervous.”
    “I get that but there’s no reason to be. You don’t have to entertain me. Pretend I’m not even here. Just do whatever you normally do. I’ll stay out of your way. I mean it. Even if your nightly routine is to put on some sultry blues and spend hours perfecting your striptease and then, once you’re naked, exercising your flexibility, I promise not to interrupt.”
    “Now that’s ridiculous.” She pushed his shoulder.
    “Watch it there, tiger. Shoving a cop is just as bad as slugging one.”
    “Oh, just shut up.” She laughed. “But thanks for calming me down.”
    “Anytime. Now since it’s late and neither of us got much sleep last night, may I suggest you save the show for morning and turn in? I’m going to as soon as I check my email.”
    “Okay, Guy. ‘Night.” She shifted from foot to foot, waiting for him to release her hand.
    “Hmm.” He tilted his head. “Nope.”
    “Nope?”
    “Nope, that didn’t feel right.” Guy urged her against him for a hug. “Close but not perfect.” He tipped her chin and kissed her softly. “Goodnight, Tori.”
    “Mm.” She blushed. “Much better. See you in the morning.”
    Guy stayed where he was until he heard the door to Tori’s room close. If he moved sooner he might have given into the impulse to follow her and kiss her goodnight until it was time to kiss her good morning. Yes, that would definitely be breaking the promise he’d made to Barry less than an hour earlier not to rush things with Tori until they were both sure they weren’t merely reacting to the stress of the situation.
     
    Concentrating intently on one of the news reports that Todd’s email directed him to, Guy jumped so fast he knocked over his chair when a scream shattered the silence. Instinctively, he grabbed his gun and was at Tori’s bedroom door before it registered that her screams were a result of a nightmare. Just to be on the safe side, Guy pushed open the door cautiously and scanned her room before reengaging the safety and placing the gun on her dresser.
    Without thinking, Guy captured Tori’s hands as she fought the tangled mess of covers and sat next to her. In the dim light from his room, he saw Tori’s glazed eyes switch from fear to pure terror as she woke from her dream only to find herself trapped by a huge figure looming beside her.
    “No,” Tori cried in panic as she twisted to escape. When his grip tightened and he attempted to draw her closer, she screamed nonstop and fought with all her might.
    “Oh Christ.” Guy realized his mistake and released her. “Tori,” he spoke softly as he moved off the bed and flipped on the light. “It’s me, Tori, Guy. It’s just me. Please, Tori, look at me.”
    “Guy,” Tori managed as she gasped for breath.
    “That’s right, Tori, just Guy. Christ, I’m an idiot,” Guy continued to apologize even after Tori squirmed into his arms.
    When her breathing returned to normal, she tried to get his attention several times without success. He didn’t notice until she nipped his shoulder. “I’m okay now. You can loosen up some.”
    “Maybe you are but what about me? You scared me half to death, screaming like that.”
    “Hey, I warned you.”
    “I know but I sure as hell wasn’t expecting that. I guess I thought you were exaggerating and that it only seemed like you were screaming. I figured you’d be the same as my youngest sister, Brigit, was when we were kids. She had bad dreams after I told her there were trolls living under our porch. I had her convinced the only way they wouldn’t eat her was if she gave them the treat Mom packed in her lunch every day before school.”
    “How old were you?” Tori asked, knowing he was using this to distract her.
    “I was nine and she was seven.”
    “How could you?”
    “Hey, it wasn’t as easy as you think. Giti