Fallen (23 page)

“Really?” I was intrigued. “So why did I end up in the hedge? Hmm?”

He grinned at me. “Now
that
wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t been counter-steering.”

“
H
ow was I supposed to know you were trying to handle the bike for me? I just wanted to avoid crashing.”

He threw back his head and laughed, quietly
but
full of
passion.
Finally subsiding,
he spoke again
in
a
hushed
tone
. “It’s also how I got through your balcony doors tonight. I can pick
locks,
without even having to touch them.”

“Really?
That
must
come in handy…” I mused.

“I
t
does
.” He beamed
mischievously
at me.
“But I don’t want to startle you. I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t sensed that you wanted to speak to me.”

“Thanks
,
but it really doesn’t bother me. I have nothing to hide.”

“
I see
,” he mumbled thoughtfully. “I wish I could say the same.”

The severity of his tone made me
fall
still, a reaction he must have sensed
.
Tension
surged
b
etween us
again;
although
,
this time it
was uncomfortable
.

“If you have nothing further…
,
” he said
,
standing
suddenly.
He was
tight-lipped
, not bothering
to wait
on a
reply
from me
before heading
toward
the balcony
.

“Wait!”
Not wanting him to leave,
I reached out and grabbed his arm
.
I
was instantly reminded how hot he was to the touch when our skin made contact.
It almost felt like
a flame had solidified, and I was holding it.
Without thinking
,
I jerked my hand back
.

“Are you hurt?” he
urgently
asked
. I detected
softness
in his voice.

“No, I…I just don’t want you to leave.”
I couldn’t believe my ego
just
allowed me to speak those words.

“
I think
it is
best,
” h
e
said
,
turning to
face
the door
.
“I’ve told you all I can.”

“
But…
I still don’t understand who you are…
,
”
I whispered.
My voice sounded as if I
was
pleading.

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead
,
he
turned back
toward
me,
his expression
slowly changing
into
longing
.
The look on his face
made me
feel ashamed to have asked
a
nd desperation
came over me,
reflecting
my own needs
. I wanted
to help him answer
,
but I knew any sound I made would threaten the delicate balance he was
clearly
now
fighting
. In the end, he erred on the side of caution
and
chose not
to tell me the truth.
“You know my name
…
,” he stated
finally
.

“There’s more to you than
a name
,” I replied
,
almost
sounding bitter
.
“Even if you won’t tell me, I see it. Whatever you are holding back
…
whatever your secret
s
are
…
you can share them with me
;
I won’t judge you.”

I saw a
flicker of uneas
e
cross his face
, I assume
d
in reaction
to my insight
.

I heard footsteps outside my door
and realized someone was approaching.
Despite Eran’s searing heat, I instantly
grabbed
his
arm again
;
wanting
to make sure he didn’t get away.

Sure enough, after a quick knock, Felix’s head popped through the narrowly opened door.

“Ready for dessert?” he asked
,
gleaming like a kid who’d just been given a cookie.

He looked directly at me…not
beyond
,
where I
was
still
holding
Eran’s arm.

I yawn
ed
as convincingly as possible –
which proved to be
a challenge
since my heart was racing from the excitement of Eran being here and the trepidation surrounding our conversation.
“I’m more
tired than hungry,
but thanks Felix.”

“Are you certain? Its rhubarb pie made with gluten-free, corn crust!”

“I’m sure. Thanks,” I said
, waiting
for Felix to close the door before turning back to Eran.

I released Eran’s arm
, snapping my hand away and shaking it vigorously
;
as if that would stop the
pain tingling
through my fingers
,
reaching
up my palm.

“How is it you are so hot all the tim
e?” I asked, staring at my hand, amazed
that
once again
no damage had been done.

“Sorry about that,” he said,
although
he was grinning. “Sort of goes with the territory.”

I shook my head
in
exasperation.
“Do you know how hard it is for me to have you stand here and
still
not be able to figure you out?”

He
scoffed
.
“Do you have any idea how difficult you make this for me?”

“Make
what
difficult exactly?”

“Being around yo
u. You’re impossible to please, you know.
You think
I’m
puzzling
…
you’re
the enigma, Magdalene…
y
ou don’t want to be rescued even when it is painfully obvious you need it. You keep me busier than I’ve ever been…and that’s saying something!
Y
ou have a desperate
desire
to help others
,
ye
t
you never let anyone else close enough to help you
.
”

I was
disturbed
by his rant
…
especially
because he seemed to know
me so well i
n such a short amount of time
.

Silence filled the room as we stared at each other, his intense eyes boring
into
me.

When I spoke my voice was no higher than a whisper. “
You know, even if I’m important to you, as you say…i
t
still
doesn’t seem
as if
you like me. I don’t understand why you’re trying to
help
me at all.”

He moved a step closer
, his body heat hit
ting
me like a
tidal
wave
so forcefully that
I had to steady myself against the bed. He
must have
thought this meant I was
taking a step back
because he
froze
in reaction
, b
ut when he spoke his voice was
tender
.

“It will be much easier on you if you simply let me do what I need to do.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like I have much choice in the matter, does it?” I
spoke lightly
.

He laughed
.
“No, you don’t.”

I shook my head, truly mystified
. W
hy wouldn’t
he
just tell me
what he was holding back
?
Then
I looked up
and saw
his smile
and
it became more difficult to breath.
How could he be so handsome when I was so
angry
at him?