“Do you need a ride home?” Nicole asked, looking at my line of vision. “Craig and I are headed home. Come on. He looks busy anyway.” Nicole looped her arms around mine and led me away from where we were standing.

When I felt the phone vibrate in my purse, I took it out.

“Let me get this,” I said to Nicole.

Where are you? Are you ready to go home?

Who is this?

Matt

Surprised to get a text from him, I flashed my eyes to him. He was gazing around, searching for me.

Why don’t you stay? My friend Nicole is here. She’ll take me home.

No. I promised Jenna and Max that I would take you home.

I don’t need a babysitter. I can go home with anyone I want. You can stay and entertain your friends. I don’t want to intrude.

Jealous?

What? No!

I was.

What?

“Sorry about that,” I said to Nicole, but she wasn’t looking at me. She was staring at something or someone behind me. When I turned out of curiosity, Matthew was standing in front of me with that killer smile.

“Hi,” he said to Nicole, extending his hand to shake hers, then Craig’s. “I’m Matthew, the one who will be taking her home.”

“Max’s younger brother,” I intervened with a roll of my eyes.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Nicole replied, looking baffled, most likely thinking she had seen him flirting with those other women and now he wanted to take me home.

Turning to Nicole, I hugged her and whispered in her ear. “Don’t ask. I’ll call you later.” After we said our good-byes, I started to walk out the door while Matthew paced right behind me. I wasn’t going to walk beside him and pretend we were a couple. When I felt his hands on my shoulders, evidently not wanting to lose me, I slapped them. I heard a chuckle and then his hands were on me again. I slapped them again, but he didn’t give up. Grrr! Then he wrapped his arms around me from behind so I couldn’t move my arms as he led us toward the exit.

“Oh my God! Get off me!” I yelled over the loud music. Feeling like a puppet and unable to escape, I had no choice but to give in. I didn’t mind it so much. He felt good holding me.

“Just keeping myself safe, Becca. These women are trying to throw themselves at me. But you don’t mind saving me, right?” His warm breath brushed the side of my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

Yeah, I had to admit, feeling his hard body against mine not only made me wither, I liked it way too much. “I don’t think it’s you that needs saving, rather the ladies, instead.”

His chest vibrated against my back from his laugh, and he squeezed me tighter as he led us out.

10

I HAD TO ADMIT, I liked how Matthew was so protective over me, but at the same time, I had to bring myself back to reality and remember that he did it out of obligation. After he walked me to the door, which was totally unnecessary but very gentlemanly, I thought he was going to leave. Instead, he took off his suit jacket, slung it over the sofa and asked to use the bathroom.

“Why can’t I use your restroom,” Matthew asked with a challenging tone.

“I…umm…” Due to his unexpected question, I spurt out the first excuse I could think of. “Because I’m going to use it.” I really didn’t need to though.

“Then I’ll wait here, but hurry. I need to go.” He plopped on my bed.

“You can use Jenna’s.” I pointed, closing my bathroom door as I entered.

“No, thanks. I want to use yours.” I heard him say.

Seriously? He had to use my bathroom. Why?

“Hurry Bec…ca,” he sang, whistling a tune.

After I took care of business, I came out to find Matthew sprawled out on my bed. I knew he wasn’t trying to look seductive, but the way he was lying on his side with his hand tucked underneath his head for support, he looked like one of those GQ models on a steamy photo shoot. Now if only he had his shirt off.

Snapping out of my thoughts that could get me in trouble, I paced toward my closet to look for a change of comfortable clothes and gestured to Matthew that the bathroom was all his. Instead of heading there, he went to my bookshelves. Hmmm…he wasn’t in a hurry to use the restroom now. He was just being a pest.

“Is that a picture of your family?” he asked, pointing to a picture frame.

I walked to where he stood. “Yes. That’s my mom, dad, and my sister.”

His eyes flickered to my face, back to the picture, then to the bookshelf again. “You read all these books?” A sincere tone rang from his question.

Feeling proud and slightly embarrassed, I nodded. “Some of these books are my clients.” I pulled one out. “This one is one of my favorites. It’s about a nephilim, half-angel and half-human, who falls in love with a human. They love each other so much, but it’s forbidden. They go through struggles and tribulations, especially from the evil angels; but his love for her conquers the darkness. It is undeniable, unbreakable, unconditional; a love that stands through time. Anyway, Michael is wonderful,” I gushed.

“May I see it?”

Before I could answer, he placed his hand over the book. Unable to register what he was asking fast enough, his hands were over mine. Peering up to his eyes from feeling the warmth of him, an electrical sensation ignited through me. As his eyes were set on mine, not even a breath released; we stood there in silence, just staring…searching…connecting.