Chapter 5-2
655 Words
After reaching the hallway outside the auditorium, she stopped, clutching her stomach. Oh God, she was going to throw up. Yes, she’d vomit right here on the scuffed floor. Then she could march back in and explain that she was sick. That’s why she’d done such a stupid thing. Food poisoning or something.
She bent over, stomach heaving.
A warm hand settled on her back. A male voice, like molasses over gravel, resonated above her. “Are you okay, Evie?”
She straightened. Sean Marcus stood over her. This close, he was even more overwhelmingly masculine. His scent, sort of woodsy and clean, cleared her head.
“No. I’m not.”
“You did the right thing. How could you even think about endorsing that guy?”
Suddenly furious, she lashed out at him—physically. Actually thrust her hand against his hard chest. “This is your fault.”
He caught her hand by the wrist. The strength of his grip made her catch her breath. He seemed more amused than upset, which for some reason got her even more riled up. “How do you figure that?”
“I was fine before you showed up. The right words were on the tip of my tongue. I was about to say them but you were staring at me with that look.”
“Look?”
“Like I’m some kind of sellout. A coward.” She ripped her hand away from his and stalked down the hallway. “This is ridiculous. You don’t know anything, and why would you care anyway?” She had to get out of here and try to regain some kind of composure. She felt almost as if she’d just stripped n***d in front of all of Jupiter Point.
Everyone was going to be talking now. Everyone would want to know why in God’s name was she “unable” to endorse Jupiter Point’s own candidate for state representative.
And she couldn’t explain, not unless she wanted to get even more n***d. Metaphorically speaking.
Sean Marcus was still pacing next to her, all sexy and rugged and confident. Just inside the big double doors that led to the front steps of the high school, she whirled on him. “Why did you even come back here?”
He leaned one hand on the door over her head. To open it? Keep her from opening it? Hard to tell. “Why shouldn’t I? I’m a good firefighter. You might need me one of these days.”
The wicked gleam in his eye gave her the shivers. “I won’t. I mean, I suppose the town might need you, if there’s a fire, but I don’t. I mean, for anything other than a fire.”
Apparently she’d temporarily lost all control over her own utterances. He was looking at her closely, as if he could see inside and see every little butterfly careening around her belly. “You’re worried I might say something. About that night.”
“I’m not a coward,” she blurted out. “I have reasons. Lots of reason. My mother’s been ill, she doesn’t handle stress well, and you know what my family’s like—” She pressed her lips together to stop the flow of words.
Enough was enough. No more blurting out things that should just stay locked in the past. Sean Marcus wouldn’t understand anyway. He was the embodiment of confidence. You might even say arrogance. He didn’t worry about what people said about him. He didn’t care about keeping the peace.
In fact he disrupted the peace. He was disrupting hers right now.
“Look, Evie.” The sound of her name on his lips sent an odd thrill through her. “I’m not here to make trouble, but I don’t mind trouble either. Hell, I’m used to it. If you need me to—”
The door of the auditorium opened and Mrs. Murphy stepped out. She scanned the hallway avidly then homed in on Evie and Sean.
“Uh oh,” Evie whispered. “That’s the entire Jupiter Point grapevine coming at us right now.”
“Go,” ordered Sean. “I’ll head her off.”
She nodded gratefully and pushed open the door.
“And Evie,” he called after her. “If you want some tips on keeping your head in a firestorm, come on out to the base. Happy to help.”
Without another glance at him, she ran across the dark parking lot. Screw Sean Marcus. Screw Brad White. This was exactly why she avoided men completely. She was going nowhere near that base, not a chance.
- Writer
