Soar
“Yes.”
I took a chance that he was being honest and that we were on the same page. “And was there actually a wolf?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t a random wolf acting alone.”
I wanted to tell him about the guy with wings, but then he’d just think I was crazy. That part couldn’t have been real. “How could a wolf act with someone else? Like someone trained him and sent him after me?”
He looked away. “I can’t say much else. It’s just that you’re being targeted, and I don’t know why.”
“Targeted?”
“Eric doesn’t think that the wolf was trying to hurt you.”
“Not hurt me? Why else would it have cornered me and then lunged for me.”
“Eric didn’t get outside in time, but he says it wasn’t the first time he’s sensed the wolf. He’d seen wolves around weeks before the attacks started.”
“The attacks? The ones in the parks?” The news reports were becoming more and more frequent, but they never seemed to have any new information to share.
“And out in Jersey.”
“Putting aside the fact that giant wolves are attacking people, why has a wolf been hanging around the coffee shop? And why didn’t it want to kill me? The others were killed.”
“It wants you for something…I guess. And it’s not just wolves behind the attacks. It’s also bears.”
“Bears? There are bears roaming the streets of New York now?” I gave him a skeptical look. If I hadn’t seen the wolf with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed a word of it.
“Yes, but the bottom line is you’re being targeted. I don’t know by who exactly or why, but you are.”
“And Eric wants to protect me? I thought he was trying to sleep with me.” I finally sat back. “My mistake.”
“He does want to sleep with you, hence the push to protect you. Or so he says.”
“Is that why you’re helping me?”
He paled. “Not the only reason.”
Did he actually say that?
“Don’t look so surprised. Like I said, it’s not the only reason. I care about you, and I’m not going to let you get hurt. That’s all that matters.”
I processed the new information. So far, Toby hadn’t done anything to make me doubt him, but giant wolves and bears attacking the city were hard to believe. I needed time to think, and I wasn’t going to get that at his place. “I think I’m going to head home.”
“That anxious to get out of here, huh?” There was a lightness to his voice that let me know he understood.
“Not that I don’t want to stay and hang out, but I’m ready for a shower.”
“You didn’t like the one in your room?”
“After having a strange guy nearly knock down your door, taking a shower was out of the question.”
“You can take one now.” He gestured to the guest room door.
“My clean clothes are at home anyway.”
“Okay, either way. I’m not going to fight you on it considering you’re not showering with me so I get no benefit from it.”
I laughed. “You always do that.”
“Do what?” He sipped his coffee, picking up a paper I hadn’t even noticed him bring in.
“Throw in random sexual comments when I’m not expecting them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His sheepish grin was kind of cute.
“You just implied you wanted to take a shower with me.”
He shrugged. “Sometimes they just come out.”
“Yeah, for me too. I did make the spoon comment.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, but I took that one step further.”
“I totally opened myself up for it.”
“That you did.” He set down the paper. “What did you think of Jared?”
Hot. I kept that thought to myself. “Pushy and arrogant.”
“Yeah, doesn’t surprise me. I’m sorry you had to deal with him.”
“It wasn’t a big deal.” Hopefully, he’d never know about me wielding a lamp.
“Next time that happens, call me and don’t open the door.”
“Next time? That implies I’ll be waking up here again.”
“You will be. Preferably it won’t be in my guest room though.” He winked. “I guess I just did it again.”
“You can be really weird.” He was different from most of the guys I knew. He had confidence, but it came across almost geeky.
“Can I?”
“Yeah…but in a cute way.”
“Does that mean you’ll go out with me again?”
“Yes, but this time can I pick the restaurant?”
“Definitely…but I have a better idea.”
“Oh yeah?” I asked with interest. Was he thinking about a place like that Sprite café again?
“Let’s cook here. You spent more time checking out my kitchen than you do checking me out.”
“That might be too tempting of an offer to turn down. When were you thinking?”
“Tomorrow night? I figure we can take one night off in between.”
“All right. Is it safe to assume someone’s going to be watching my apartment?” I knew I was in danger, but I wasn’t going to let that get in the way of living my life. If having Toby set up security could help, I was okay with it.
“Yes. But they won’t be watching you. I can assure you of that.”
“I’d hope not…otherwise I might as well stay here.”
“That offer’s always on the table.”
“I’ll take my chances at home.”
“All right. Let me finish this coffee and then I’ll walk you home.”
“You don’t have to do that. I should be fine in broad daylight.”
He smiled. “I don’t have to, but I want to. Sometimes it’s nice to get what you want.”
***
“What are you staring at?” I caught Eric watching me for at least the third time Sunday afternoon. I wanted him to go back to his general policy of ignoring me unless he wanted to annoy me.
“I’m just looking in the same general direction of where you happen to be.”
“Do you have to do that?”
“I don’t have to, but I like to.”
“Fantastic.”
He got off his stool and strode toward me. I should have just ignored him. “Have a nice time with Toby?”