![[B.S. #1] Tied Up in Knotts](https://fs.dianahicksbooks.com/543372/thumbs/152x264/bs-1-tied-up-in-knotts.jpg)
and again without stopping.
Avery must be in trouble. James didn’t stop to think. He ran to the back of the hallway and up the stairs. Reaching the apartment door, he pulled the keys out of his pocket. Avery might be mad when she realized that they had not made the floor of the apartment soundproof. James wanted to be able to hear if she needed help at any time. He originally wanted a bug, but Clay had talked him out of it. They had compromised with the floor being made out of wood that sound could travel through.
Unlocking the door, James looked around. Nothing seemed out of place. Boxes still sat where they had been placed earlier.
James heard the wretched sound again. It sounded so sorrowful. James steadily made his way to the bedroom. He didn’t want to scare her. Maybe she was just having a bad dream. After the day she had with Danny and his gang, she might be dreaming of them back at her old apartment.
As silently as he could, James turned the knob of the bedroom door. What he saw took his breath away and pulled at his heartstrings. Avery was sitting in the middle of the bed with her head held in both her hands, sobbing like she had lost her best friend.
James hurried to her bedside and couldn’t stop himself from gathering her up in his arms. Avery struggled as she felt James’s arms wrapped around her. She hadn’t heard him come into the room. It wasn’t until she heard his voice telling her everything was OK that she stopped fighting.
Shrinking back into his arms, Avery took a deep breath and hiccupped. She just allowed herself to breathe him in. The strong arms now fully around her were comforting. Avery felt safe. They sat like that for a long time. James didn’t move except to keep stroking her hair, trying to soothe her. And if she wasn’t mistaken he would every now and then kiss her on the top of her head.
Sitting up, Avery pushed James’s arms away. Wiping her face with her hand, she took the Kleenex that James passed to her. Oh God, she didn’t want James to think that she needed protection. Part of her job was to protect this place and here she was the first night, crying and making a fool of herself. She would never live it down. If James told Clay, she was probably out of a job as well. Looking up at James through red-rimmed eyes, she looked at his large body sitting on the bed next to her.
“Sorry, what must you think of me?” Avery struggled to pull her nightgown down and get off the bed. James pulled her back into his arms.
“I think you had a hard day. Sometime things get to the best of us.”
Avery tried again to regain her dignity and get off the bed and out of James’s arms. Finally with her small push at his chest, James let her leave the bed. He wanted to comfort her. He didn’t want to let her go, but looking at her staring up at him, he pulled his emotions back. He had to remember that she didn’t know him that well yet. If he made any move toward her now, she looked like she would run and never trust him.
“Don’t tell me that, James. I doubt that you cry when thing get too much for you. You look like you could handle anything thrown your way.” Avery looked at James with her green eyes still swimming with tears.
James got up and stood stiffly beside the bed, not letting himself reach for her. “You’re right, I usually throw something.”
“You don’t look like you throw things around. Tell me another one.” The doubt was heavy in Avery’s voice now.
James passed his hand through his hair, a habit he had when he didn’t know what to say. James knew he had to think of something to say to get her to trust him. After all, he had technically broken into her apartment and she would soon be coming to that conclusion.
“No, you’re right. I usually take it out at the gym when I can’t reach a conclusion that settles my brain. I take it out on a punching bag or take a round out of one of the guys that’s stupid enough to stick around when I’m in a mood.
Avery must be in trouble. James didn’t stop to think. He ran to the back of the hallway and up the stairs. Reaching the apartment door, he pulled the keys out of his pocket. Avery might be mad when she realized that they had not made the floor of the apartment soundproof. James wanted to be able to hear if she needed help at any time. He originally wanted a bug, but Clay had talked him out of it. They had compromised with the floor being made out of wood that sound could travel through.
Unlocking the door, James looked around. Nothing seemed out of place. Boxes still sat where they had been placed earlier.
James heard the wretched sound again. It sounded so sorrowful. James steadily made his way to the bedroom. He didn’t want to scare her. Maybe she was just having a bad dream. After the day she had with Danny and his gang, she might be dreaming of them back at her old apartment.
As silently as he could, James turned the knob of the bedroom door. What he saw took his breath away and pulled at his heartstrings. Avery was sitting in the middle of the bed with her head held in both her hands, sobbing like she had lost her best friend.
James hurried to her bedside and couldn’t stop himself from gathering her up in his arms. Avery struggled as she felt James’s arms wrapped around her. She hadn’t heard him come into the room. It wasn’t until she heard his voice telling her everything was OK that she stopped fighting.
Shrinking back into his arms, Avery took a deep breath and hiccupped. She just allowed herself to breathe him in. The strong arms now fully around her were comforting. Avery felt safe. They sat like that for a long time. James didn’t move except to keep stroking her hair, trying to soothe her. And if she wasn’t mistaken he would every now and then kiss her on the top of her head.
Sitting up, Avery pushed James’s arms away. Wiping her face with her hand, she took the Kleenex that James passed to her. Oh God, she didn’t want James to think that she needed protection. Part of her job was to protect this place and here she was the first night, crying and making a fool of herself. She would never live it down. If James told Clay, she was probably out of a job as well. Looking up at James through red-rimmed eyes, she looked at his large body sitting on the bed next to her.
“Sorry, what must you think of me?” Avery struggled to pull her nightgown down and get off the bed. James pulled her back into his arms.
“I think you had a hard day. Sometime things get to the best of us.”
Avery tried again to regain her dignity and get off the bed and out of James’s arms. Finally with her small push at his chest, James let her leave the bed. He wanted to comfort her. He didn’t want to let her go, but looking at her staring up at him, he pulled his emotions back. He had to remember that she didn’t know him that well yet. If he made any move toward her now, she looked like she would run and never trust him.
“Don’t tell me that, James. I doubt that you cry when thing get too much for you. You look like you could handle anything thrown your way.” Avery looked at James with her green eyes still swimming with tears.
James got up and stood stiffly beside the bed, not letting himself reach for her. “You’re right, I usually throw something.”
“You don’t look like you throw things around. Tell me another one.” The doubt was heavy in Avery’s voice now.
James passed his hand through his hair, a habit he had when he didn’t know what to say. James knew he had to think of something to say to get her to trust him. After all, he had technically broken into her apartment and she would soon be coming to that conclusion.
“No, you’re right. I usually take it out at the gym when I can’t reach a conclusion that settles my brain. I take it out on a punching bag or take a round out of one of the guys that’s stupid enough to stick around when I’m in a mood.
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