Read Online That Girl by H.J. Bellus - Free Book Online Page B

streetlight.
    “Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit,” I repeat trying to catch my breath.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
    “It’s okay. I’m known to be a little jumpy from time to time.”
    “I just had to wait to see if you were all right. I could tell you didn’t want me to come to you in the restaurant.”
    “I thought you were pissed off when you left,” I respond, bending over to pick up my bag of ice.
    I’m so scatterbrained I try to pick it up with my injured wrist and immediately writhe in pain.
    “Here, sit down,” Lincoln says.
    He gently grabs my upper arm and guides me to the edge of the sidewalk. He sits down right next to me, laying my arm on the top of his leg, and then placing the ice on it. Accidentally, I let out a little grunt when the piercing cold bag hits my throbbing wrist.
    “That bad?” he asks.
    “It’s an old injury. Never healed right, and when that guy…” I trail off trying not to bring up the incident.
    “Well, that guy will never be bothering you again, I can assure you.”
    “You didn’t have to do any of that.”
    “Are you fucking kidding me?” he growls.
    I instantly tense at the tone of his voice. Call it a natural reaction. The visible blood on his knuckles haunts me too. When I flinch, the ice falls to the ground.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just can’t believe he had the balls to treat you like that,” he says, picking up the ice and placing it on my now numb wrist.
    “It’s fine, really.”
    “Well, let’s not spend our time arguing over something we will never agree on,” Lincoln says.
    “You didn’t have to tip me so much tonight,” I say, not able to look him in the eyes.
    “Another topic we won’t agree on,” he says.
    Awkward silence fills the street for a few minutes. Using my other hand, I rub his knuckles and feel the crusted blood on them. Everything inside me wants to thank him and kiss him on the cheek, but I don’t.
    “So,” he says, catching my attention.
    Looking up at him, I see a smirk spread across his face.
    “What?” I ask.
    “Did you really call me by the wrong name while I was defending your honor and beating the shit out of a scum bag?”
    I feel my cheeks redden, remembering that very embarrassing moment. Thank goodness some of his teammates corrected me before I called it to his face.
    “Yes,” I say, staring down at the paved road between my feet.
    “Look at me.” Lincoln pulls his hand from my roaming fingers and lifts my chin to look up at him. “Why are you sitting on the curb talking to a complete stranger?”
    “I don’t know,” I say, shrugging.
    “What if I’m a bad guy?”
    “It wouldn’t matter. I’m nobody,” I reply, without thinking through my words.
    “All I know is you are either Oakley or Jodie. Each time I’ve seen you, you’ve had two different name badges on. The day at the coffee shop I asked your name, and you were a smartass, but before driving I noticed your name badge.”
    “It’s Oakley, but my name has never really defined me. You could call me Stacey tomorrow.”
    “And what if I’m the bad guy?”
    “I have pepper spray on my keychain.”
    A prideful smile covers his face, “Good girl.”
    “Why are you here?” I ask.
    “Because I want to be. I went back to the coffee shop a couple of times, but you weren’t working. I didn’t want them to think I was a stalker.”
    I giggle at his explanation.
    “Plus that crazy blonde spotted me once, and she scares me a bit.”
    “Me too. That’s Jenni, Danielle’s niece; Danielle is the one I work for. I work at the bakery and coffee shop.”
    “So, if you’re not at the coffee shop, I can come buy a doughnut?” he asks.
    “I guess.”
    “Wow, that was convincing.”
    “Sorry, I just...I just don’t know how to do this…talk to you.”
    “Let me show you,” he whispers into my ear.
    My whole body wants to melt into him, let him hold me and tell me everything will be okay, but I