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She yelped and hugged the backpack to her chest. Samuel moved faster, snatching up her coat and holding it for her to shove her arms into as the sky opened up. She wrapped the coat around her bag then jumped as a band of iron pressed against her back.
Jessica glanced up, which was when she realized it wasn’t iron pressed against her. It was Samuel’s arm wrapped around her.
Had he ever touched her before?
“Come on,” he said, snapping her out of her stupor.
If only he understood all she wanted to do was savor the moment.
God, she had it bad.
Chapter Three
Thursday. Recovery Facility, Undisclosed.
Samuel barreled through the east entry with Jessica pressed close to his side. He was drenched right down to his shoes.
“Careful!” he snapped as Jessica kept going almost right off the entry mat where her soaking shoes would no doubt slip. A fall could twist or tear still delicate tissue that was healing.
He tightened his hold around her, spinning them to face the doors.
Jessica’s hand and cheek pressed to his chest. “Jesus, I am being careful!”
“You could have slipped.”
“But I didn’t.” She pushed at him and he reluctantly let her go. “Why do you have to ruin perfectly fine moments being an asshole? You know I can walk on my own? I’m perfectly capable of putting one foot in front of the other.”
He clamped his mouth shut.
Maybe he did go overboard, but Jessica had no concern for her own safety. She did too much. She took too many chances. Someone needed to look out for her, and since it was just them that fell to him.
Jessica shook the water off her puffy coat then opened it to peer at the laptop.
“Did it get wet?” he asked.
She peered up at him, her glare ready to peel his skin off. “I’m sure you want to toss it out into the rain.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Whatever, Samuel. Just, leave me alone. We aren’t going to see eye to eye, so why don’t we just stop doing this?”
Jessica stomped away from him every step squelching with water.
He shivered and stood there, watching her go down the hall and turn into her room.
Shit.
He’d wanted to smooth things over with her today, not cause more strife.
Deep down, Samuel admired Jessica’s work ethic. There was a lot about her he respected. But had he gone too far?
It might be better if their paths deviated from each other and they went their separate ways. So why were his feet carrying him toward her door? It was like he couldn’t stop himself. He was drawn to her, she just didn’t know it.
The door was partially closed. He flattened his hand against it and swung it open enough to peer inside.
Jessica had her suitcase thrown open on her bed and stood at the drawers.
“What are you doing?” he asked.