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He rose as she approached Of course he would The man was polite

"How can I help you?" he asked

"You can’t That’s what I came to tell you I’o to the concert I wanted to a lot, but I didn’t kno"

He frowned slightly "Concerts aren’t usually tough You, uh, sit and listen tothe ballads you hold up your phone like a light My hters and lit matches Sounds like a fire hazard to h broke off into silence and she was fighting tears

What the fuck? She didn’t cry Shearms came around her and pulled her close She found herself held Gently, without force She could have broken free easily A soft, low voice proe hands stroked her back, but in a co way He didn’t try to touch her butt or cop a feel Instead Kent was, once again, the perfect gentlelared at him "I’m not like other women you’ve dated"

One eyebrow rose "Which ones?"

"Anyone Pick one I’m not like them, those women out there" She pointed to the s "I’m not from here"

"Okay," he said slowly "By ‘here’ I assume you mean Fool’s Gold Or the suburbs As opposed to, say, earth"

She wiped her cheeks "I’m not a space alien"

"Good, because I’o out with " She remembered all the reasons men usually wanted to spend ti laid"

"It’s not"

She stared at hiave her a rueful suy wouldn’t want you?"

"Do you knohat I did in thebecause she had to tell hie "I killed people I wasn’t a sniper, Kent There were no long-range rifles When I did it, it was personal Up close" She felt her hands curling into fists

"You don’t need this mess," she told him quietly "I’m sorry That’s what I wanted to say I’ood idea for you to stay away froaze never strayed froently "A counselor?"

Her chin shot up "You think there’s so with me?"

"I think you’re in a lot of pain"

Words she’d heard before in the safe confines of a therapist’s office "I see soed a slight so"

"I still would have asked you to that concert"

"I probably would have gutted you like a fish"

"Police Chief Alice Barns doesn’t take kindly to that sort of thing"

"I’m more afraid of you"

Words she hadn’t meant to say, but it was too late to call them back now

"I don’t scare anyone"

"You do me You’re nice"

He winced "Great"

"No, I ood dad Jeez, Kent, why are you bothering with ood judge of character You frighten my brother" One corner of his mouth turned up "And yes, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life Guys are visual--I’m sorry"

"Don’t be sorry" She liked that he found her attractive At least that was soo to a concert with you"

"Sorry, but the band is gone Would you settle for dinner?"

She nodded

"At my house," he continued "Reese will be there It’s not a date It’smy son’s martial arts instructor over We’ll never be alone How does that sound?"

"Nice," she said

He grimaced "I’m cursed"

"Don’t say that You’re the dreaht"

He didn’t believe her, which was okay She kneas true

CHAPTER EIGHT

AS ISABEL UNPACKED dresses and hung theht about what Ford had claimed That he’d never been in love The idea see and fun--women must have fallen for him Which hat he’d said But he’d never reciprocated their feelings

Not to fall in love How sad, she thought, only she wasn’t sure she was any different Look at her disaster of a e Was that ro doubts about her own feelings

Isabel shook off the thoughts and finished unpacking the dresses There were six in all Two sa out overnight, then start pressing thelanced at the phone She’d left two es for Sonia and had yet to hear frobin, then returned to the front of the store A few

"Hi," the twentyso said with a smile "I don’t know if you reo"

Isabel stared at the brown-eyed brunette She was about five-five, with pretty features Meirl with two younger sisters whose parents had died in a car crash

"Dellina?"

Dellina’s smile broadened "That’s me I wasn’t sure you’d remember"

"Of course I do How are you?"