Molly

 

Taking a deep breath, I unlock the door and open it just a few inches. “You shouldn’t be here,” I hiss at Todd.

Todd grips the edge of the door and shoves it open before pushing past me to get inside. His eyes widen when he spots Jamie. “What the fuck is he doing here?”

Jamie picks up Gus’s harness. “Go to Molly,” he tells the dog in a curt, no-nonsense voice.

“He’s blind?” Todd says, laughing. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re screwing a blind guy?”

I gasp, stunned by the crude vehemence in Todd’s voice. I would have been less shocked if he’d hauled off and slapped me. “Get out of my studio, now!”

Jamie reaches my side, his expression tense. His jaw is clenched so tightly I can see the veins flexing beneath his bearded cheeks. “You heard her,” he grates, stepping in front of me. “Get out.”

Todd surges forward. Gus starts growling, and Jamie makes a hushing sound and releases the dog’s harness, giving him a terse hand signal. Gus moves a few feet away and lies down.

Todd is a couple inches shorter than Jamie, but it doesn’t prevent him from trying to get right in Jamie’s face. “You get out. And take your fucking dog with you.”

Jamie looms over Todd, not giving an inch. “I’m giving you one more chance to leave,” Jamie says. “Then all bets are off.”

Todd laughs. “Oooh, I’m so scared.”

My stomach sinks as it’s obvious neither man is going to back down. I blame myself for putting Jamie in this position in the first place. I shouldn’t have let him come. I step around Jamie and grab Todd’s arm, trying to pull him toward the door. “Todd, please, just go.”

Todd throws me off without once taking his eyes off Jamie. “Shut up, Molly. This is between me and him.”

Jamie strikes so fast I can’t even track his movements. One second, Todd’s glaring at Jamie, and the next, Jamie has Todd pressed face first into the door, one of his arms ratcheted up high behind his back. Todd grunts in pain, struggling helplessly against Jamie’s iron-clad hold.

Jamie leans into Todd, pressing him harder against the door, putting pressure on his arm. Jamie’s other hand has a white-knuckled grip on the back of Todd’s neck.

Jamie’s mouth hovers just above Todd’s ear. “Leave Molly the fuck alone, or you’ll have to deal with me.”

Jamie releases Todd’s neck and reaches around him to turn the door knob. Then he pulls open the door and shoves Todd out into the dark alleyway, locking the door behind him.

Immediately Todd starts pounding on the closed door with his fists, yelling muffled threats at Jamie.

“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry,” I say, reaching out to grasp Jamie’s arm. “Are you all right?”

Aside from breathing hard, Jamie seems fine. “You’re not responsible for what that ass does.”

Hearing Jamie call Todd an ass makes me laugh, but it’s a humorless sound as none of this is funny. Even though the pounding has stopped, Todd might still be out there. Jamie just made an enemy of someone who’s more than capable of retaliation. And Jamie’s blindness puts him at such a disadvantage over Todd.

Guilt makes me feel ill. “I’m so sorry.”

Jamie turns to me, his expression softening. “Hey, I told you, it’s not your fault.” When he reaches for me, I step into his embrace, knowing I shouldn’t, but unable to help myself.

When his arms come around me, pulling me close, I instinctively lay my head against his chest. I can feel his strong heartbeat beneath my cheek. “Jamie, please don’t underestimate Todd. Jealousy’s making him crazy.”

I feel the rumble of a quiet chuckle against my ear as he rubs my back. “Don’t worry. I may be blind, but I’m not helpless.”

His arms tighten around me, and I shiver when I feel Jamie’s lips in my hair.

“What do you say we call it a night?” he says. “It’s getting late. I’ll take you home.”

“All right.”

I finish cleaning up my brushes and put away my tools. We exit from the front of the shop, and I lock up. There’s still plenty of people out on the sidewalk, and that’s reassuring.

Gus is on one side of Jamie, and I’m on the other. He holds out his arm to me, and I link mine with his. I realize he doesn’t need my help, but it’s nice to walk arm in arm with him.

“Don’t you have a security system?” he says, as we head for home.

“No. I’ve never had any problems before now. I didn’t think it was necessary.”

“Well, you need one. Jake’s an expert in electronic surveillance. I’ll ask him to install a security system.”

“That sounds expensive.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“I’ll think about it,” I say, hedging. I can’t have Jamie paying for a security system for my business.

“Okay, but don’t wait too long. You need something soon.”

During the entire walk home, I’m hyperaware of our surroundings, scanning the sidewalk as I watch for any sign of Todd. I wouldn’t put it past him to ambush us along the way. Jamie seems relaxed enough, but a couple of times I catch him cocking his head and listening intently. I’m relieved when we’ve made it back to our building without mishap.

I punch in the security code to open the door. And like the gentlemen I’ve come to expect, Jamie walks me to my apartment door and waits patiently as I dig out my key and unlock my door. He and Gus follow me inside my apartment, and I set my purse down on the dining table.

I smile, feeling the tension ease away. We got home unscathed. And despite his run-in with my ex, Jamie seems in a good mood. “Thank you for keeping me company and for dealing with Todd.”

He nods. “My pleasure. You can call me anytime, day or night, and I’ll be there.” He pulls his phone from his back pocket and pushes a couple of buttons. I get a brief glimpse of his phone, and it doesn’t look like any phone I’ve ever seen. It must be specially designed for users with vision impairment.

“What’s your phone number?” he says.

I rattle off my number, and he keys it into his phone and sends me a brief text message.

“There,” he says. “Now you have my number. If you need me, use it.”

“I will. Thanks.”

I walk him to the door, and he hesitates before stepping out into the hallway.

“Will you be all right?” he says.

I think back to the way he came to my rescue in the studio. He didn’t hesitate for a second to go toe-to-toe with Todd.

As if he can read my mind, he chuckles. “Don’t you dare apologize again. I mean it.”

“But, Jamie – the things he said about you. I am sorry.”

He wraps his free arm around my shoulder and draws me close for a one-armed hug. “Don’t give it another thought. I’ve heard a lot worse.” Then he leans close and kisses my forehead.

“If Todd bothers you again, call me,” he says.

I watch Jamie and Gus head down the hallway toward the other apartment. They get about a dozen feet away when Jamie stops and comes back.

“Did you forget something?” I say.

“Yes.”

To my utter shock, he takes me in his arms and kisses me. “Molly, is there any chance in hell you might change your mind and agree to go out with me?”

I burst into laughter. I’m so high-strung this evening that it’s either laugh or cry, and frankly I’m tired of tears. I want this guy – I want to be with him – and I can’t bear turning him down again. “Yes.”

“Did you say yes?”

His shocked expression makes me laugh all over again. “I said yes.”

He tightens his embrace. “Will you have dinner with me? Tonight?”

“Sure. I’d love to.”

He takes a deep breath. “Do you like Italian?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I make a mean lasagna. How about seven-thirty?”

“It’s a date.”