Page 4 of His UnBearable Touch
She heard a soft chuckle and turned instinctually toward Valerio. “What is it?”
“It’s the subway,” she answered her voice a bit bright and breathless.
He cleared his throat and just in that little bit of sound, she could sense his distaste. “It’s dank and dirty, the regrettable push of strangers. It could very well give me nightmares,” she could almost imagine his expression, but she knew she did his looks no justice, “and yet your voice is filled with wonder.”
She shrugged, glad that she could push the fear out of her head for a few moments, but when she answered, it was her truth. “Is it strange to find the subway something new, strange and wonderful. When I first arrived in New York it was the first thing on my list of experiences to try, but I was busy with school and I lived a block away from classes. Then, when I moved away from campus…”
She was trying to start over, make a new life, and talking about the past felt like she was still holding onto it. Her hand trembled, an involuntary movement like a flinch.
“Are you still scared?” She felt him tense under her hand. “I meant what I said,” he continued, “he won’t hurt you again.”
She smiled at the concern in his voice. “I don’t doubt you for a minute.” Allegra leaned a little more onto the arm supporting her. “Your voice says you’re earnest, truthful, and you didn’t say those words to impress or distract me.”
“You can hear that in my voice?”
She smiled and wondered if he was smiling back at her. “I may not see with my eyes, but I’m not completely helpless.”
She couldn’t feel a smile or laughter any more. She felt a tension through his arm.
“No. You’re not.”
She didn’t know what to say in reply, or if there was anything to say at all.
“You strike me as a strong woman, Miss Rossetti.”
“Yet, you found me cowering from that man.”
“Cowering? Hardly.”
She felt a change of air temperature on her face and realized that she’d begun climbing the steps at his side without prompting. The stale underground air had turned to the crisp autumn chill that she’d come to adore. “We’re outside again.”
She felt him shift beside her. “I thought it best,” he explained, “you’re trembling, likely in shock.”
He drew in a breath and Allegra wondered what he looked like. “I suppose I’ve had enough adventure for the day,” she laughed and felt the sour taste of her lie on her tongue. Adventure was a welcome thing, being assaulted in the subway was not. And yet, here she was safe and sound with a man whose voice turned her knees to mush… and other parts of her heavy, tight, and aching.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
She heard truth again and felt a blush steal over her cheeks.
“I’ve missed my meeting with my brothers,” she heard a hint of a smile in his voice, “they’ll forgive me when I tell them I was with you.”
“With me,” she laughed and felt the burst of sound down to her toes, “I doubt that very much.”
“Come,” she didn’t hear a command in his voice, but an entreaty, “let us find somewhere to sit and I’ll let you ask them.”
When she paused, stood silent beside him on the busy New York street, he was the one that questioned her silence.
“Were you with someone earlier?”
“With someone,” she questioned, “I was walking with Davis.” She felt his body tremble and a question furrowed her brow. “He was taking me on a bit of an excursion into the subway. I’m sure he’s frantic by now.” Fear clutched at her chest. “I should go back to the theater. They should know that I’m fine.”
“Then that’s where we will go.” She felt his hand on her arm and knew by the shift of his weight that he leaned away from her.
She covered his hand with hers and felt the heat of his skin burn through hers.
“Don’t worry,” his tone was deep and reassuring, “I won’t leave you. I’m just getting us a car.”
She felt silly. She’d just met the man. Taking his hand? Good job, Allegra, she chastised herself. Clingy.