Page 28 of Rescuing Baylee

She needed to remember who she was, and the amount of baggage she carried with her. Being with any man would be an extreme challenge.

She thought about her last boyfriend. With her history from Nightshade, it had taken her a long time and a lot of therapy to be able to open up to a man a few years after she’d returnedstateside. Chase had been a decent guy. A firefighter in San Antonio, he’d been big and reserved and one of the sweetest men she’d ever met. Looking back, he had been the perfect man to help her find her sexuality again. No, they hadn’t set the sheets on fire, but Chase had been so patient, letting her explore and find her way as she fought to regain her sense of self. He’d never pushed her, always letting her set the parameters of their physical relationship, and he’d had the perfect temperament. Non-threatening. Exactly what she needed.

They’d parted ways amicably, and they still texted occasionally. He was in a steady relationship with a fellow firefighter now, though, and even though she liked him, she let the distance build between them. He deserved a strong, committed relationship without entanglements from previous hookups. The last time she’d talked to him, he’d admitted that he thought he was in love, and she truly hoped he could hang onto that.

And maybe that was why she was feeling the pull toward Landon. It had been a few years since she’d been in a relationship, and she wasn’t immune to the tick of her own needs. She was in her early thirties, and working with the kids in pediatrics made her hunger for her own family.

She just had a lot of roadblocks. Shaking her head, she laughed lightly at herself. She was her own worst enemy when it came to building relationships.

Most men were obvious in their motivations. She’d heard a saying once that men needed a place to have sex, and women needed a reason. It had stuck with her that most men’s motivation in interacting with her was to get into her pants. And sometimes the scars on her face seemed to drive a morbid fascination that immediately set off her inner warning alarm. Those men she pulled back from completely. She was very aware how quickly those motivations could turn dangerous.

Landon presented a new conundrum for her. For the first time in a long time, she was interested in a guy. And he seemed interested in her.

If only they weren’t in this crazy situation…

Baylee went through the magazines, learning more than she ever wanted to about celebrities in Hollywood. There was a cheaper paper on the bottom of the stack, and the title made her laugh. Four-legged baby runs away from hospital.

Right…

Restless, she got up from the hard couch and moved to the window. She peered through the crack between the curtains. There were a couple of kids across the street, playing with a skateboard and a homemade ramp, it looked like. They kept moving things around on the ground, then stacking a board on top of it. The bigger kid would then try to ride his skateboard up and over the ramp.

Baylee watched as they wrecked time after time. Eventually, they kicked their temporary ramp to the side and headed into the house. Another neighbor was mowing his lawn, with a teenage boy weed eating along behind him. A third neighbor was working on an old truck in the driveway.

By the time they left, she would know everyone’s habits.

The sun was setting now, and she itched to go outside and breathe some fresh air. The back yard was fenced. Maybe that would be okay.

Landon was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, his phone in his hand. He was frowning, and a frisson of fear shivered through her. “What?”

He sighed, his mouth pulling to one side like he didn’t want to tell her. “Our apartment building was just shot up.”

Baylee gasped. “Are you serious? Was anyone hurt?”

He shook his head, crossing the room to her. “No one was hurt. It was just a drive-by. Three bullets struck the building, one shattering a window. Everyone is safe, though.”

She wasn’t even aware when he reached out and gripped her shoulders. He leaned down to look directly in her eyes. “Baylee. Everyone is okay.”

Then he tugged her in for a hug.

Baylee usually tried to keep physical distance from people. Kids were the only exception. But when Landon pulled her into his arms, it didn’t set off the same kind of alarms she normally had. Instead, she sagged into him, letting him support her for a few precious seconds.

He seemed to appreciate the contact as well. It was his home, too. Eventually, she drew back enough to look up into his face.

“Mrs. Traeger is in the front. Was it her window shattered?”

He nodded, a spark of humor lighting his eyes. “She found it when she got home from the Golden Sixties at the senior center.”

Baylee snorted, envisioning the short, older woman. The senior center was the hub of her social circle, so she was there a lot. Baylee was very glad she hadn’t been home when they’d shot it up. If Mrs. Traeger had been hurt even indirectly because of her actions, Baylee would never forgive herself.

“Hey, it was just a ploy,” Landon said, squeezing her shoulders. “They can’t find you right now, so I’m sure they have the place being watched. It’s a ploy to draw you out.”

She nodded, knowing he was right. “My cat is still there. Is my apartment okay?”

“Morgan sent an off-duty cop through the building. Your door looks secure.”

Her shoulders dropped with relief, though she was still worried. Siggy meant everything to her. “I have to get my cat.”

Landon knew what she was going to say. “I know. We’ll get him and bring him back here when we get a chance.”