Awakening (Book 2 in the Original BOC Series) ✔

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Mara pointed to a light up ahead instructing Nathan to make a left.

He nodded, glancing up in the rearview mirror.

He was really hoping that they didn't run into any trouble today. Not that he wouldn't be ready for it, but glancing beside him as he slowed to a stop behind a blue car in front of him, Nathan wanted for Mara to keep doing what she was doing.

And that was smiling.

The whole ride into the city she couldn't stop showing him those pearly whites. Mara stared outside the window happier than he'd seen her in days. Any thought of danger hadn't crossed her mind once by the looks of how preoccupied she was of giving him directions between her chatter of how excited she was to bring back her art supplies.

Nathan had told her since they had the bronco, he'd help her carry whatever she wanted into the back. Mara's eyes brightened, smiling, "Really?"

He glanced at her reiterating, "Whatever your heart desires" and his heart lost its rhythmic beating the way she tilted her head slightly and her blue eyes stared up at him through her lashes. Mara pursed her mouth, unaware of what she was doing to Nathan, and narrowed her eyes. She raised a brow to peer over at him curiously and then straightened, back to bouncing in her seat like a child, and bobbing her head to the song on the radio.

And so Nathan wanted to make sure he still had his guard up for the both of them.

Nathan's eyes skimmed the street he turned onto instinctively with the brunette's voice chirping that she was sure there was parking across the street in the lot. She mentioned to him that she always walked to her studio because of how close it was to her school, but that it gave her a nice walk to clear her head.

After five minutes of circling the lot Mara had spoken about, Nathan finally found a spot at the back of the lot. He had to take up two spaces with how wide the bronco was, but figured it wouldn't be a problem for however long Mara wanted to be in her studio. Mara was ready to climb out, her hand on the handle when Nathan leaned over fast to clutch the pocket of the arm rest attached to her door.

Mara blinked, turning to see his hand and then travelled up his arm to his face. Nathan lowered a brow, raising the other. "Let me get out first and check the area. Alright?" She could hear that it was not a point that he'd accept arguing with, and Mara could see in his green eyes that worry was already filling them. She frowned at this, but nodded silently.

Nathan stared at her a second more then released the pocket and unbuckled his seatbelt, letting it wind into its holster as he jumped out of the bronco. He closed the door, shoving the keys into the back pocket of his jeans. He made his was behind the bronco looking around with his trained senses in high gear, placing his hand on Mara's door handle and hesitated to look around once more before pulling the door open.

"Is it safe?" she asked, softly.

Nathan was still looking around and nodded, mumbling, "Yeah... yeah it's fine." He looked at her holding onto the sides and pulling herself up from the seat. Instinctively, Nathan stepped forward taking her waist in his and helped her down. Mara felt her face burn, keeping her yes down casted and her fingers held onto the sides of his arms as her feet found the floor again.

She chewed her lip, slowly lifting her gaze to Nathan. He stared at her; his eyes looking over her face. Mara wondered if Nathan could see how red her face looked from the amount of heat that he caused her to feel in it. She did note the way those green eyes locked in on what she was doing with her lip. Mara pulled her lip from her teeth, flushing more and lifted her hands from his arms to push strands of hair behind her ears. She saw Nathan's arms that had been on her waist still drop to his side.