Barrel

12

It took him a second to calm down and realize that Eva had fallen to the ground and was breathing heavily on all fours.

He shifted quickly before running to Eva’s side. He placed a hand on her back and tried to tip her chin up to him.

“Eva, are you okay?” he asked, staring hard at her.

She was panting, and he began rubbing her back as she didn’t answer him. Tears streamed down her face, and he tried to catch them.

“I just need to breathe,” she said. “I just need to breathe.”

His heart jumped into his throat as he tried to calm her down. He wished he could just take her into his arms and cradle her … his emotions building to a point he couldn't ignore. He hated that any harm had come to her in his presence … whether it was physical or psychological.

She slowly started to calm down, her breathing reaching an average pace. She finally opened her eyes, and the blue shade nearly crushed his chest.

Eva smiled at him and leaned back on her knees. He followed with his hand still settled on the small of her back.

“I’m sorry,” she said breathlessly. “I get panic attacks sometimes. I just needed a moment to chill.”

He took her by the chin again, raising it to his face. She was looking at him deeply, which made his hands shake a little.

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry that happened. I promise I will never let anything happen to you.”

Barrel felt something bloom inside of him, something he thought was long buried. It was a glow, like a ship at sea, carrying him forward through the darkness that had plagued him for years. He had to peel himself away from her stare, or he was sure he would melt.

“It’s nice for them to leave us some transportation,” he said with a grin.

Barrel was thrilled to see her smile and even laugh. It was music to his ears.

He stood and held out his hand, and she took it with a deep blush working its way up her face. She was breathtaking. Then he realized why she was flushed. He was standing naked in front of her.

He felt his own face warm. Why the hell was he embarrassed? What was wrong with him? He rushed back to his clothes and backpack. He dressed and headed back to the car.

Boy, did he now know he was in trouble in more ways than one.

EVA

Anxiety consumed her. She had never been in such an intimidating situation in her entire life. Who knew what other unspeakable horrors would have been done to her if Barrel wasn't there?

Panic still throbbed inside her, though not as intense as before. She couldn't even bother to be embarrassed by how she had fallen to her knees and began hyperventilating, nearly doing so again as she remembered the sound of blood splattering beyond her, spraying like a water gun. Thankfully, the feeling of Barrel's hand on her back had anchored her as she struggled for breath.

She breathed through her nose, making her stomach fill with air, then slowly breathed out through her mouth, calming her heart once again. The air was tattered, and her heart and mind raced with flashes of light and color that were difficult to slow down. How many panic attacks could she have in one day?

But she pulled herself together as she always did. The images of violence and the fear of the horror the men could have committed against her faded away as Barrel’s hand came up to brush against her.

"Eva?"

“Oh,” she whispered, realizing she had paused halfway into the vehicle. Her attack had hit so suddenly, so acutely, that she didn't realize how her muscles had tensed.

She blinked, taking in Barrel, who was standing in front of her. Naked. He was even more gorgeous up close. His hair had come loose from the fight and was curtaining his soft, hazel eyes. He pushed it back with one hand and proceeded to smile, his eyes always sympathetic and kind.

“Are you okay?”

Eva’s instinct was to nod, but she knew that she couldn’t lie to him anymore. It was clear that she wasn’t okay, and it would be foolish to try to keep up the act.

“Another attack,” she said. “They're coming pretty frequently.”

He reached out to help her stand. In doing so, she couldn’t help but notice all the gorgeous flesh he showed. Heat traveled up her face. God, could she be more lame? She was acting as if she’d never seen a man in the buff. Well, she hadn’t seen one that looked like him, anyway.

Barrel snapped out of his gazing at her, looking down at himself. “Oh,” he said, turning and jogging back into the woods. Damn, that view was just as good as the full frontal. When he returned, he was clothed but without a shirt.

He guided her into the car, settling her into the passenger seat, and she stared at him as he looked her over again. The perspective was like something out of one of those books her mother used to read from the library. A buff man with his hair swaying in the wind, worrying over a forlorn woman.

She didn’t want to see herself as forlorn, though.

Barrel's eyes lifted to hers as his search satisfied him. Their gazes lingered for a moment, and that familiar tingle took over between her legs. He was ever present with his smiles, soothing all of the thorns in the garden of her mind.

“Let's get out of here," he told her.

Eva tried to grin, but her face ached. Barrel closed the door, coming around to get in the driver's seat. She reached out faintly, forgetting where she had put her traveling bag.

“Oh, my things …” she whispered.

“Don’t worry,” Barrel said.