LITMIR.BIZ

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an implicating factor.”

      Ruby reached the window. Instead of the cigarette odor they’d been discussing, she caught a whiff of Galen’s cologne, a faint but exotic scent that immediately reminded her of the time she’d danced with Galen, two summers before. Her heart began to beat faster as the treasured memory welled up. She tried to put it from her mind and focus on the situation.

      “Keep your head just above the windowsill,” Galen instructed her. “We’re on the second floor and he’s at ground level, so he shouldn’t be able to see you as long as you stay low.”

      Ruby slowly lifted her head just high enough to allow her to see out, while Galen crouched down beside her, until they were both peeking out in the same direction. The sun had nearly set, and though electric lights illuminated most of the cobbled streets, the place where the man had chosen to stand was cast almost entirely in shadows.

      The only thing Ruby could see clearly was the orange glow of a cigarette. “He’s certainly built like the man who came after me last night.” Ruby was able to make out enough of the large silhouette to determine that much. “I wish he’d step into the light so we could see his face.”

      “If he’s the same man, I doubt he’ll do that. But I’ll keep watching. You can finish what you were doing. I just wanted you to get a look before he disappeared.”

      “Thank you.” Ruby met Galen’s eyes, aware of how close their hands were, clinging to the windowsill, and how near his face was to hers. An indigo bruise branched out from his nose, deepening to a ruddy purple under his eye. Ruby sucked in a sharp breath. “Your face looks awful.”

      Galen grinned the lopsided grin she’d missed so much. After an awkward silence in which she tried to think of what to say to clarify what she’d meant, Galen responded, “Yours looks quite the opposite.”

      Mortified, Ruby dropped to the floor and crawled back toward where she’d been working. Had Galen meant his words to sound flirtatious? She didn’t want to know the answer.

      Over the course of her many summer visits to Lydia, she’d worked hard to maintain a purely professional relationship with the gorgeous guard. The first summer she’d had a boyfriend back in the US, so she’d made it a point never to act on the attraction she had felt toward Galen. And by the time she’d had a school year away to contemplate the feelings that wouldn’t go away, she’d realized that a relationship with Galen would never work.

      He was committed to life in Lydia. She had long ago promised her parents she’d help with their chain of jewelry stores once she finished her studies—and that required her to live in the United States. And she’d never been the type to have a casual fling with a man just because he was cute, even if he had sad-teddy-bear eyes. If she couldn’t foresee a future together, she didn’t see the point of wasting her time and emotional investment in a relationship.

      Galen was a great guy; definitely marriage material for some lucky Lydian girl. But Ruby belonged on the other side of the globe. Galen was a friend—a great friend, who’d only ever been a gentleman in the past, in spite of the adventures they’d shared that had given him plenty of opportunity to make a move on her if he’d wanted to. Most likely the amiable sentinel was just trying to be kind.

      There was nothing more for her to read into his words. There would never be anything more between them than friendship—their awkward parting the previous summer had surely guaranteed that. She’d hate to mess up what camaraderie they now shared by drawing attention to words he couldn’t possibly have meant to sound flirtatious. Even if he felt for her something like what she felt for him, nothing could come from it.

      It would be difficult enough for her to leave Lydia when her service to Princess Stasi ended. She didn’t think she could leave Galen behind again, not if he felt for her what she felt for him. It was best not to think about those feelings, certainly not to discuss them.

      Ruby had solidified her convictions by the time she labeled the last of the tiny containers. “Is he still there?” she asked Galen, who remained crouched at the windowsill where she’d left him.

      “I believe so. He stepped back, but I’ve seen that shadow move, so I think he’s just around the corner. Do you feel comfortable walking home or do you want me to call for a car? I’d have driven myself but—”

      “The streets in this part of the old city are too narrow for parking and driving.” Ruby understood completely. “The nearest decent parking is in the royal garage. And we don’t have very far to go.” She pondered the choices before them.

      Was the man on the corner the same person who’d come after her the night before? She had no way of knowing, not unless he tried to come after her again. And until they caught whoever had attacked her, she would never know when he might be lurking behind her. Perhaps it would be best to give him a chance to show himself. Maybe then her life would return to normal.

      “I don’t suppose you can ask your fellow guards to sneak up behind this guy and nab him, can you?”

      “Sorry.” Galen stayed low, out of sight of the window as he shuffled toward her, standing when he reached the table where she’d been working. “He’s not breaking any laws right now. We don’t have any way to prove it’s your attacker. The only way to legally apprehend him is to catch him in the act.”

      Ruby shuddered as she imagined what that act might be. Grabbing her? Fighting Galen again? What had the man been trying to accomplish, anyway? “Have you got a quick way to call in more men if this guy tries to jump us again?”

      “Yes. The head of the guard assigned extra men to this shift in response to last night’s attack. There are two men on duty in the guardhouse, and they can call more reinforcements if they need to. I’ll call them now and tell them we’ll be leaving, so they know to watch for us.”

      As Ruby listened to Galen’s half of the conversation, the guard used his radio earpiece to contact the other men and fill them in on the situation, including the fact that they’d spotted a man across the street. “We haven’t gotten a good look at him. Might be our guy. Might not. We should have a better idea in a few minutes.”

      Galen offered Ruby a focused smile as he ended the conversation. “They’ll be watching for us.”

      Reassured, Ruby did her best to sound confident. “We’ll be fine. You fought him off last night. Why would he be crazy enough to show up again? He has to know I won’t be walking home alone after what happened. That’s probably some innocent man taking a long smoke break.” Ruby made up her mind. “Your men are expecting us. Let’s just go.” She grabbed her pile of notes from that day’s work and stuffed them into her purse, strapping it across her chest as usual.

      Galen walked with her to the stairwell. “I’ll step outside first. Then I’ll stand behind you as you close the door. I want you to walk just ahead of me, a little to my right, closest to the buildings. That puts me in between you and anyone who might come from behind.”

      “Okay. What do we do if he shows up?”

      “Let’s try to stay together. If I tell you to run, head for your apartment door or the gatehouse like last night. The guards will have one man watching through the window, and one watching the security footage of your door. I’ll call for reinforcements if this guy makes any move toward us. If I can, I’d like to bring him in—but not if it means putting you in danger.” Galen’s gaze settled on hers with a protective expression that bordered on...

      No, that couldn’t be it. Not affection. Galen knew better. She’d made herself perfectly clear the year before. Even if he felt things for her, she wouldn’t believe it.

      Couldn’t return it.

      Mindful of her decision not to let on to him about her feelings, she turned her face to the door. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

      * * *

      The night air felt cool on his face as Galen stepped outside. As promised, he took his position just behind Ruby as she bolted the door and slipped the key

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