I stared at his face, admiring how chiseled it was. Then my eyes drifted and stuck on his lips.
He smiled, and I had to force myself to stop blinking.
“Wait!” I said, trying to wiggle out of his arms. “I have to go back!”
“The head won’t stop moving until the sun goes down,” he said. “Whatever you forgot, I’ll go back later and get it.”
“My shears!” I said, wiggling even harder.
He stopped moving. “You don’t need them.”
“Why not? I do! I need—”
“You don’t,” he said, moving again. “I’m here.”
“You are,” I said. “But that is not helpingme.”
He glanced at me and then looked ahead. “I’m more dangerous than shears.”
“Which is why I need them. I need something to protect me fromyou.Or to help.”
“Nothing stops me when I want something,” he said. “Least of all a pair of rusty old shears.” He stopped moving again, looking down at me. The only way I could describe his face in that moment was someone who had started to connect the dots.
“You will get tetanus if I snip you with them,” I whispered.
His eyes gazed into mine, and then they roamed over my face. His explorations stilled on my lips.
I was suddenly so hot that it was hard to take in a breath. I went to speak again, but only my lips parted. No sound came out.
Another breeze blew, rustling my dress. He situated me so that it was tight underneath his arms, but his fingers had touched my bare skin. They were rough from working every day, but the touch was the opposite.
I shivered in his arms, like I was cold.
“You’re not in shock.” He said it like he already knew the answer but wanted to check anyway.
“No.” I shook my head.
A slow grin came to his face.
“What?” I said.
“I knew you’d end up here, but not this way.”
“I do not even know your name,” I said.
“You will.”
“Is it a secret?” I stared up at his face as he moved us again.
“Depends,” he said.
After a few minutes, I said, “On?”
“Whether or not I trust you.”
I wiggled even harder, demanding he put me down. He walked a few more steps and then set me on my feet. My knees were still unsteady, but I made myself stand straight.
He was much taller than me, wider, with muscles, but I would not back down.
