With a tight grip, he urged her into the hall,which was empty except for Mrs. Shadowitz, recognizable by her long white hair as she disappeared through the door to the stairwell at the far end of the building.
Jeff had already turned in that direction, tugging Tara behind. He’d probably memorized the exits while waiting for the elevator.
Her heart raced, but she shoved aside the fear and focused on trying to keep up in her stupid heels.At the end of the hall, he slammed open the fire door and drew her toward the stairs. She stumbled and cried out before catching herself on the rail.
“You okay?” He stopped and looked down at her.
She nodded, slipping her shoes from her feet and stuffing them into her bag.
He slid his left arm around her waist, affixing her to his side. Rather than protest, she clung to him, gripping hisshoulder to make herself less of a burden.
And maybe getting the tiniest bit of comfort from his hard, warm body. He wasn’t thick like a bodybuilder, but damn if he wasn’t all muscle under his parka. Something she didn’t want to notice, and not just because of bad timing.
At each turn he slowed just enough to check for threats and then powered on. As they reached the lower floors and approachedother people, he patted her back and loosened his grip.
She held on until she had her balance, then dropped her hand, already missing the feel of his embrace.This is what happens when you don’t let a man touch you for four years. Maybe it wasn’t even Jeff. Maybe it was merely that he was the first guy to get this physically close to her since Colin.
A woman pushed past, knocking Tara aside.
Maybe she freaking needed to focus on getting out of the building safely.
Looking back, Jeff grabbed her hand and tugged her into the throng of people exiting the stairwell onto the shadowed sidewalk. White puffs of air hovered around everyone’s mouths, but she was warm from adrenaline and exertion, despite the chill that slapped her cheeks.
Tara went with the flow as the building’s occupantsspilled through the doorway like grain from a silo, quickly donned her heels, and mixed with the people walking—or gawking—on the busy street. She couldn’t stop herself from looking for the man who’d attacked her in the garage, but all she knew about him was that he was tall and pale, with brown eyebrows. Like about half of the men within a hundred yards, including Jeff.
Beyond the sidewalk,two fire trucks idled in the fire lane, several first responders in full gear herding people out of the way as others raced toward the building.
Jeff held Tara tight to his side as he plowed through the crowd, polite but unyielding in his goal to reach the street.
And then what?
Bodies jostled them as they approached the edge of the crowd, loosening Jeff’s hold. He leaned close and said,“Let’s—”
Someone jerked Tara out of his grasp, wrenching a shocked yelp from her throat as she was dragged by a heavy arm through the crush.
Hot breath assaulted her ear. “One more sound and lover boy’s dead.”
