Ian?
Disbelief flooded through her, and, with it, some steel for her spine. Legs trembling, she crossed to check the peep hole. All she could see was a broad chest in a black t-shirt. Not the white Orioles shirt the creature from the fountain was wearing. But if it could materialize clothes, it could probably change them at will.
“Marley?”
It sounded like Ian. Nerves jumping, she grabbed a golf umbrella, gripping it like a bat as she undid the locks. By the time she opened the door the few scant inches allowed by the chain, he’d taken three steps back and dropped his shoulder, as if he’d been about to ram the thing open. The measure of relief on his face seemed out of balance, as if he hadn’t expected her to be answering the door all in one piece. It did nothing to dampen her nerves.
“You’re…home,” he said, straightening.
“I am.” She wondered what he’d been about to say instead.
“I’m…glad.”
Silence stretched between them as they stared at each other through the crack.
“What are you doing here?” she asked at last.
“I—Could I come in?” He shifted, trying to get a glimpse inside her apartment.
Marley moved to block his view. “Why?”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you alone?”
Did she look stupid? Why yes, I’m alone. Please barge in and attack me. Not that she thought he had motive, but you never knew. “Why?” she asked again.
“You look nervous. Like maybe you were being coerced.”
And if I were being coerced, I wouldn’t tell you for fear of being shot or stabbed. Don’t you watch the movies? “What do you want, Ian?”
“To talk to you.”
“So talk,” she said.
“Preferably without a door between us, and not where God and everyone can eavesdrop. Please. It’s important.”
His shoulders were set, his body tensed as if battle-ready. But he’d been the same the night he’d rescued her. Wary and prepared. They were traits she both appreciated and understood. Everything about him screamed military training, so maybe it was his default setting.
Despite the obvious tension, she didn’t feel threatened. Marley couldn’t peg why, but she’d gotten this far trusting her instincts. She shut the door and unlatched the chain. Surprise flickered across his face when she opened it and stepped back. His dark eyes flicked toward the umbrella she held at her shoulder, ready to swing, but he said nothing. It was a ridiculous weapon against someone like him, but she felt better with the small heft of it in her hands.
He came inside and immediately her apartment shrank in response to his bulk. Marley wasn’t used to having anyone but her in the tiny space. She hunched her shoulders as his eyes took in the room, feeling automatically defensive and waiting for judgment. But he didn’t remark on the apartment. Instead, she had the distinct sense he’d been scanning for threats and checking all the access points. And verifying for himself that there was no one hiding with a weapon.
Marley stayed by the open door. She felt safer with an escape route behind her. “I thought you’d left town,” she said. She eyed the big military duffel bag he lowered to the floor. Had he come back to see her? Something in her fluttered a little at the thought before she decided it was ridiculous.
“Supposed to be leaving now. But, I needed to…see you,” he stumbled. He ran a hand over his short, dark hair and dragged it down the back of his neck.
Marley felt another little flutter, squashed by a surge of disappointment. If he’d wanted to see her, why had he waited until he was leaving to do it?
“Why?”
Ian smiled a little. “That’s a favorite question of yours.”
“Multi-purpose,” she said, and waited.
“I’ve been worried about you since that night,” he admitted.
Well that makes two of us, she thought. “It’s nice of you to think of me.”
Ian shook his head, gaze shifting back to the hall. “Don’t say that. It makes it worse.” He rolled the “r.”