Read 17 - A Hard Days Night Searcher.doc for Free Online

him, wondering just what his scars were. For a young man, he had
     
    an ancient wisdom in his eyes. One that said he'd lived far beyond his apparent twentysomething
    years.
    "You know, it helps to talk about it. It really does. It's a lot easier to let go of the past
    when you share it with someone else."
    Wren arched a brow at her. "I notice you're not reminiscing your childhood with me,
    Maggie. I definitely don't know you well enough to reminisce about mine."
    He had a point. There was a lot of pain she kept hidden inside her, and it made her
    wonder what he had inside of him. He wore the look of a street kid. The kind who'd been
    thrown out to fend for himself far too young. He had that fierce toughness that often
    marked them. That jaded look of someone who expected to be used and then cast aside.
    It was what made her want to reach out and hold him. But she'd seen enough of his
    anger to know he wouldn't welcome it All things considered, she had to give him credit. He
    hadn't turned completely mean. He did work and he went to school. Those two things said
    a lot about his moral fiber. Most of the people she'd ever heard of who'd been thrown out
    had ended up as criminals who preyed on others.
    Wren had saved her life, and now he was making sure no one else bothered her. He
    was a decent human being.
    He led her toDecatur Street , in front of the Square, where he quickly hailed a cab to
    take her to her renovated condo, which was only two blocks from the Audubon Zoo.
    As they rode through the Quarter, she could sense Wren watching her even though she
    couldn't see his eyes in the darkness. The sensation was hot and unsettling.
    Without a word, without moving a single inch, he stayed in the shadows like some
    lounging predator that was eyeing his next lunch. There was something completely eerie
    about the way he was able to sit like that. If she didn't know better, she'd think he'd
     
    stopped breathing. He really was a human statue.
    Nervous, she watched the streetlights cut across the angles of his lower face from the
    corner of her eye. It was extremely unsettling to be with a man who exuded such a primal
    aura and yet she had no idea what he really looked like.
    The silence was only relieved by the low thrum of the cabdriver's Zydeco CD. She
    wanted to think of something to say, but since Wren wasn't making an effort, she thought it
    best to follow his lead.
    When they finally reached her driveway, Wren had the driver wait for him while he
    walked her to her door.
    There was something strangely sweet about his actions. They were totally incongruous
    with the air of lethal danger that clung to him.
    "Well, this is it," she said as she dug her keys out of her purse. "Home sweet home."
    Opening the door, she stepped inside and debated whether or not she should invite him
    in. Part of her wanted to, but she was afraid of being rebuffed. As a rule, guys thought of
    her as a friend, never as a girlfriend. It'd always bothered her, and tonight she didn't think
    she could deal with his rejection after all she'd been through. Not to mention, she wanted to
    be alone for a while and just calm down.
    Wren sensed her uncertainty as he stood on her doorstep. It reached out to the animal
    in him and set it on edge. It was always in his nature to attack when he sensed weakness,
    but with her it was different. He wanted to soothe her.
    And that scared the shit out of him.
    "Good night," he said, stepping away. He needed to put some distance between them.
    "Wren?"
    He paused to look back at her.
    "Thank you so much. I owe you more than I can ever repay."
    He inclined his head to her. "It's okay, Maggie. Just stay out of trouble." He headed
     
    back for the cab.
    "How much do I owe you for the taxi?" she called after him.
    Wren just waved at her over his head. He was tempted to laugh at her offer. Why
    would she think that he'd charge her for seeing her home?
    Women… he'd never understand them.
    He paused at the cab's door and dared