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to his chest, awe struck by her presence.
    The shower has left Sadie's skin glowing. To him, she looks like an out-of-place angel, freshly purified and sent to this world, landing in his kitchen by some odd stroke of luck.
    “You're looking real nice tonight,” he says, quietly kicking himself for the understatement.
    “Thanks. The food smells delicious.”
    She sits and digs into the side salad, devouring his tasty work with gusto. They eat quietly at first, like two old friends enjoying a long delayed reunion.
    “You know, I'm just gonna say it: you've impressed the hell out of me since I got back.” Brax's fork clinks on the plate.
    The loud sound reverberates in her ears. She smiles, blotting the corners of her mouth dry after making good progress on her steak and potatoes.
    “It's nothing. I'm just glad I've finally found something I can do around here.”
    “It was just a matter of time. The beautiful ones always have something great that's more than skin deep. I knew I'd find it with you if I just kept trying.”
    Oh. This sounds a lot more like a date after all...
    Sadie's face warms. The pleasant heat wafts through her veins, warming parts of her much lower in her body.
    “Have you had any luck remembering anything yet?” He stops eating, eying her very seriously.
    The sweet mystery in front of him is irresistible. Brax knows if he can uncover her origins, maybe he can understand her better. And a little knowledge can go a long way when it's mixed with a cowboy's charm...
    “Not much.” She frowns, letting the sickly dreams and flashes rise to the surface. “I've been having these visions...little bits and pieces of things I remember. They're scaring me.”
    “Scaring you?”
    “Yeah. Like something out of a nightmare. I'm in an old house in a small city, and there's a tall man. I think he's dealing drugs. Then I have these other flashes where I'm cooking on a stove or sorting things...and I don't think I'm doing it with my own free will.”
    Brax's stare grows more intense. He watches small red splotches surface to her white skin, betraying the depth of her dismay.
    “I wish I could remember more. I really do. But then again, there are parts of me that don't want to remember any of this.”
    I hope he doesn't think I'm a coward. I'm telling him the truth. Doesn't that count for something?
    Her thoughts are broken by Brax's large hand sweeping across her shoulder. It's a brisk, gentle movement, like a feline comforting a shivering kitten.
    “I get that. I think you should keep trying, Sadie. Maybe if we can find out where you came from, we can settle a few things. Who knows, you might have family or friends back home who could help you more than I could.”
    “I don't think so. I don't feel it.” Her silverware clatters to the table.
    The tension is rising. Now, her nerves feel taut, stretched to the point where they may snap any minute.
    “Everything I know about my old life scares me. I don't know who or what I am. Would you want to find out if you saw the things I did? Dangerous men, ugly junkies, and vapors that burn your lungs?”
    “I'd still want to know. Call me stupid or ignorant, but confronting our demons is the best way to get rid of them. That's my two cents.”
    “I can't do it! I don't want to go back there, Brax. I don't even want to know where there is.”
    Crap. Now the tear dams are breaking, rolling down my cheeks like lava. There goes the pretty skin he loves.
    “Hey, sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. No matter what, you're safe. You're safe right here.” His chair tilts, its legs screeching on the tile.
    Sadie leans naturally into his guardian embrace. His muscles are the only peace she knows,
    unshakeable and addictive, the same way she should feel underneath the covers at night.
    I shouldn't have to feel nervous and scared all the time. But I do. It hits me hard, no matter what I do or where I go, except when I'm wrapped in his gorgeous arms.
    “I'm just...a blank