by Kip Nelson
“How is Cosmo?” she asked.
“Cosmo is Cosmo,” he sighed. “I think he's still a bit shaken by what's been happening, and he finds it hard to trust people. What do you make of these people?”
“They seem fine,” she said. She moved closer to him, until she was beside him again. Her wide eyes looked up at him, shining in the light.
“Thank you again for looking after Backdraft. It seems he's really taken a liking to you.”
“I couldn't believe what those men had done to him...and what they said they were going to do to you. I knew I had to help you. I knew you were a good man. What did they do to separate you anyway? I knew it must have been something bad for someone to leave him alone.” She crouched down and rubbed Backdraft visibly. The dog barked happily and rolled about on his back playfully.
“Something bad,” Nick said, “something that I hope never happens again.”
His voice wavered with emotion, and Tanya must have understood, because she looked up at him. Rubbing Backdraft one more time, she rose and stood in front of Nick. He tried not to think about him and Backdraft separated, about what those men had done to John, yet the thoughts were always there, lodged in the back of his mind.
“Thank you for saving me too,” Tanya said. This was the first time she'd spoken about what had happened at the farm. Her lower lip trembled. Her entire body trembled. She stepped closer, until there was nothing between them.
“Thank you so much. No one has ever...” before she could finish the sentence, and before Nick knew what was happening, she'd stepped onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. They were warm and soft, tasted sweet. A rush of air washed over his lips as his arms naturally went to wrap around her tender body, before he realized what was happening.
He wrenched himself away.
“It's not the right moment, Tanya. I'm sorry. This world...there's too much going on for romance.” When he looked at her, he hated what he'd done.
He could see the sadness in her eyes, and that it was taking all she had to hold herself together. Tears welled up, and her fists clenched by her side. For a moment, Nick thought she was going to explode with emotion, but then she spun on her heels and walked away. He was sure he had done the right thing, and yet it felt horrible. He hadn't wanted to hurt her feelings at all, but it would have been worse had he kissed her back. He couldn't give her what she wanted, and the sooner she learned that the better. Maybe this is what she needed to get over her crush, and yet Nick couldn't help but wonder if he ever would have a healthy relationship with a woman. Every relationship had crashed and burned. He gazed in the direction of where Tanya had walked, but there was only darkness. Backdraft was by his side as always, looking up at him with those glassy eyes.
“Well, I guess we'll see what happens with this,” he said.
It felt as though things were fracturing. Maybe they all were feeling the strain. The singing still lingered in the air, but Nick stayed away for a while, wanting some time to himself. He thought about the future and the way the world was going to change. He thought about David as well. Nick knew what it was like to lose a best friend, so he knew how David must have been suffering. Still, he'd probably never see that man again.
Find out what happens next in book two here: http://amzn.to/2GviQtE
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