Protected

by Lexi Blake

  Her. He was looking at her.

  “She does talk,” Heather said. “I’ve heard her and everything.”

  “Yeah, I would love some.” She was hungry, actually. It was odd. Her stomach kind of rumbled, but in a good way. For the last year and a half it seemed she’d lost her appetite and had to force herself to eat, but tonight she smelled the fries and cheese and bacon and wanted.

  And she wanted him, too. She wasn’t going to lie to herself. This time she would be smart. If he turned out to be a nice guy, she might spend the night with him. Might. And then she would send him on his way because he was a tourist.

  She wouldn’t fall for him because she wouldn’t spend more than a night.

  On behalf of 1001 Dark Nights,

  Liz Berry and M.J. Rose would like to thank ~

  Steve Berry

  Doug Scofield

  Kim Guidroz

  Jillian Stein

  InkSlinger PR

  Dan Slater

  Asha Hossain

  Chris Graham

  Fedora Chen

  Kasi Alexander

  Jessica Johns

  Dylan Stockton

  Richard Blake

  and Simon Lipskar