Her Wild Protector. Naomi Bellina

      Tingling wasn’t the only odd sensation she felt. Everything looked different. Colors were brighter, more vivid, and she saw flashes of light and movement in the corners of her vision. Concerned that these apparitions were a result of smacking her head on the floor, she decided to visit the doctor later in the day if the situation didn’t improve. Her forehead was noticeably swollen and bruised, and she was thankful she wore her hair in bangs.

      The workday progressed with its normal dull routine up to lunchtime. Tara pulled her purse from her drawer and turned down her computer. Her coworker looked up from a document she was perusing.

      “Where are you going so early?” Brenda asked. “It’s not your lunchtime yet.”

      Tara started to argue, then looked at her clock.

      “It’s only eleven,” Brenda said, and Tara saw she was right.

      “My morning work is done. Usually when that happens it’s time for lunch. How did I get finished so quickly?” Tara looked around her desk, expecting to see something she’d missed, but it was true, all her reports were finished, emails were sent and phone calls returned.

      “I’m going to lunch, anyway. I’m starving,” Tara said. It would make for a long afternoon, but she didn’t care. She grabbed her sandwich and apple and went outside to sit at the employee picnic table, which was thankfully empty.

      Looking around, she marveled at the vibrant colors. She closed her eyes and listened, tuning in to every sound. How had she not noticed how many birds sang each day? The scent of the water and the sea breeze filled her nostrils, stronger than she ever remembered. She smiled, letting the sun caress her face. A small spark of joy lit her soul and she savored the moment, remembering when she used to take pleasure from times like this every day. Since the Divorce from Hell, nothing was able to stir her heart. She moved through her days like a marionette, doing what was expected of her and little more.

      This beauty was why she’d moved down here with Karl three years ago when he got that wonderful job. They both thought the area would make a great home. She’d done a bit of research and found many top-rated schools and the size and value of home they could afford was excellent. Sure, the summers were hot, but winter in Florida was paradise. It seemed like a dream come true.

      Unfortunately, after one year of heaven, the economy took a downturn and Karl was laid off shortly thereafter. He turned out to have little motivation and was perfectly content to collect unemployment and stay home and drink beer and watch television while they lived off her salary and drained their savings account.

      His unemployment benefits ran out soon and they were forced to sell their perfect little home and move into a small rental. Though Tara begged Karl to take some type of job, he insisted nothing was good enough for him. He was waiting for the perfect position that would open up any day. When her high-paying temp job ended, Tara took a long, hard look at her life. Though the prudent thing to do would have been to move back to the Midwest where they had friends and family, she was starting to love the area and wanted to stay.

      Anyway, the idea of returning home with her tail between her legs was unacceptable. Tara was a fighter and she would not admit defeat, so when Karl approached her with a business investment he swore would be a sure thing, she’d reluctantly agreed and allowed him to use every cent they had left.

      Just thinking about what happened next made her stomach knot up. Things had gone downhill fast after that. She left Karl, moved into a tiny apartment and gratefully took the first job she could get. Thinking of her past usually made Tara want to smack herself for being a first-class fool. Today, however, something had shifted. That small spark of spirit that had been in hiding burned stronger. She hummed a tune, one she and her mother used to sing, and went back to work feeling energized. She flew through the second half of the day’s work and when the phone rang she picked it up with a cheerful greeting.

      “This is Tara in accounting, how can I help you?”

      “I’m pretty much beyond help, girlfriend,” a lively voice announced. “But you can help yourself and come on out for Thirsty Thursday. Don’t you dare say no. I’ve heard that way too many times.”

      Tara’s usual refusal sprang to her lips. She was still licking her wounds from the nasty battle with her ex-husband and was not ready to sashay into the meat market of after-hours bar drinking. She paused, recalling the sublime feeling of fresh air and sunshine on her skin. The bar her coworkers patronized had an outdoor seating area on the water and today the weather was perfect.

      “Okay, I’ll be there,” Tara was slightly surprised to hear herself say.

      “You will?” Lola asked. “All right! I’ll save you a seat next to me. We’ll have fun, you’ll see.” Her friend’s excitement was almost contagious. Almost.

      “I just want to get out for a little while. I’m not going to stay late and I don’t want you trying to hook me up with any guys.”

      “Now, would I do that?” Lola asked. Tara pictured her friend with the wicked grin she knew was on her face.

      “Yes, you would and you have. I don’t need a man in my life right now, so no matchmaking.”

      “There’s this new guy in my office that might come. You two would be perfect together.”

      Tara sighed, loud enough so Lola could hear. “What did I just say? No men! I’m doing fine by myself.”

      “Okay, if you call living in a shoe box and eating cereal and frozen pizza for dinner every night fine, then I’ll leave you alone and let you enjoy your life. I hear there are some great movies on PBS on Saturday. That’s where you’ve been hanging out on the weekends, right?”

      Tara winced. Her friend was right. However, although Lola’s description did sum up her existence at the moment, it was how she chose to live. No dates, a miserable social life and a simple, undemanding job. She didn’t trust men, and she didn’t trust herself anymore, either. The low-level administrative position she held was all she felt capable of performing right now, even though she disliked it immensely and was often bored. When she thought of taking on a more challenging position, her mind flashed to those hours sitting in the lawyer’s office as Karl had listed her shortcomings, and she shuddered. “Hey, sorry, that was kind of harsh,” Lola said, a note of sympathy in her tone. “I just don’t want to see you dry up and turn into some kind of crazy old lady because of one asshole. There are still a few good men out there and you’ll find one, but you’ve got to get your behind out of your apartment.”

      “I know, I know—I said I’d come. I’ll talk. I’ll mingle. I’ll drink. No romance just yet, okay? Promise?”

      “All right, I promise. See you soon!”

      * * *

      “So then I said…hey, are you listening to me?” Lola asked, waving her hand in front of Tara’s face.

      “Yes, I’m listening. You said Alice ate someone’s month-old sandwich she stole from the lunchroom refrigerator and got sick.”

      “You don’t seem especially interested in my fascinating story. Your eyes are meandering around like your brain is somewhere far away. Are you thinking about anything particular? Something you want to share?”

      Tara didn’t. She was thinking about nothing and enjoying it immensely. She listened to Lola with only half her concentration.

      Her friend didn’t wait for an answer and resumed her narrative. Tara took the opportunity to focus on a man who had caught a bit of her attention. He had dark hair that was just a little longer than was the fashion, but it looked good on him. Sunglasses hid his eyes, but the rest of his face was attractive, if one enjoyed the rugged, dangerous look. Tara did. Pretty boys made her nervous. She could never be with a man who spent more time on grooming than she did. This one looked like he woke up with the same sexy dark shadow on his chin that he now sported. She crossed her legs, a twinge of heat causing her heart to beat faster.

      Dark and Dangerous sat with several