The moment passed and whatever had moved between them was lost in Kona’s distraction over the guy who was now coming onto his knees. Kona helped him up, but it wasn’t a friendly gesture, more an aggressive lurch on his arm and then a shove against the pine tree behind them. The kid looked like he was going to vomit and his hands immediately went to his bruising neck. But Kona just stood there, glaring down at him.
“You touch this girl, you touch any girls again and I’ll find out about it.” He moved his shoulders, a quick threatening jerk, and the thief knocked his head against the tree in his flinch. “You don’t want me finding out about that shit.” One quick twist of his chin and Kona stepped back. “Get out of here before I really get pissed.”
Kona didn’t give Keira a second to analyze what happened or what she felt. Her jeans were a soaking mess and her back felt raw and pulsing, but Kona’s attention seemed distracted, seemed focused on shaking the dirt and grime from her arm, checking her limbs, moving her face as he looked her over. Seeming satisfied that she wasn’t injured, he picked up her backpack and handed it to her.
Keira ignored the lick of fire that had passed between them. It was the adrenaline of her attack, a weird relief that somehow she’d been rescued. Shit, she thought. He saved me like a damn Disney princess. The thought erased the gut punch pleasure that was still coursing in her stomach. “You didn’t have to do that.”
Mouth open, coming up in a small scowl, Kona shook his head as though he’d expected a thank you and not Keira’s bitching. “He was trying to gank your stuff.”
Keira slapped the dirt from her backpack, ignoring Kona’s words. “And you didn’t have to follow me.”
“It’s a good thing I did. You couldn’t have handled that shit.”
She wouldn’t let him be the hero. At least, not more than he’d already had been. Keira knew her face was flaming, knew that her embarrassment at needing a rescue was something Kona wouldn’t understand. She was tired already, from the long night in the library, from the shock of her attack, and could only manage a quick, self-deprecating nod in Kona’s direction before she turned around, intending to head straight to her dorm room. But two steps seemed one too many and Keira flinched, her back seizing up.
Kona darted behind her, holding her arms under his larger fingers. “What is it? You hurt?”
“Probably just a bruise. It’s nothing.”
Kona disregarded Keira’s half-hearted attempts to pull out of his touch when he grabbed her elbow. “Come on, we’re taking you to the infirmary.”
“No, we aren’t,” she said, twisting her slim arm out of his grip. She looked over her shoulder to check it there was any blood on her shirt and again the pain rose up, making her wince. Kona pulled her along the sidewalk, that strong hand on her arm again and she stopped walking, stepping away from him. They’d only spent an hour or so together tonight, but Keira knew already that he was stubborn. Shoulders slumping, she tried to convince him she’d had enough rescuing for the night. “It was just a bump against the busted drain. There’s not even any blood.”
“You don’t know for sure.”
“You’re being paranoid.” Kona’s eyes narrowed and those deep dimples in his cheeks faded. She knew brushing him off wouldn’t work, so she tried making him see reason. “Think about it… you take me to the infirmary and they’ll ask questions. I kind of figured you don’t want anyone on your team or your coaches to know you choked some skinny punk.”
Kona bit the inside of his cheek and rested his hands at his hips, gaze moving to street drain that had caused Keira’s injury. Finally, as though he’d finished whatever asinine examination moved through his thoughts, Kona looked back at her. “Fine, let’s go to your room so I can check it out.”
“What?” He was crazy. There was no way she was going to let him into her room. She could manage on her own. She’d wait until Leann was back, but one glance at the determined set of Kona’s mouth and that high arching eyebrow told Keira he wouldn’t go for that either. “You’re not coming into my room.” She thought her voice was strong, but when she said “my room” the words came out high-pitched and cracked, destroying any meager attempts to sound firm.
Kona acted as though Keira hadn’t said anything. He just took her arm and led her toward her building, his grip easy, but still steady. “If I wanted in your room, believe me, I could get in. Besides, you won’t be able to check for yourself.”