“I know. You’d have to have been there.” She raised a shaking hand to push back the hair from her forehead. “And I think I’m a little dizzy because you’re here and I wasn’t expecting it. I could only hope, and sometimes hopes don’t come true.”

“But sometimes they do,” he said quietly. “If it makes a difference, I wanted to come. And I’m sorry I’m not the person you want to be here for you at a time like this, but I’ll do my best to—”

“Shut up.” She suddenly launched herself into his arms and held him tight for the briefest instant. Then she backed away. “You talk too much and most of the time it doesn’t make sense, but you’re here. You wanted to be here for me. Do you think I don’t know and appreciate what that means? Other than that you’re not very smart? There’s no one I’d want with me more than you right now. You might even turn out to be like that stupid movie hero you call yourself.” She frowned. “But you could also get yourself killed. I can’t let that happen.”

Gilroy smiled. “You don’t seem to be making a lot of sense yourself right now.”

“I’ll be better soon. I told you I’m a little…” She took another step back. She was already feeling awkward about that impulsive moment. Touching was reserved for special people…friends. She seldom reached out to anyone but Alisa and Margaret, but that heady gratitude had taken her by surprise. Yet wasn’t Gilroy perhaps also a friend now? “How long do you think it will be safe for you to stay here? Because there are things I should know, and I’m not thinking straight right now.”

“I told you, no one is going to be looking for me right away.”

“But you can’t be sure about that. You’ve only spent one night here. I’ve seen how many chances you take.”

“And you want to make certain that I do the right thing? You’ve got to accept that I know what I’m doing, Sasha.”

“Maybe,” she said doubtfully.

He chuckled and shook his head. “You have no choice. Alisa would want me to remain close to keep an eye on you, but it seems that’s going to be limited to between dusk and dawn. Maybe less, depending on what happens here when Reardon and Masenak’s other guests start showing up. If I’m not here for you to order about, you’ll have to trust that I’ll do the right thing for both of us.”

She drew a deep breath. “Then I suppose I’ll do it.”