For at least ten thudding heartbeats, he just stood there, looking like a stray word might knock him to the ground. Piercing blue eyes had lost their focus. Margo groped uncertainly for the chair and shoved it aside, anxious to put room between herself and the forceful man who would be coming out of shock any second.
Empty blue eyes focused slowly on her face. His brows came together. He studied her for another thudding stretch of heartbeats. Margo didn’t know what to say or do to fix this. When he drew a halting sip of air, she braced for the worst, but he didn’t say anything. He seemed incapable of speech. After a moment, he shut his eyes. Then, without a single word spoken, he turned and opened the door. He left her standing behind the chair, feeling like she wanted to die and get the hurting over with, rather than face what she’d just done.
Kit didn’t hear or see much of anything. He navigated the library on autopilot and found Brian Hendrickson behind the main reference desk. He located the desk by bumping into it.
”Good afternoon, Kit. What can I- Dear God, what’s wrong?”
The librarian’s face swam into focus. Kit gripped the edge of the reference desk until his knuckles hurt. “Am I awake?”
”Are you what?”
”Am I awake?”
Brian blinked. “Uh — yes?”
Kit swore. His belly did another drop into oblivion. He wished for the tiniest of moments he could follow it. “I was afraid of that.” He left Hendrickson gaping after him and literally ran into Margo halfway back to the cubicle. She staggered, blinking tears, then made to cut around him.