Possess by J.A. Howell Read Free Book Online

get today.”
    “Well, borrow this until then. It should help a little.” Nolan produced a scarf from his inside his jacket then wrapped it around my neck gently before he continued walking. I couldn’t help but breathe in his clean, soapy scent as the wool of his scarf brushed against my cheek.
    “Um...thanks.” I mumbled, even more bemused by his behavior. “Why are you being nice to me? Is this like your non-boss persona, or what?”
    He slowed to a stop and glanced over at me with a troubled expression on his face. It quickly turned to stone once more, just like the Nolan I had seen all week.
    “I had a lot on my mind this week. I’m sorry if I came across rude.” He apologized and his expression softened. I nodded and offered a sympathetic smile as I unwrapped my sandwich and took a bite. My hands were finally warm, and my stomach was growling.
    “Mmm, this is good.” I mumbled as I licked my lips.
    A small grin pulled at the corners of Nolan’s mouth before he shifted the conversation away from himself. “So how did you end up in Midtown?”
    “I just needed a change of scenery.” I shrugged, not wanting to talk about myself any more than Nolan seemed to. What could I say? I left because my fiancé beat the crap out of me?
    Nolan nodded, continuing our walk silently for several minutes as we both consumed our breakfast sandwiches and the ambiance of the city morning. Nolan wandered toward an empty bench that sat in a small courtyard off of the main downtown shopping district. I followed and sat down on the opposite end before taking another bite. When I looked toward him again, I found his cool blue eyes already watching me with a puzzled expression.
    “What is it?” I raised an eyebrow and quickly looked down at my sweater. Had I spilled crumbs all over myself?   He shook his head, his lips forming into a frown.
    “Sorry. It’s just, sometimes at first glance ya remind me of someone.” He said softly as his eyes returned to mine
    “Oh?” I had no idea how to react. I looked back down at my sandwich as I felt his eyes still intent on me.
    “I shouldn’t have said that.” His voice held a tinge of sadness before he quickly resumed his usual stony expression and tone. “I should get back ta the Pub. I need ta be gettin' ready for lunch.”  He stood up and brushed himself off as he avoided my gaze.
    “Well, take your scarf.” I attempted to untangle it from my neck unsuccessfully as I stood to follow him.
    “Don’t worry about it. Just give it back to me later.” He waved a hand at me before he turned and quickly stalked away.

CHAPTER SIX
    Frozen
     
    As I headed back towards my apartment later that afternoon, my mind wandered back to Nolan. What the hell had that been all about? One minute Nolan was Mr. Social Butterfly and the next he was back to his usual standoffish self. I did my best to block him from my thoughts, despite having to walk right past Finley’s on my way home. Luckily for me, he was nowhere to be seen. Probably off sulking over something in his office. I pulled my new jacket tighter around me and picked up my pace.
    I had spent the better part of the day exploring Midtown and shopping. The balls of my feet ached with each step I took and I was eager to get home. My biggest splurge had been my new leather jacket. It was a little expensive, but I wasn’t shivering anymore and it was pretty cute. I’d also happened to find a small art store tucked away in a nook off of Park Avenue. For such a small shop it had a wide array of art supplies. I left with a decent bundle of paints, brushes, and a few small canvases.
    It had been a while since I had painted anything. Jackson never cared for my art. He told me to “leave the art to the professionals,” meaning the expensive pieces he had hanging around his mansion. Professional or not, it relaxed me, and regardless of what anyone else thought of my art, I happened to like it.
    My apartment building came into view as I