A Lonely Sky Read Online Free Page B

frame. She barely came up to his chest. Surely he could protect her from whatever evils the Rothenburg streets might harbor? She felt comforted by the thought until she realized that he could easily overpower her as well.
    Her friends appeared dumbstruck by Sam’s offer to walk her back. The look on their faces made her giggle. She felt a sort of redemption in their shock. Perhaps calling their bluff would be all it took to get them to leave?
    “That’s okay, Chris,” Julia said. “You guys stay. I met Sam at the bar and he’s going to walk me back.”
    “Okay then.” Bob reached for his beer. “Maybe we can get another round.”
    Kim jumped out of the booth and pulled Julia away from Sam. “Are you crazy?” she whispered. “You can’t walk back with a stranger!”
    “Then come with me!”
    “I can’t leave now . Chris isn’t ready to go and I think he’s working up the nerve to ask me out.”
    “Fine. Then I’m leaving with Sam.”
    Kim paused and glanced from Chris to Julia. “Are you sure?”
    “I’ll be okay.” She tried to hide her disappointment. “The bartender says Sam’s a good guy. But if you happen to find my body on the way home-”
    “Stop that. I just want to stay with Chris, okay?”
    “Okay,” Julia said, not feeling okay at all. “Be careful and I’ll see you later.”
    The girls returned to the booth. Julia felt sorry for leaving Sam in the company of the two soused boys. He smiled at her, seemingly grateful for her return.
    “I guess I’m ready,” she said.
    Sam guided her towards the door and into the night.

Chapter Four
     
    As Julia and Sam walked along cobblestone streets, a light mist illuminated in the soft glow of antiquated street lamps.
    “So, are you ever going to tell me your name?” Sam asked.
    “Julia. Julia Steele.”
    “Pretty. Julia. Juliet.” Sam pulled his cigarette pack from his pocket. “Mind if I smoke?”
    “No.” She watched as he lit a cigarette and blew smoke into the damp, gray air.
    The silence between their brief attempts at small talk unnerved Julia and only served to remind her that she walked late at night, in a foreign town, with a stranger.
    “Thank goodness it stopped raining so darn hard,” she said, attempting to keep the conversation going. If Sam was busy talking, he couldn’t devise a plan to kill her. “It was miserable on our way over, and we ran all the way, which is why I didn’t really pay attention to the directions.”
    “Ah.” He still wasn’t much for words.
    “So. Do you live here? You sound British.”
    “I live in London.” He stared straight ahead as if lost in some thought she could not reach.
    “Oh, I have always wanted to visit England! I’m fascinated by the history, especially the Elizabethan period, and visiting London would be like a dream for me. You’re so lucky to live there!”
    “Oh, it doesn’t seem all that intoxicating when you’ve lived there all your life as I have.”
    Julia pressed on. “Why are you here, in Rothenburg? Are you doing a commercial or something?”
    “No. I’m on holiday, so to speak. I find it utterly maddening to sit about my flat and wait for my agent to ring about the mini-series. It could be days before I hear.”
    “I see. I guess it’s like when I’m waiting to find out if I got a part in a play, except in school, they post the results instead of calling.”
    “Yes, only this sort of rejection feels bloody worse,” Sam said. “Because this is my career on the line.”
    “Right.” Julia felt excited for him. “But how wonderful if you do get it!”
    “Let’s not talk about it, shall we? Just rattles my nerves, I’m afraid.”
    She glanced up at the tall man, afraid she angered him. But he smiled kindly at her.
    She offered an apologetic smile. “You did say you came here so you wouldn’t think about it and all I do is go on about it.”
    Sam laughed. “That’s all right. Not to worry, love. The more you talk, the less I can think, and