Page 22 of Warlander Grizzly

“I promised her,” he said of his mother with a shrug.

The fluttering in her chest kicked up. “Is she your hero?” Lucia asked.

“As my boss would say, she’s my shero.”

The boss he spoke of was Willa Barns, the Almost Alpha of the Gray Backs. Chills rippled up her arms. Lucia saw her mother as her shero, too. This man was scary. “I don’t need help out of a truck.”

“I know. You probably don’t need help doing anything. Ever.” He offered his hand closer.

She lifted her chin higher into the air, considering a snub. She could just slide out of the truck and ignore his hand, or even slap it away, but…but…he’d promised his shero he would be a gentleman tonight, and who was she to break his promises?

“Your mother is respected by me,” she uttered as she slid her palm against his.

“Your mother is terrifying to me,” he said as he helped her out.

“My mom? Aviana Novak is the sweetest woman alive.”

Landon snorted. “She wields the power of Beaston. She’s sweet, but she ain’t weak. She could have me eaten with a word.”

“You’re scared of my dad?” she asked, amused.

“Oh, I’d put up a good fight, but fighting your family won’t get me into your panties.”

Truth. “Well, at least you’re honest with your intentions, pig.”

He chuckled, unoffended. “Any red-blooded man who takes you out wants in your panties, Lucia. Look at you.” He pointed his key at his truck and pretended to click it. He made a beep, beep sound like he was locking some fancy car, and she didn’t know why, but it made her laugh.

“You’re a mess.”

When she looked up at him, he was staring down at her lips with the strangest expression, and his eyes had lightened a couple shades.

“What?” she asked, growing self-conscious. She pressed her knuckles to cover up her lips in case she had a smear of lipstick or something.

Landon pulled her hand away, then dropped his hand awkwardly and ran his hand through his hair again. “Sorry, I touched you and you didn’t ask for that.” His blond hair was sticking up all over the place like he’d been electrocuted.

Lucia said, “Stay still, you look ridiculous.” Lucia fixed it and mussed it up just a bit in the front. “There.”

“Do I look all right?” he asked.

Lucia narrowed her eyes at him. “Look, if you’re going to fish for compliments, I don’t give them. It’s a waste of your time. If you’re one of those people who needs them, you should move on.”

“I caught you looking at me when I came around the truck to help you out. You might not say compliments with words, Lucia Novak. Your eyes say enough though.”

Completely caught off guard, she took three quick steps away from him to create distance as they walked up to the front door.

Emory, the hostess, gave her a questioning look as soon as she stepped through the door Landon held open for her. Before he could see, Lucia pressed her finger to her lips. Shhh.

Emory glanced at Landon and nodded like she was impressed. “Table for two?”

“Is it okay if we sit at the bar?” Lucia asked innocently.

“Uuuuh, sure,” Emory told her. “Head on back.”

Landon stepped in front and led the way to the bar in the back, and Lucia tried to steady her heart rate in case he could hear it over the country song blaring over the jukebox speakers. She could see the indentations and curves of his rippling back muscles against the thin material of his T-shirt. He was tall—at least an entire foot taller than her, and she was five foot five. He had to be the tallest of the Fuller brothers. All of Clinton’s offspring were built like tanks, but Landon was a titan.

Danny, the bartender working tonight, dropped his jaw when he saw her, but she sneakily shook her head, and he quickly composed his face as Landon pulled out a chair for her at the bar.

Instead of sitting in it, she strode around the bar. From the other side, she asked, “What are you drinking tonight?”

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