Page 22 of Unexpected Hero

Stunning.

Even sad, panicked, and frazzled, with red blotches on her fair skin and her nose stuffy from crying, she’s the most breathtaking woman I’ve ever seen.

She’s almost… otherworldly.

No fucking wonder I’m hung up on her.

Lettie smiles at me, but it’s forced and tight. “I’m okay. Just having a little,” she pauses, caressing her forehead, “crisis of the life variety, I guess you could say.”

Don’t be creepy. Don’t be creepy.

“Anything I can do to help?”

I force myself to smile, which doesn’t come naturally to me.

“I don’t… I don’t know. Gosh, this is embarrassing. Just ignore me.”

Unable to resist, I take two steps closer as a desperation to comfort her overtakes me. “No need to be embarrassed. What’s going on?”

Was that creepy? Fuck. I wish I knew how to act around people.

Well that’s a thought I’ve never had before. I don’t give a damn what people think of me or if they think of me at all. Why bother? Whatever it is, it probably isn’t good. So who cares?

But her? I want her to think of me. Often. And warmly.

Like I think of her.

She mashes her puffy pink lips together and glances over her shoulder toward the store entrance, then meets my eyes again. “I only intended to get twenty bucks worth of gas, which would have left me a few dollars in my checking account to get something to eat. I only needed a little something to hold me over until my next paycheck. But I lost track of what I was doing while I was pumping and put thirty in, which is going to overdraw my account and leave me with nothing for food. So I was digging through my car to find some cash so I could go in and have them reverse the debit card charge to spare my bank account, but I can’t find enough.”

She sighs before hastily adding, “I’m not always this broke. It’s been a rough few weeks.” Her cheeks fill with air, and she sputters a shaky breath, quickly deflating them.

Lettie Holt is adorable and sexy at the same time.

Flawless complexion and dazzling blue eyes you can get lost in. Curves for days and flowing blond hair caressing her shoulders.

The pump fueling my car clicks, signaling the tank is full. It was only a top off anyhow.

“Hang on for one second.” I step back behind the gas pump to deal with the nozzle and put the cap back on my gas tank.

After wiping my hands on my jeans, I take a deep breath and return to her side. Lettie’s digging through her purse again, her head shaking as she searches. Taking a quick moment, I let my gaze sweep up and down her body, loving the look of her shapely thighs and toned calves, not to mention her smooth shoulders exposed by the straps of her sundress. I would love to see that dress pooled on the floor by my bed.

Shaking off that errant thought, I reach for my wallet. “I got you. Here.” I thumb through my wallet, but only have four twenties. She needs more than that. Son of a bitch. Need to hit an ATM. I bet they have one inside. I wonder if she’d wait. I’m probably weirding her out, so she’ll drive off as soon as I turn my back.

She looks up and catches me frowning at my wallet. “Oh no. I can’t accept a handout. I’ll be fine. It’s my problem, not yours.”

I fold the bills and hand them to her. “I don’t mind. Here.”

Her eyes dance from the cash to my face a few times while she chews her lower lip. Fucking hell. I want to bite that lip.

What is wrong with me?

I can’t have these thoughts about her anymore. She’s Big Al’s daughter. Even if he doesn’t know it. Plus, she’s twelve years younger than me.

Off. Limits.

She still hasn’t grabbed the money from me by the time I’ve chastised myself thoroughly. So I take another step in her direction, holding the money closer.

Three times, she opens and closes her fists. She obviously wants to take it but doesn’t want the handout. Either that, or she’s trying to figure out how to get away from me without hurting my feelings. Entirely possible.

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