Page 34 of Unexpected Hero

Her eyes flash with something I can’t understand.

But dammit. I want to understand.

Another new experience for me. I’m wracking them up around Violet.

She casts her eyes downward. “That you need to leave.”

“Oh. Can I see you again?”

Her head pops back, eyes widening in surprise. “Okay, so I guess I didn’t see.”

“What does that mean?”

With renewed confidence, her slightly pointed chin raises as she meets my gaze. “Initially, I thought you were blowing me off with the bullshit email excuse, but now you’re asking to see me again. Is this a brush-off or not?”

The urge to growl sparks somewhere deep inside, but I shake it away because I’m not one of my barbaric Redleg brothers.

“Lettie, a minute ago, you said you understood I needed to leave. But now it seems that wasn’t true. Am I confusing you somehow?”

The apples of her cheeks tint slowly as she holds my gaze. With one brow raised, she fights back a smile. “Nothing gets by you, does it?”

“Actually, more than you’d realize. Case in point, whatever is happening now.”

She tilts her head to one side as her face softens.

“I’m a straightforward man. I don’t always get...” I wave my open palm back and forth between us.

How do I put this without sounding like a dumbass? She hasn’t agreed to see me again, and I’m blowing it.

Yet again.

This is why I prefer my interactions with women at the club. None of this social bullshit and guessing motives. The only thing I need to communicate with my subs are their limits and kinks. It’s simple and direct. No chance for misinterpretation.

She reaches across the table and steadies my twitching with her hand on mine. It’s the same thing I did to calm her jitters earlier.

Her expression warms as she lowers her forehead. “It’s okay. I don’t always get people either.”

I could swear my pulse skips a beat.

That’s new. I’m in trouble.

Off-limits, Tomer. Abort. Abort. Don’t lead her on. You can’t even tell her your real name.

“I’d like to see you again too,” she offers from behind a demure smile.

Shit.

I already asked to see her again, so I can’t backtrack without hurting her feelings. Her day is going bad enough. Last thing I want to do is make it worse by making her think I’m not interested.

Inhale, exhale.

I can figure this out. I’ve solved far bigger problems without batting an eye. I’ll have to adjust fire to come up with a new approach. Before I see her again, I’ll get my head right and focus on my mission and not her.

But she is the mission, my conscience reminds me.

Damn. That’s a problem for Tomorrow Tomer.

“Well, I need to go.” As I prepare to stand, I push away from the table. My hand slips from her grasp. “So you’ve got the cash if something comes up. You refueled your vehicle today and have some food to take back to the hotel with you. Is there anything else you need before I leave?”

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