Page 13 of Safe With Me

“Yeah, I-I just,” she stammered, her throat working when she lifted her head, “I don’t know how to change a tire.”

“I could change it pretty quickly. In fact, my best friend from high school owns the mechanic and body shop in town.”

She nodded, still taking short breaths in and out.

“That’s lucky,” she said, sputtering out a nervous laugh.

“Yeah, part of the small-town charm,” I tried to joke, but her skin was still pale as she tried to smile back.

“I’ll get the spare on, and you can follow me there. It’s only a few minutes away. This is his late night so he doesn’t close until seven.”

“Oh, that’s very kind of you. But I should be able to get home with the spare.” She slipped a stray lock of hair over her ear with a trembling hand.

I shook my head. “It’s not safe to drive with the donut for too long. And you don’t have to if you can change it out right now. He’ll even give you the family and friends discount since you work for my father and are sort of related to my sort-of aunt.”

She took in a shaky breath as she bobbed her head. “Claudia did say you were hersort-ofnephew.”

“There you go. All legit.” I sent her a wink, hoping it would relax her.

A flat tire was never a good thing, but it seemed like more than just a nuisance for her. Her pale skin and shaky breaths seemed like they stemmed from more than just not knowing how to change a tire.

It was as if she’d had her tires slashed before and was afraid whoever had done it was back.

“Hey, it’s okay.”

I wrapped my hand around her tiny wrist and let my thumb drift back and forth over the beat of her racing pulse, registering the jolt where my skin touched hers, despite my growing concern.

I was crossing a line by touching her, but she seemed so frightened, almost paralyzed with panic. Maybe my instincts weren’t so far off and something had happened to her to make her come here.

I needed to calm her down, change her tire, and get her over to Aaron’s shop so she could drive home safely. Her home that was so close to mine, where I would be fighting the urge to check on her later.

“Thank you. I really appreciate it, but aren’t you on shift still?

“You’re a resident in need of help. I did swear to serve and protect.”

She pursed her lips. “I don’t know the law that well, but I get the feeling changing my tire isn’t part of your obligation to the police department.”

“Well, maybe you’re right. I don’t want to let a beautiful woman drive around with a bad tire. So, in that respect, yes, I’m doing this because I want to and because I should.”

She dragged her hand through her hair as she nodded, and I held back a cringe when I realized what I’d just said.

Calling her a beautiful woman had just slipped out, and the last thing I wanted to do was make her even moreuncomfortable. I blamed it on this ridiculous and immediate pull toward her that I seemed to be shit at resisting so far.

“Aaron can change it for you tonight, and you can get on your way. And you don’t have to worry about going there in the morning before work.”

Her eyes searched mine, and again, I spotted that something I couldn’t pinpoint. The something that had me all out of sorts and I couldn’t explain why or figure out how to pull back.

“I really don’t want to put you out.”

“Like I said, you’re not putting me out. My father would want you to get to work safely and get home safely. So—” I pressed a dramatic hand to my chest “—I am doing this out of my duty to the Kelly Lakes Police Department and Jake Russo, both of whom would have my ass if I didn’t do the right thing.”

My heart stuttered in my chest when an almost real laugh fell from her lips.

“Okay.” She clenched her eyes shut and nodded. “Thank you. Truly.”

I let my gaze linger on her for a long minute before I headed to her trunk. Lila was beautiful, mysterious, and, I was now convinced, running from something.

Cop or not, I knew it was still none of my business, but I wouldn’t be able to rest until I found out.

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