Page 258 of Unexpected Heroine

“Yeah, but I’d be safe waiting here.”

“I won’t be done anytime soon. Not much for you to do here while you wait. You’re better off at the facility.”

“Okay.” One of her sexy as fuck shoulders lifts in a dainty shrug. “I’m ready whenever you are.” Stepping backward, she puts some space between us and presses her palm to her forehead. “Oh. I almost forgot. Boss Dad said something about extra security stuff for me. I’m supposed to wait for him before I leave.”

A chuckle I can’t suppress escapes me. “Boss Dad. I like that.”

“You can use it if you want.”

Suddenly desperate to get her out of here, I move into action mode. “I’ll talk about your protection with him. Before we go, I need to tell my team I’ll be gone for a while. We should probably send your billionaire chauffeurs away too.”

Through a giggle, she quips, “Nothing but the best for me.”

“Are you comfortable waiting here, or do you want to come with me?”

She scans the break room. After she came out of Big Al’s office, I walked her in here for some privacy. “I’ll come with you.”

On reflex, I offer her my hand. She studies it for what feels like hours. My pulse pounds wildly in my throat while I await her decision. Flirting is one thing, considering we never suffered from a lack of sexual chemistry.

But this is somehow . . . different.

It doesn’t seem like a big deal. Just an offer to hold her hand to lead her down the hall.

Things are often more than what they seem. And this is one of those times.

With an almost painful gradualness, she accepts my offer, slipping her hand into mine. When we touch, the warmth of her gaze travels straight into my solar plexus.

For the first time in far too long, when she looks at me, nothing but affection shines in her eyes.

My heart resumes beating.

After scanning the vehicle, I open the passenger door to usher her inside. When she lowers into the car, she lets go of my hand. I immediately miss the feel of her skin on mine. She’s had a tight hold on me since she took my hand fifteen minutes ago.

As much as I long to believe she was holding it for reasons pertinent to our relationship—whatever state it may be in—I’m keenly aware she could merely be clinging to me as a familiar protector in an unfamiliar environment. That doesn’t stop me from hoping for the former.

The first several minutes of the drive are silent and overflowing with tension. A million thoughts batter my mind. Most of them are about Lettie, although many are on the rough days ahead of me and the mountain of work waiting for me at HQ.

For now, though, my Redleg family is safe. Mia and Klein were already moving in high gear when I popped into the lair.

True to her character, Lettie’s the first one to speak. “Is the guy behind us the one who cracked the it’s a girl joke in the conference room? Is he some kind of class clown?”

“Yes, and yes.”

Sawyer volunteered to be my back-up for this little trip. He must have realized Lettie and I needed some privacy since he jumped into his SUV without prompting.

“What’s his name?”

“Sawyer.”

“He wasn’t there the night of my um... rescue. Or was he?”

“No. He wasn’t there.”

The silence returns, allowing me to process some of what happened this morning.

“Lettie, what was up with the water bottle?”

She twists her neck to look out the window, shielding herself from my view. “What do you mean?”

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