Page 259 of Unexpected Heroine

“You let me open it.”

Wringing her hands, she doesn’t respond right away.

Taking a chance she won’t bat me away, I lightly brush my palm over her thigh. “Talk to me, sugar bear.”

She covers my hand with hers. Initially, I expect her to remove it from her leg.

Only she doesn’t.

Her fingertips lace between mine. The gesture sends warmth pulsing through my veins and teases me with hope.

For a future with Lettie not shrouded in deceit.

“I was testing a theory,” she finally admits.

I keep my response succinct, hoping she’ll elaborate. “Oh?”

“When I left your place, I developed a phobia of sorts about drinking. Which you know since you sent the water bottles. Thank you for those, by the way.”

Stifling my urge to tease her about her manners, I keep silent, merely pulsing our joined hands.

“The day I got to the shelter, I realized I couldn’t eat food that wasn’t sealed, so that was a fun little addition to my new neurosis.” With her free hand, she twirls the ends of her hair, bringing it over her shoulder. “As you know, those fears were never an issue when I was with you. My therapist and I haven’t had time to dive into that much. But I had a hunch, and I tested it. Can’t wait to see what she makes of this development.”

“What do you think it means?”

I know what I want her to say, but I refuse to get my hopes up any more than they already are.

With a lopsided grin, she drawls, “You think you’re so slick, dontcha?”

“Why do you say that?”

“You’re trying to get me to say that I still trust you or some shit. But I ain’t sayin’ that.”

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling at her southern twang mixed with her bratty attitude. “Well, you let me know what your therapist says about it.”

“Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t.”

A growl starts low in my belly at her sassiness. Fuck. I want her.

If I don’t change the subject, I’ll find an empty parking lot, drag her onto the hood, spread her wide, and bury my face in her pussy.

“What did you think of Big Al?”

“Hard to say for sure after only a few minutes, but he made a good impression on me.”

“That’s great.”

“Not sure if he told you, but I don’t think he’s gonna can you.”

“He told me he wasn’t firing me today. Tomorrow is a new day, however.”

She chuckles softly. “He’s gonna forgive you.” Her smile fades as she faces me, her eyes eagerly studying me. “I thought no one had loved you until me. But he does.”

Big Al’s told me that before, but it’s always hard to believe. Impossible actually. The first time he said it, I outright rejected it. Although he’s not homophobic, he immediately added that it was like a fatherly love, or so he imagined, since he didn’t have any kids to compare it to.

That he knew of.

It pissed him off when I revealed my disbelief that first time. After that, I nodded the few times he’s said it. He never seemed to expect me to say it back.

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