Page 2 of Winter's Surprise
“Michelle.” She wasn’t quite sure what was happening, but her words weren’t her own. They were breathy and needy, unlike her usual sure-and-steady voice. This stranger was affecting her like no other ever had in the past.
“Michelle, I’m Jake, the dipshit that knocked you over because I wasn’t watching where I was going.” He moved her wrist around and smiled. “Good. My nonexpert opinion is that you sprained it. Does it hurt a lot?”
“Not as bad as when I first landed on it.”
“That’s really good. No numbness or nausea?” He ran his thumb along her skin and goose bumps spread up her arms.
Michelle swallowed hard. “Um… no? It just feels tender and aches.”
“Okay, good. If it gets worse, I would have it X-rayed. Of course, that is only my advice, seeing as I’m not a doctor.” Jake winked, and his eyes sparkled with amusement.
She couldn’t figure out the color of his eyes. On this darkened sidewalk, they appeared to be a mix between blue and green. His hand cupped her uninjured arm’s elbow, and her heart sped up.
“Here, let me help you up. I don’t want you to freeze from sitting on this cold, hard ground.”
Jake pulled her up and toward him with no effort. The only places their bodies touched were his hands on her elbow and waist. Their warm breaths puffed out into the cold air and neither spoke.
He scanned her face, and his eyes landed on her lips. “Can I buy you a coffee to say I’m sorry?”
“You’ve already said you’re sorry,” Michelle whispered.
His eyes met hers again. “I did… how about coffee just because?”
“I’d like that,” Michelle told him without a thought.
Jake’s smile lit up his face, and his pearly white, straight teeth shown down on her. She wondered for a moment what he wore under his own wool jacket.
“Would you like to go to Sara’s Mugs and Stuff or do you prefer another place?” Michelle’s stomach took the next moment to rumble loudly. Her uninjured hand went to her stomach as she felt her face warm. “Sorry.”
“You’re hungry. Even better.” Jake winked and urged her down the sidewalk. “I happen to be starving too. I was in such a rush to fill the void, I ran a beautiful woman over in the process. I was on my way to grab a sub at Lukas’s, and I know he serves good coffee—” Jake looked around him suspiciously and whispered, “Don’t tell Sara I said so.”
“And risk that she will stop making her brownies? No thanks!” Michelle said with wide eyes. Sara was a woman in her seventies, and she made the best pastries in town. People came from all around to eat her award-winning brownies.
“Oh man… those brownies! What do you think she puts in them?” Jake asked.
Michelle’s mouth watered at the simple thought of the brownies. “Fairy dust and magic.”
Jake chuckled and helped her over a mound of snow. He slipped her arm into his. “Careful now, we wouldn’t want you to fall.”
Michelle stopped and gave him a pointed stare. “Oh, really?”
“Really. You could sprain your wrist if you land wrong.” Jake patted her hand.
“Aren’t you the charmer,” she said, feeling completely affected by this stranger.
These things didn’t happen to Michelle. Her life was simple and routine. Jake slamming into her was quite the opposite. Then again, he was different than all the men who had come in and out of her life.
“Is it working?” he asked and cast her a shy side glance. It seemed Michelle wasn’t the only one not affected by whatever spell was weaving this turn of events.
Michelle looked to the sky as she pretended to mull it over. “I don’t know. I do promise knocking me down a second time will not work again.”
“Damn, that was plan b.”
She stopped in her tracks and found herself laughing at the boyish grin that accompanied his words. “You’re something else.”
He rubbed the scruff of hair on his face. “You know, my mom says that a lot. I’m starting to think that isn’t a good thing.”
