Page 7 of Redeem My Heart

Before I can pick my jaw up off the floor or faint or hyperventilate—I’m not sure what my over-stimulated little brain might do at this point—he turns towards the bitches at the next table and gives them a cold, tight nod. “Ladies.”

Then he helps me grab my bag and we’re walking out, side-by-side.

When we get to the door, he pats my ass, like this is something he does every day.

chapter

five

Dane

I don’t say anything, just lead her straight to my truck where I lift her into the passenger seat. Walking around to my side, I try to adjust my half-chub without anyone seeing. The fact that a kiss that was relatively innocent could have me even partially hard is pissing me off. Once I climb in on my side, she turns to face me.

“What was that, exactly?”

“You defended me; I defended you.” I start my truck and back out of the spot in front of the coffee shop.

“Wait. What? How was kissing me in public ‘defending me’?”

I scratch at the back of my head. “Those women were being mean to you.”

“Yeah, do you not know them?”

“I might have recognized one of them.”

“They’re always mean. It’s their thing.”

I scowl. “Well, I didn’t like it. So that put a stop to it.”

“Yeah, but now they’re going to think … I don’t even know what they’re going to think.”

“They’ll think we’re dating.”

“Exactly.” She squeezes her eyes shut and chews at that bottom lip.

I take the opportunity to drive the loop around town since I don’t know where I’m supposed to take her.

“This is a disaster,” she mumbles more to herself than to me.

“That seems a little dramatic.”

“Well, we’re not dating, so insinuating that we are to three of the biggest gossips in town feels like a disaster.”

I pull into the parking lot next to the public library and just idle. “Well, maybe we should keep up appearances then.”

“What are you saying? You want to pretend that we’re dating?”

Fuck she’s cute. She’s looking up at me, all big green eyes and freckles smattered across her nose and cheeks. Her earnest expression tugs at something buried inside of me and fuck me if I don’t want to kiss her again.

“I don’t know what to do about it. I just reacted. They were being cruel to you, and since I don’t hit women, it seemed like the best option.”

Her lips twitch. “You want to fake date me so that they’ll stop picking on me?”

“Yes, exactly.”

Her arms cross over her chest bringing my eyes to her full tits hidden beneath her t-shirt. This one is a faded JAWS shirt. I swear this woman was made just for me.

“So, you think I’m some kind of charity case who needs your protection?” she asks.