“Are you sure you’re all right? You’re not hurt anywhere?” His hands slid up the outside of her arms as his gaze traveled over her face, down her neck, over her torso, and passed over her jean-clad legs to her pink painted toenails before moving back up again.
He took his time, and the shiver that rippled through her couldn’t be labeled as anything but erotic.
She’d never had a man look at her like that. It wasn’t lewd, and she didn’t feel objectified, but there was no denying the sexual sting in his gaze.
“Sorry.” He shook his head slightly. “No wonder I mowed you down. You’re a teeny little thing.”
Mazey’s spine snapped straight. “Size doesn’t matter.” It wasn’t the first time someone had commented on her size, and while this man didn’t appear to be doing it in a derogatory way, she’d had enough of that in her life to be on the defensive whenever someone mentioned her delicate frame. “You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.”
He let her go and raised his handsI surrenderstyle. “Sorry. Didn’t mean anything by that other than we’re not an even match in the size department for bumping into each other.”
Damn it. She needed to get over that shit. Just one more stain Stuart had left on her life. Forcing a smile, she said, “No, it’s okay. I’m sorry. I’m a touch sensitive about that subject.”
“Are you sure you’re not hurt?” He bent his knees to bring their eyes more on level. “You hit the ground pretty hard.”
Other than a bruised ass, she didn’t think there was any real damage. “I’m fine. Just had the wind knocked out of me for a second.”
He smiled. “Can I buy you a drink to apologize for bulldozing over you?”
“Oh, um, yes, okay.” She was nodding when she remembered Alyssa. “Shit. Oops. Shoot. Sorry. I can’t. I’m meeting someone.”
His gaze chilled. The warmth that had been in his eyes instantly froze, slapping her with a blast of cold shock. His body straightening as though a steel rod had been shoved up his spine. “Right. Well, if you’re okay.”
Before she could answer, he stepped around her and strode away.
Left with her mouth agape, Mazey watched his long legs eat up the sidewalk as he all but ran away from her. Frozen in place, she stared until he disappeared from sight.
“Huh. That was weird.” And disappointing. She was about to suggest they exchange numbers or meet up for coffee another time when he took off like his ass was on fire. Mazey rubbed her own stinging ass and wondered what it was she’d said to send him running.
Caught up in her thoughts, she didn’t hear Alyssa until she was right beside her and putting a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, you okay? What’s wrong?”
“Oh.” She pulled her gaze away from the last place she’d seen the giant male bulldozer and focused on Alyssa. “Nothing. I just had this weird run-in with a guy.”
“Run-in?”
Mazey laughed. “Literally. We ran into each other.”
“Are you all right?” Alyssa asked, her concern genuine, both hands on Mazey’s shoulders, gaze searching for injury.
“Yes. Fine. Let’s get lunch, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“I can’t stay long. I’m covering a shift for a friend at the hospital tomorrow and need to catch some sleep before then.”
“The hospital?”
“I’m a casual, on-call nurse for the hospital as well as working for Mercy-Life. With the way our schedule works, I can do a few shifts a month to supplement my income. It makes having a live-in housekeeper-slash-babysitter possible.”
“Oh, do you need to get home?” Mazey hadn’t realized Alyssa even had a child. “I didn’t know . . .”
“It’s fine. And Penny isn’t my child. She’s my sister. It’s a long story and recent development. Since you’re living in Sunnyville and working at Mercy I’ll be able to tell you all about it. But for now”—Alyssa slipped her arm through Mazey’s—“I want to talk about you and all the changes in your life.”
Mazey smiled. It had been a while since she’d had a close girlfriend. Stuart had alienated her social circle early on in their relationship, and she hadn’t made any effort to stop him.
One more thing she’d let him dictate.
She’d been so stupid. The harder she looked at what they’d had—or what she thought they’d had—the more she realized she hadn’t been happy.
And the kicker was, with distance and her eyes wide open, she was pretty sure she hadn’t loved him at all.
