Page 50 of Falling for a Grumpy Hero

“You,” I admitted, my cheeks flushing all over again. “Are you okay? After you know… yesterday. Today. How’s your leg?”

He shrugged. “It’s better than it has been. Worse than it was before. And I’m fine. I’m as surprised about that as anyone, but it’s true. I told the story and the world is still turning. That’s a win.”

A big old smile spread on my lips, but just in case, I twisted a little further in my seat to glance at Rook. He’d know if Ford was being honest right now or not. Rook seemed to have a pretty good idea of when the guy was in distress, and clearly, he really was fine.

Rook’s big, golden brown and black body was stretched out across the seat, his head on his paws and his ears perked, but he seemed relaxed enough. I smiled and moved my gaze back to Ford, noticing the muscles in his biceps rolling under his T-shirt when he tightened his grip on the wheel.

His throat worked for a moment. Then he glanced at me. “Are you okay?”

Raindrops splattered against his windscreen, the rhythmic thump of his wipers filling the cab as I tried to find the right words to answer him. “I told you yesterday that I wouldn’t have been anywhere else. That’s still true.”

For a moment, he seemed a little stunned, but then he relaxed, the tension bleeding out of those muscles as he turned onto my block. “Good. That’s good.”

He paused for a moment. “It wasn’t too much for you, what I told you yesterday?”

“No, it wasn’t.” I blinked a few times, a little surprised that he’d even ask. “How could it be? It was the truth, wasn’t it? I’m glad you told me. I’m honored, actually.”

As we slowed in front of my building, he blew out a heavy breath and eased the truck into a spot as close as we could get to the door. I turned to him, wondering how exactly I was supposed to say goodbye after everything that had happened in the last day, but then I realized he’d reached for his door handle too.

“You’re coming in with me?” I asked

Confusion registered in the tightening of his eyebrows. “Of course, I am. I’m walking you to your door.”

Right. Of course.

I couldn’t hold back a smile. Looks like everyone’s favorite grumpy marine really is a gentleman at his core.

After pausing for a moment to brace ourselves for the rain, we rushed through the onslaught together, running hand-in-hand into my building. Laughing as he let the door slam shut behind us, I shuddered and flicked some water off my hands and arms.

“It’s really started to come down out there, huh?” I punched the button for the elevator and he surprised me again when he suddenly let out a bark of laughter too.

“Yeah, I’d better get back if I don’t want to get caught at your place this time.” He glanced at the glass-fronted wall of my complex and sighed. I half-expected him to just turn around and walk away, but he didn’t, climbing into the elevator with me instead and riding it up to my floor.

As I moved to climb out of it, he came with me, reaching out and catching my hips when we got to my door. Without hesitating, he spun me into his arms and kissed me again, murmuring against my lips when he lifted his head away. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

He was still so close that his breath ghosted across my damp skin and I shivered, not even really sure what to say, but a smile rose on my lips unbidden. I stared up into those eyes that were so much softer now than usual. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay? Ride out the storm here?”

“I can’t.” At least he really did seem remorseful, hands tightening on my hips just before he took a big step back, letting go of me and double-timing it to catch the elevator just before the doors slid shut. With a final glance my way, he disappeared.

Chuckling under my breath at the absurdity of everything that had happened today, I headed into my apartment, my heart racing. It hadn’t stopped racing since the side of my hand had brushed against his leg and I’d felt him jolt.

Lightning flashed over the ocean as I leaned back against my door, laughter suddenly bubbling out of me. What a freaking day.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, needing to talk to Addy. Right now. I bounced on the balls of my feet as I waited for her to pick up, finally pushing away from the door to collapse onto my couch.

As I kicked my feet up, thunder grumbled somewhere across the water. The next moment, the call connected. My heart jumped, a wide grin spreading on my lips as the words tumbled out of me before she’d even said hello. “I think I’m in love.”

She laughed. “Finally. What happened? And wait, you do mean with Ford, right? Actually, I think you should just start at the beginning and tell me everything. I can’t wait to hear this story.”

26

FORD

On Monday morning when I arrived at the office, Lila wasn’t there. I asked around, but the only answer I got was, “She’s out in the field.”

I had no clue what that meant, though. Yesterday when I’d spoken to her, she’d told me she had homework to catch up on and I’d spent the day with my neighbors, continuing the storm cleanup. She hadn’t mentioned anything about having errands to run this morning or work to do out of the office.

Plus, as my assistant, she shouldn’t be “out in the field” unless I was with her, and clearly, I wasn’t. Unsure of where she could be, I tried calling, but the phone rang and rang until finally I got her voicemail.