Page 21 of Dark Soul

Get a grip, Alexia.

You’re just feeling grateful because he saved Nikolai’s life.

That’s all.

The man loosened his hold now, his arms still supporting Nikolai, but leaving him some room to move. The boy moved his arms and legs, scooting over until he was sitting on the snow next to the man.

“Take it easy,” the man said. “Does anything hurt?”

Nikolai shook his head. He still looked afraid, but maybe less so than he had moments earlier.

Not because of you.

Alexia forcefully relaxed her facial muscles so the boy wouldn’t misinterpret the fear in her expression for anger.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, running her hands along the boy’s arms. “You scared me, Nikolai.”

“I’m fine,” the boy said, but didn’t stop her from fussing over him. “I’m sorry,” he said, looking at the man.

“It was an accident, is all,” the man said, sitting up. “Everything’s okay.”

He seemed remarkably calm for someone who’d almost been run over moments earlier. Alexia wondered if things had happened as she remembered them, or if she’d made it up—but no, that image in her mind, of the man timing it just right and then plucking the boy off the sled … it’d really happened.

A real-life hero.

“Thank you,” she finally said.

The man shrugged—and winced, staring down at his left shoulder.

Shit, is he hurt?

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” he said, in a tone that brooked no argument. But he didn’t try to move his shoulder again.

“You sure you’re okay, buddy?” he asked Nikolai, and she liked that his deep, gruff voice was softer when he spoke to the boy.

She stifled a smile. She was pretty sure Nikolai had never been called buddy before.

But Nikolai took it in stride and nodded once again.

The man stood up—and he was huge, over six feet tall, and muscled all over … still on her knees, Alexia realized she was staring right at the crotch of his jeans, and looked quickly away.

Way to make a great first impression.

He would remember her as the crotch-gazer.

Why does it matter what he thinks of you?

You’re never going to see him again.

She stood up, leaving an imprint on the snow where her knees had been.

She was going to offer Nikolai a hand up, but the man beat her to it, grabbing the boy’s small gloved hand in his own huge hand and pulling him up easily, until the boy was standing, not letting go of him until he was sure Nikolai could stand on his own.

“That was pretty fast,” Nikolai said. Nikolai might not have all the words in English, but Alexia knew what he meant.

“It was pretty fast,” she agreed, ruffling his hair. “Please don’t do that again.”