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With one more huff, Giles turned and went inside.
Leo turned and looked around at the land of the free. He turned and tilted his head up at the sky. Looking up amongst the giant buildings, he felt small. Looking out amongst the sea of people, he felt insignificant.
A person brushed by him, bumping his shoulder. “Watch it,” the person called back.
Leo didn’t take affront. He’d never experienced rudeness to his face. It was a new experience, and he chose to laugh it off. Which didn’t make the retreating person any happier. They scowled and continued walking.
A few women passed Leo. They eyed him up and down. The looks they gave him over their shoulders were come hither. He could’ve hithered. But, of course, he didn’t.
Aside from being a father of a young girl, Leo had never been one for flings. Unlike his brother. All his life, Leo had been a one woman kind of man. And since he’d been engaged since birth, he had remained faithful to the one woman he made his promises to.
The only woman he’d ever kissed was his departed wife. The next woman he would kiss would have the same title and responsibility. It was simply his lot in life. One he accepted.
Leo turned back and faced the street. Traffic had lessened in the few minutes they’d b
een parked. Vehicles were moving near the speed limit once more. Except at the stoplights and pedestrian crossings.
At the street crossing directly ahead of him, a woman looked down at her phone. The walkers had cleared from the middle of the street and were safely on the side walk. But this woman wasn’t paying heed to the red hand signaling her to stop. She was too focused on her phone.
A truck rounded the corner, moving at the speed limit. The woman continued to look down. From the angle, Leo could tell she was in the driver’s blind spot. Neither saw the other.
Perhaps it was the warrior blood of his Moorish ancestors? Or maybe the adventurous spirit of his Conquistador forefathers? Perhaps the arrogance of the French aristocrats in his family tree kicked in. Whatever it was that set him in motion, Leo didn’t think. He simply acted.
Leo dashed around the car and into the street. With just a second to spare, he placed his arms around the woman and yanked her to him. A split second later, the bumper of the truck occupied the space where she’d been. The force of Leo’s tug and the impact of her body crashing into his sent them both to the ground.
The woman yelped in surprise. The brakes of the truck squealed in protest. Leo grunted as he fell hard on his back with the woman on top of him.
“Oh, my gosh,” breathed the woman. “Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.”
She looked up at the truck that was inches away from them. She looked down at Leo who was sprawled beneath her. It may have been the near death experience, but Leo could’ve sworn he saw stars sparkling over her head.
“Oy, you two love birds, take it inside and off the street,” the truck driver shouted at them before turning his wheel and maneuvering around their entangled bodies.
The truck puttered away with a blast of exhaust. Leo covered the woman’s face with his shoulder to protect her from the fumes. When the air cleared, he was left staring into the most dazzling, deep brown eyes he’d ever seen. It was a brown so dark it could almost be black, but there was a light at the center that radiated outward. For a moment, Leo was dazed.
“Death by dragon,” she said.
He dragged his eyes from her lips. She wasn’t wearing any lipstick, likely only Chapstick as her lips were glazed, and she smelled faintly of mint and cherries. “I beg your pardon?”
“I was nearly taken out by a dragon.”
She looked in the direction of the departing truck. That’s when Leo noticed the green dragon on the side of the truck detailing Dragon Dry Cleaning Services.
“You saved me,” she said. “My own knight in shining armor.”
“I’m no knight.”
“You are in my book.”
She grinned down at him, and he was once more at a loss for words. His gaze again fastened to her lips. And then, wonder of wonders, her pink tongue snuck out of the corner of her mouth to moisten her already glossed lips. Leo’s hunger multiplied tenfold.
It took a series of honking horns to bring him back to the present and the danger that still plagued them. They remained in the middle of the street with cars arrowing to pass by their still entwined bodies.
His damsel pushed off his chest to right herself. Then she bent over and offered her hand to Leo. He stared at her offered hand for another full second, wondering how the roles had been reversed.
In the end, he took her hand in his. He didn’t use any of her strength to help him to stand. He rose of his own accord. While doing so, he reveled in the touch of her flesh against his.
They moved to the sidewalk, still hand in hand. All too soon, she yanked her hand away from him. Then promptly patted his pants legs, dangerously close to the crown jewels.
