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I nod. “Thank you again, Luke, for everything. I don’t know how I can repay your kindness.”
He smiles and holds out his hand to me, palm up. That sense of calm rushes through me and I don’t hesitate in putting my hand in his. He brings it to his lips and presses a gentle kiss to my knuckles, and my knees go weak as he gazes into my soul.Holy hell.
“Just come to the gym and we’ll call it even. I’ll see you soon, Liv.” He releases my hand and backs away for a few steps, still watching me with a smile. He nods at John, then turns and puts an earbud in one ear. He jogs around the corner and my smile fades as he disappears.
Over the past year, men have asked me out, they’ve flirted with me, and I’ve shut every single one of them down. I learned my lesson the hard way. None of them have been worth my time, much to my brother’s delight. I wasn’t interested in any of them. But Luke didn’t flirt with me. He didn’t tell me I was gorgeous or try to get in my pants. He didn’t charm me into anything. His simple and kind offer to help me makes me more attracted to him than even his mesmerizing smile. That Luke could make me respond like that intrigues the hell out of me.
I follow John over to his cruiser, and he opens the passenger door for me. We make our way to the station in silence. He glances at the bruises, and I can feel him holding back his anger. He takes in a deep breath, then releases it in a slow exhale.
“Did he ask you out?”
I look over at him, my brows pulled low. “No. I was just mugged. That would have been inappropriate.”
“What did he say?”
I purse my lips at him but decide to tell him. It doesn’t matter, anyway. “He owns a gym and offered for me to take a self-defense lesson.”
He turns on his blinker and pulls into the left turn lane. “It’s not a bad idea. I can only show you so much. Regular lessons will make you better prepared.”
I sigh and read Luke’s card that’s still in my hand. It’s a light gray color, his name at the top right, his phone number, and email address underneath. A logo is on the left. It’s a cartoon of a mean looking red bull dog holding a barbell in his mouth and reads ‘Devil Dogs Gym’ with the physical address underneath it.
“Devil Dogs? I wonder what that means,” I say, running my finger over the raised logo.
John glances at the card. “It’s a term for Marines.”
I thought it sounded familiar. San Diego is home to several Navy and Marine Corps bases. “Do you think he’s a Marine?”
“Probably, though I doubt he’s active if he’s working at the gym.”
That explains why I felt so safe around him. He’s a protector, just like John.
“You should go. I’ve heard of that gym. It’s legit. If you like the lesson, I’ll pay for more.”
I turn to him and smile. “Alright.” After the divorce, I tried to deny John and my dad’s financial help until my dad set me down and told me they both knew that I could take care of myself, but that didn’t mean I had to. They never held their financial support against me. It was a pleasant reminder that I could trust some men. So I let it go, and accept their offers to help me when they come, knowing it makes them happy that I’m cared for.
He clears his throat and shifts in his seat.
“And uh, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to go out with him if he asks.”
“What?” My eyebrows threaten to fly off my forehead.
He shrugs. “I’m just saying. It’s been a while. It wouldn’t hurt you to get out there again. You deserve to be happy.”
In all of my twenty-nine years, he has never encouraged me to date. I keep staring at him in shock until he glances at me and chuckles.
“What?”
“Where is this coming from?”
He shrugs. “You don’t need to be alone for the rest of your life because of that asshat. Not all guys are like him.”
I cross my arms and frown out the window. “And you think Luke is different?”
“I know he is.”
I glance at him. “How?”
“Just a hunch. I can’t see asshat coming to anyone’s rescue like that.” I smirk at his refusal to call Jeremy anything other than a curse word.
As a police Sergeant, he reads people all the time. But I don’t know if it matters if Luke is different or not. I’m not in a position to open up again.
“Just think about it ok?” John says as he pulls into a parking spot at the station.
I sigh and nod. “Ok.” I pull the handle and step out, John falling into step next to me as we make our way to the station entrance.
The gun flashes in my mind again, and I tense. “Can I stay with you tonight?” He rests his hand on my uninjured arm and his eyes soften.
“Of course, Liv. Whatever you need.”
I walk into the station as he holds the door open for me. My mind continues to wander back to Luke as John’s words toss around in my brain. I decide to save decisions for tomorrow when this nightmare day is over. But I know I’ll end up calling Luke. If nothing else, I’ll at least learn how to kick ass instead of having mine handed to me.
