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“I really am okay.”Her words said one thing.The fact she hadn’t moved out of the curve of his arm gave an entirely different message.
Lucas wasn’t turning her loose until he was absolutely sure she was okay.“Come on.I’ll bet there’s a first-aid kit behind the bar.”
When he started to lead her around the side of the building, she planted her feet in the gravel.“I don’t want to make a big fuss.”
“And I don’t want your hands to become infected.”He turned her toward him and lifted those hands in his.“You work with your hands.Either let me dress the wounds or let me take you to an emergency room and have a doctor or nurse do the job.”
“The nearest emergency room is thirty miles away.I can take care of myself at home.”
“Then I’m going with you.”
Her brow furrowed.“I barely know you.”
“I’m a regular at your shop.”
Her frown deepened.“What would your girlfriend say about you going to another woman’s house?”
His brow twisted.“What girlfriend?”
One delicate eyebrow lifted.“The one you bought all those floral arrangements for.”
His cheeks heated.“Those were for me.”He wasn’t about to tell her he’d only purchased them to get closer to her.She’d think he was some kind of stalker.“Can I help it if I like fresh flowers?If you’re not comfortable with me going with you to your home, then let me or one of your friends help you here.”
She sighed.“Fine.We’ll go inside.”
He grinned.“Good.And after we clean up your hands, I’ll buy you that drink I promised.”
“That’s not necessary,” she said, allowing him to lead her around the side of the building to the front.
“Just one,” he urged.“I was really looking forward to trying out my best pickup lines.”
“You need pickup lines?”She gave him a sideways glance.
He shrugged.“I’ve been out of the dating scene for a while.I’m out of practice.”He opened the front door of the Crawdad Hole Bar and Grill and held it wide for her.“You’d be doing me a favor.”
She snorted.“I’ve been out of the dating game for a while as well, and I have no intention of jumping back in.I’m not sure I’d be a good sounding board for your practice.”
“Then you could give me an unbiased opinion,” he said with a grin.
Her brow twisted.“First, let’s see how good your first aid skills are.”As she stepped through the door, she stopped short.“I’d rather not stir up my friends.”
He glanced toward the women, who all looked toward them at once.“Too late.You have incoming.”
The women moved as one toward Lucas and Felina.
Lucas’s boss, Remy, and his teammate Gerard followed.
“Crap,” Felina murmured.“Brace yourself, and don’t let them talk you into anything.”
“What do you mean?”he asked.
Before she could answer, the four women converged on them.
A petite, dark woman with raven-black curly hair and golden eyes reached them first.“So, he’s the one, huh?”
“No,” Felina said, trying to push through the women.“I took a tumble in the parking lot.He just happened to be there.”She held up her hand.“Don’t get any ideas.”
“A tumble in the parking lot?”Remy’s woman, Shelby, frowned.“Are you okay?”
