She nodded and got in, but just before I shut the door she said, “To answer your question, there is no husband or significant other.”
As I headed around the front of the vehicle, once again I scanned the lot to make sure there was nothing out of the ordinary but the only people I saw were my friends all departing the building for dinner. I waved and headed to the driver's side door.
With a huge smile on my face.
I wouldn’t let anything affect my job of helping Ruby, but I couldn’t help the thought that ran through my mind.
Ruby is single.
ChapterTwo
RUBY
This was exactlywhat I’d been worried about.
The moment I walked into the building, my belly started doing crazy things. Not only did it twist into knots, but it also danced wildly as if doing a million consecutive pirouettes.
I’d been nervous about showing up atNo Surrenderfor multiple reasons, but I was sure the feeling that had taken hostage of my body had more to do with the man that immediately volunteered to help me.
In my life, I’d been in the presence of an abundance of men. But not a single man hadevermade me feel a smidge of the way I did around him.
Curious. Hopeful. Interested. Sexy.
Most of the guys that I’d been around were creeps. It was when I was all dolled up that they took notice. But the smallest glance from Lyric even in my scrubs, messy hair, and looking worse from wear at the hospital inexplicably made me feel desired.
But that was crazy. We didn’t even know each other. I had too many responsibilities and others I needed to take care of. I couldn’t and didn’t have the time to stop and smell the roses. Or in this case, give into any budding attraction I felt toward Lyric.
Who knows, maybe I was misreading the subtle glances and looks toward one another during previous encounters at the hospital, when we’d thought nobody was watching. Either way, it wasn’t the time to worry about that. I’d come for a reason and without even trying he’d pulled my attention away from the matter at hand.
Lyric was trouble and I’d gone seeking help to get away from just that, but there was something about him that couldn’t be ignored. It had been that way since I’d first met him.
Even then, I agreed to go with him to talk. I’d felt awful about barging in on everyone’s special evening and I hated making Lyric miss out. But he didn’t seem like the kind of guy who was going to take no for an answer.
That should’ve worried me since I seemed to already be having an issue with men like that, but with Lyric, I could tell it was completely different. He seemed genuine and might push a little; however, it felt like it was for all the right reasons.
So, after agreeing on a plan, Lyric placed his hand on my back to lead me out of the building, and my heart rate picked up pace as goosebumps raced down my spine. I tried hard not to react, but I couldn’t quite contain the tremble. Not out of fear but because it actually felt nice and that perplexed me in more ways than one.
Nobody’s touch had ever made me feel the way his did.
Then, the exchange at his truck had thrown me for a loop. Finding out that not only did he work atNo Surrender,but that he was also a cop, was a revelation I wasn’t expecting. I’d seen him in casual clothes and now also dressed up for a night out—both looks worked well for the man. But I found myself wondering what he looked like in his uniform.
To my surprise, when he asked me if someone else needed to join our conversation, like a husband or someone else, I had no idea I had it in me to tease him about his inquiry and throw the same question back at him. Nor did I ever think I’d laugh uncontrollably that evening with everything else on my mind. But when I found out his last name was Knight, I couldn’t help myself.
When I was safely in the truck and watched him round the hood, I couldn’t help but think how amazing his name was. Not only did I love his first name which was unique, but his last name was perfect.
Could Lyric be my Knight in shining armor?
* * *
The surprises just kept coming.
We’d been seated in a booth at a little diner by a sweet, elderly woman who’d gushed when she saw Lyric walk in. Watching her short, slightly plump frame jiggle with excitement when she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly was endearing. And her smile was infectious.
It was a scene I wasn’t expecting to see when he brought me here and it showed Lyric in a completely different light. I had been picturing him as an ex-military man, a cop, and someone who provided security. A badass per say. Then after a short drive to the restaurant, I saw a fun-loving, carefree spirit who had no qualms about letting the older lady fawn all over him and give him shit a short time later.
When we first sat down she gave Lyric the eye and asked him who his girl was. It took a few tries to get her to believe that it was a business meeting. I blushed when she clucked her tongue, told him he was a fool, and walked away.
Lyric explained he’d been coming into the diner for a long time and the charismatic lady named Mabel and her husband Leo owned the place. He’d said they were wonderful people but she liked to meddle in his love life, always telling him he needed to find a good woman and settle down.
