“Oh crap. I thought someone was following me.”
He nodded. “Yeah. I pulled out and stayed behind him until I could get between your car and his. I blocked him in so he couldn’t follow you.” He raised both hands. “I didn’t follow you to your place, so I have no idea where you live, but he is following you after work, and I’m worried because I can’t be here every night to make sure he doesn’t do it again.”
“Oh gosh, I wouldn’t expect you to. But thank you for intercepting him last night. That’s twice you’ve saved me.”
“It wasn’t much. I think most people would help if they could.”
She snorted a laugh as she shook her head. “No, they wouldn’t.”
His lips drew down deeper into an even more severe frown. “So I know this may seem like too much, but I’d like to have your number and your last name. I promise, I just want to help.”
Was this guy for real? “Why?”
His eyes narrowed. “Why what?”
“Why would you help me? You don’t know me. I’m not sleeping with you, either.”
He took a step back and raised both hands. “I know it sounds weird, but honestly, I just want to help. I don’t like people taking advantage of others, and it seemed like he wanted to hurt you last night.”
No one helped other people without expecting something in return. He glanced over his shoulder and then back at her. The look in his eyes made her anger soften just a little. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy.
“He used to beat me. That’s why I left. He says pretty words when he begs me to come back to him, but I can’t believe him. I did that more than once, and I ended up regretting it.”
“I’m sorry he’s such a jerk.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“No, but it seems like men don’t call out other men enough. I don’t want to be the type of guy who is oblivious to the pain of others.”
“Are you for real, or is this a dream? Maybe I was hit by a car.”
His lips tipped up in a smile that made her heart squeeze. He really was good-looking, which might be a bad thing for her to realize.
“You weren’t hit by a car as far as I know. And this isn’t a dream.”
She lifted one shoulder in a lazy shrug. “Maybe in my dream, you would say that. What if you’re not conscious and I’m just dreaming this all up?”
His smile grew wider. When he was serious, he looked very scary, but now he looked kind, like he wouldn’t hurt a fly.
“If I wasn’t conscious, how would you be dreaming it up? Or are we in a shared reality dream?”
She liked this guy, but she had terrible taste in men, and liking a guy wasn’t good enough. She’d liked Robert at one point.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“So, about your number and name. I’d like to see if I can do anything to stop Robert before he does something really dumb, so I wouldn’t mind having his last name.”
Anything dealing with Robert was serious. The man was a menace, and he would hurt her if she didn’t do something soon. But was giving her number to some stranger a wise idea?
9
Now that he had Willa’s last name and phone number, along with information about Robert, he could ask for help. Maybe there was something on the guy. Could he possibly have an arrest warrant out on him, or maybe some other legal trouble that would take him down a peg or two?
Seeing Willa in the light of day hadn’t chilled his desire one bit. Seeing her like this had ignited something inside. Not that he would push for more with her. Based on how she’d reacted last night and then today, she wasn’t ready to be hit on. It seemed like she’d been through the wringer and didn’t need his bullshit. It might take her years before she wanted to even think about another relationship.
Besides, he wasn’t helping her to get into her pants. If he wanted a woman, all he had to do was go to a club and tell one of the women he was in the Navy and in special forces. In this area, there were plenty of chasers who were dying for a night in the sack with a SEAL.
One thing he knew for sure, he didn’t need to get with Willa to feel compassion for her. She was stuck in a tough place. Robert was weak compared to him, but he’d obviously hurt Willa. She wasn’t overly muscular, and she wasn’t tall,either. She looked like a regular woman. She had some strength because she served drinks, but her fear of Robert had been obvious.
