Page 25

“Oh!” She stumbled back against the limes, and a dozen or so escaped from the display, falling to the ground with little bounces.

“Shit. Sorry.” She dropped her list and pen into her cart and immediately knelt down to gather up the limes.

“Hannah, Hannah, calm down. They’re just limes.” He squatted next to her and helped, their hands brushing as they reached for the same limes.

“I’m so sorry!” Her cheeks burned as she jerked her hand back. She noticed several shoppers turning their way, staring at them, and heat spread down her neck.

Well, they were staring at her mostly. She was the one acting like a grade A spaz.

Focusing on Blake again, her gaze drifted over him appreciatively. He wore a gray sweatshirt over dark blue jeans and white sneakers. He had a ball cap on his head with a logo she recognized, though she couldn’t remember what sports team it was for.

God, how did he make casual so freaking sexy?

Blake’s handsome face was stretched into the gentle smile that had been turning her bones to mush for a year. “I’m the one who should be sorry, Hannah. I didn’t mean to scare you, I just needed some limes.”

They stood up and put the limes back. Hannah picked up her list again, but her pen was missing in action. “Of course, and here I am, just standing in the way blocking them. I was too busy checking stuff off my list and got lost in thought.”

Hannah caught Blake looking over her list. “I can see why. You’ve got kind of an eclectic assortment of groceries on there. What are you making?”

“Just a recipe I saw online.” Before she lost her nerve, she asked, “I never did get to say a proper thank-you for saving me the other day. I’d love to take you to dinner, or I could even make you something.” There was no way she was going to mention her mother wanted to cook for him, too. She’d suffered enough embarrassment to last a lifetime.

“It’s really not necessary, Hannah. Anyone would have done the same. Besides, the news story they did on me because of you really helped Alpha Dog, so I should be thanking you.”

“Not just anyone would have put themselves at risk for me,” she said softly.

His hazel eyes stared into hers, and for a moment, she thought he almost looked . . . afraid? Of her?

“Then if you won’t accept dinner, I’d at least like to buy you a cup of coffee. There’s a Starbucks at the front of the store.” She glanced down at the two cases of Corona in his cart. “Unless you have somewhere you need to be?”

After what felt like the hesitation that would never end, Blake nodded.

“I’ve got some time.”

WHY HAD HE said yes? He was all set to hightail it out of there, to wave off her gratitude as no big deal, but the way she’d looked at him, those big eyes luring him in like a fish on a line, he’d been powerless to stop himself from caving.

He took over pushing the cart for her, and her shy smile was lethal when paired with her soft, husky, “Thanks.”

Damn, he really liked her voice. “Not a problem. My beer is causing most of the weight, anyway.”

“What’s all of it for? You having a party or something?” she asked.

“It’s the Super Bowl this weekend. I’m heading over to a friend’s to watch on Sunday, and it’s bring your own beer.”

“I should have guessed. My dad loves football.” Hannah’s eyes got wider. “You’re drinking all of that in one day? Your poor liver.”

Blake burst out laughing. “No, there’s a pretty dense crowd of people I work with coming, so I figured I’d buy extra. I’m not an alcoholic, I swear.”

She probably didn’t believe him after he’d drunk dialed her, but over explaining would just make him sound guilty, which he wasn’t. He liked having a beer or two, but he only drank heavily when things got to be too much.

“That’s good.” They stepped into line in front of the Starbucks shack, and she looked at him expectantly. “What do you want?”

“I can get my own coffee—”

“It’s a thank-you coffee. You wouldn’t deny me the chance to buy you a single cup of gratitude, would you?”

Blake felt his mouth twitch in amusement. “Of course not. I’ll just take a large coffee. Black.”

“Boring.” Her teasing tone made him relax. Things didn’t have to be weird between them. He was making it that way.