Page 24 of Viktor

Sara’s phone rang, interrupting her own ogling. She plucked it out of her purse and groaned. Roger. His mother had to have called him. Not wanting to do this in the checkout line, she let it go to voicemail. He’d keep calling until she answered, so she shut her phone off.

“Problem?” Viktor asked.

She shrugged and grabbed the little green bar to separate her groceries from Viktor’s. He shook his head and put it back.

“I told you, I’m buying this.”

Sara pursed her lips and picked up the bar again. “You buy yours, and I’ll buy mine.”

He straightened, and his eyes narrowed. He plucked it out of her hands. “No. I’m buying all of it.” He looked at the checkout girl, his eyes finding her name tag. “Sandy, all of this is on one bill.”

“You can’t just decide…”

He put a finger to her lips. She jerked back like he’d burned her. His mouth turned up in a half smile at her reaction. “Don’t argue. Let me do this.”

“I don’t want you to do this.”

“We don’t always get what we want, now, do we?”

It pissed her off because it was exactly what she’d told Delia this morning when she demanded waffles after Sara made her eggs and bacon. She was not a six-year-old to be told what to do.

“Now, you listen here, Viktor Kincaid…”

“Sara Jane?”

Sara’s tirade was interrupted by Mrs. Walsh, her old neighbor. Gossipmonger of the town. She closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself for a moment, before turning to face her. She was dressed in her flowered jumpsuit and her brown hat. Shrewd eyes studied Sara, making her want to run and hide. Instead, she plastered on a smile.

“Hello, Mrs. Walsh.”

“Who’s your young man?”

“I’m Viktor Kincaid, ma’am.” Viktor flashed her a smile and started unloading Sara’s cart.

“He’s not my young man,” Sara told her, shooting Viktor a glare. He didn’t need to add strength to the rumors that were going to start after they left. “He’s…”

“I’m her bodyguard.” Viktor pulled out a card from his wallet and stuck it into the card reader before Sara could stop him. Dammit.

“Bodyguard?” Mrs. Walsh looked confused. “Why do you need a bodyguard?”

“It’s a long story, Mrs. Walsh, and I’d prefer not to get into it in the checkout lane.”

Mrs. Walsh pursed her lips. “You don’t trust your husband to keep you safe?”

“I’m keeping her safefromher husband.” Viktor put his card away and gently tugged Sara forward. “It was nice to meet you, ma’am.”

Sara took one of the grocery carts and followed Viktor and the bagger out to the parking lot. She wanted to kill him. He shouldn’t have told the worst gossipmonger in town anything. Now she was going to have to contend with the entire town knowing her business.

He thanked the bagger and sent him back inside with a five-dollar tip. Well, that was nice and something she didn’t expect him to do. It sidetracked her anger for all of ten seconds, then she remembered his highhandedness.

“Viktor.”

“Hmm?” He was totally ignoring her.

She rolled her eyes and poked him in the back.

He turned, and in that second, she wished she’d just gotten in the car. His eyes had that sleepy, sexy look, and a small smile tilted his oh-so-kissable lips. The look he gave her caused her stomach dip deliciously.

“Yes, Sara?”