Devastate Me novel Chapter 3

"Ouch!" Her cart shot away from her as she cried out, heading straight toward a stand of locally harvested honey in glass jars. She closed her eyes, desperate not to see the inevitable disaster about to unfold.

But nothing happened. Colt had somehow bolted ahead and caught the front of her runaway cart, stopping it before it hit the jars. She opened her eyes and then saw him set his own small basket down and come over to her. His face darkened with a stony expression that made her light-headed. If he started yelling at her in the store, she'd make a run for it... assuming she could even walk right now. She tried to stand and winced as her ankle twinged. She could put her weight on it, but she wasn't running anywhere.

Colt's hand gripped her upper arm, holding her steady. She stared up at his face as he pushed her cart back into her hands, giving her something to lean on.

"You okay, sweetheart?" His rumbling voice sent wild shivers of excitement through her. God, she'd never reacted to a man's voice like that before. And he'd called her sweetheart. Why was that so sexy? It shouldn't be, should it? Yet she wanted to melt into a puddle at his feet the second he called her that.

"I... Yeah, my ankle just got a little twisted." She tried to shake the sudden fog of desire that rose up around her. She was supposed to be focusing on being on her own, starting a new life and career, not dating. But that was hard to do when someone like this was standing so close. The man was a solid wall of masculinity that made her tremble.

"Your ankle?" His hazel eyes swept down her legs with hawklike precision. She flushed as she realized she must look like crap right now, dressed in a pair of old shorts and a T-shirt. Her hair was even pulled up in a messy bun. This was not how she had pictured having her first-or any-face-to-face meeting with Colt. It wasn't fair that men could shower and throw on clothes and look fine, but women needed to schedule in advance.

Colt's dark brows lowered with obvious frustration at her lack of response. "Can you walk?"

"Yes. I can." She would walk out of there even if it killed her. Stupid tuna cans... She wasn't a klutz, but he would probably assume she was now.

"Good. You sure know how to make an entrance, sweetheart." He extended his hand and said, "I'm your new neighbor, Colt Henshaw."

Ophelia placed her hand in his and his warm hand closed around hers in a surprisingly gentle squeeze despite his strength.

Colt looked at the cans of tuna still rolling around. A young man wearing a grocery store apron was trying to collect the cans still cruising down the aisles.

"They'll never let me come back here," she moaned. There had to be at least a hundred cans of tuna to pick up. "Sorry! So sorry!" she called out to the clerk, whose face was flushed as he tried to gather up the cans.

"It will be fine. He's probably glad your cart didn't hit the honey. He'd be mopping that up for hours."

"Oh God, don't remind me. If you hadn't caught the cart... Thank you for that, by the way."

"You're welcome." After they helped the clerk pick up the cans, he nodded at her purse. "Give me your list. I'll get what you need, and you can wait up front for me. Rest your ankle."

Was he serious? It was hot that he wanted to do something like that for her, but also a little insulting that he just ordered her what to do. She had the strange urge to defy him, then maybe kiss him, hard. Ophelia wasn't used to battling such a dichotomy of emotions when it came to men.

"I didn't bring a list. I was so tired from unpacking that I just drove straight over."

"Ah," he murmured in understanding.

"And thank you, but I really am okay. I can shop for myself."

The dubious look he gave her would have pissed her off if she hadn't been so damn tired.

"Wait here." His tone brooked no argument. He walked back to the meat counter and spoke to the butcher, who handed him another package of meat. Then he came back to her.

"We'll get you the essentials." Colt set his basket inside her cart and then took control of the cart. He was definitely former military, someone who just took charge.

"Seriously, you don't need to-" But he was already pushing her cart down the next aisle.

"You have no food, and you're tired. I was planning to cook steak tonight, and I don't mind tossing an extra one on the grill for you." He stopped next to the baking supplies, grabbing several items for her. "You aren't one of those girls who doesn't eat meat, are you?"

"No, steak is fine, but-"

"Then come to my place tonight at seven."