Matt locked the door and leaned against it, broad arms crossed. “I take it that’s Eugene?”
“Yes.” She smiled as Eugene purred like a diesel. “I thought maybe—” Oh. Too much information to the stranger.“Nothing.”
Matt frowned. “Maybe what?”
“Nothing.” She relaxed. “He’s fine.”
“Why wouldn’t he be?” That gray gaze narrowed on her.
She cleared her throat, feeling suddenly like a specimen on a slide. “Life isn’t always smooth, even in a small town.” Life was also too short to spend time dumping her problems on a guy who had enough of his own.
“Are you in trouble, sweetheart?” he asked softly, pushing off from the door.
Yes. Definitely. Trouble with all capital letters stood before her like every dangerous fantasy a girl had about tattooed bad boys on motorcycles. “No. By the way, there’s a room upstairs you can rent by the week while you’re here.”
Matt stepped into her space, bringing warmth and the scent of male. One knuckle tipped up her chin. “Sounds perfect. You saved me in the alley, and I owe you. So while I’m here, you’re going to let me take care of whatever put that frightened look in your eyes.”
The absolute strength and determination across his face should scare her. Yet, lava burned through her veins instead of fear. While she had issues, no doubt the biggest threat stood before her with hard muscles and bloody jeans—because against all caution, she wanted to avoid reality and jump into the heat.
That’s how a woman already in danger got burned.