Once Upon a Power Play Read Online Free

cashier. As if he’d been the one to save her ass. Not that she expected undying gratitude, but a simple thanks would have been nice. When Ryan started wrestling that kid for the gun, she’d seriously thought she might faint. But no, instinct had taken over, driving her into the fray when common sense told her to run the other direction. Not that she’d had much choice. Knowing there was no help coming, she couldn’t very well stand there and do nothing while he risked his life to save them.
    Even if he was the world’s biggest jackass.
    When the cop finally cut her loose, she purchased her margarita mix, deciding to forgo the ice cream, which had long since melted. Before she could make her escape, Ryan intercepted her, blocking the exit with his supersize self.
    “You never gave me your name.” He flashed her a thousand watt smile, complete with perfect white teeth and an adorable little dimple. It might have melted her panties any other day. Any day except this one. She was done with men. Especially the slick, confident, jerky ones who never stuck around and trampled her heart on the way out the door.
    “Yeah, that was intentional.” She tied the belt on her coat, doing her best to appear calm and in control despite the adrenaline cranking through her veins. Probably why her stupid heart skipped a beat, too. It sure as hell wasn’t that smile. Or the way his long hair brushed his shoulders, an unspoken warning: bad boy at play . “Excuse me.”
    “Suit yourself.” He dropped his arm so she could squeeze past. A gust of wind slapped her in the face when she stepped outside. Figured. The snow hadn’t let up and if anything, it was colder and windier than it had been an hour ago. “But I’d prefer to know the name of the woman I’m walking home.”
    She stopped dead in her tracks, ignoring the snow that billowed around them.
    “Wrong answer.” Hoping to drive her point home, she poked him in his big stupid chest for good measure.
    “It wasn’t a question.” He jammed his hands in the pockets of his jeans, looking up and down the street. Apparently all the sane people had already taken refuge indoors. “No way am I going to let you go traipsing around alone in this storm. It’s not safe.”
    “It’s fine,” she argued, waving her hand dismissively. The odds of being victimized twice in one night were pretty slim, right? Her belly twisted at the thought. Victim? In all her life she’d never been a victim, and she wasn’t about to start now. Her pride surged. “I’m just down the block.”
    “Good. Then it’s no big deal if I walk with you.”
    The man was insufferable. She stomped her foot, her temper getting the best of her. “Don’t you know it’s not polite to stalk? It’s like, a legit crime.”
    “I’m pretty sure it pales in comparison to armed robbery,” he returned, pulling his hands from his pockets and crossing his arms over his broad chest. He had another think coming if he thought he could intimidate her. It was so not going to work. “I’m doing this, so you might as well accept it.”
    “Whatever.” Turning on her heel, she started down the block. The sooner she got home, the sooner she could send her pushy escort packing. “This is ridiculous. I was born and raised in the city. I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”
    “Give me your shopping bag,” he ordered, extending his hand expectantly. The only thing she was giving him was the side eye, which only seemed to encourage him further, judging by the shit-eating grin on his face. “I’ll carry it for you.”
    “I’m perfectly capable of carrying my own bag.” Maybe she was being difficult, but he was a certified pain in the ass. Besides, she’d never admit that it was kind of sweet he’d offered to carry her bag. Or that, for the first time, she was unnerved at the prospect of walking home through the deserted streets alone. Victim . The word kept echoing in her brain and she didn’t like the way it