Superhero in Disguise (Adventures of Lewis and Clarke) Read Free Page B

in alarm.
    Zorro towered over her. From her vantage point on the sidewalk, he looked enormous. Dressed all in black, he had tall gleaming boots, snug breeches, a billowy shirt under a flowing cape, and the perfect Zorro hat complete with a long black feather. Gorgeous. Tori craned her neck. He was at least as tall as her dad, and Danny stood at six feet in his socks.
    The masked man looked stricken. His mouth worked soundlessly until the words finally came out. “Can I help you?”
    Tori followed his gaze to see both her hands still inside her bodice. She snatched them out. The quick movement undid some of her work, so she hunched her shoulders a bit to block his line of sight, pushed and prodded—bloody hands be damned—and sat up straight again.
    She cleared her throat. “Thank you, no, I’m fine.”
    He raised his eyebrows. Even in the darkness, Tori was sure she saw him fighting back a smile. Then she realized what he meant—not her boobs , her situation !
    “Oh!” She felt blood rush to her face. “I’ll be fine. I just have to get my purse back.” She moved to get up and winced.
    Zorro bent to one knee. His cape swirled around them, giving Tori the strange feeling that they were alone together. Her heart raced. Behind the mask, his eyes looked kind but intense.
    He held out a fluffy pink heart on a silver chain. “Yours?” he asked. “The kid dropped it. I guess it didn’t go with his outfit.” Zorro had the same expression her dad and brother got whenever they looked at her purse. Kind of like they were about to heave.
    Tori gasped. Sparing a glance for the dark stranger, she unclasped the heart-shaped bag to find everything still there. The mugger must’ve dropped it before he could open it.
    “Th-thank you,” she said, fighting to keep her voice steady. A wave of emotion washed over her. Not a swirl of feelings like when she and Lexie were together. It was more specific... safe . Similar to when she was with her sister, but deeper somehow, more stable. She was absolutely and inexplicably safe. She stared into Zorro’s eyes, trying to figure out what was happening.
    If it weren’t for the “no men” rule, Tori would find a way to get to know this man better. She’d never felt safer, but she’d learned her sister’s lessons. And her mother’s. She needed an exit strategy.
    “You’re smiling.”
    Really? So was he. Had she smiled first? If so, only because of that warm, wonderful feeling wrapping around them.
    Zorro’s crooked smile lifted higher on the left. It made him look young and mischievous. This guy was dangerously cute. Gorgeous she could walk away from, but cute…
    Tori cleared her throat and looked away. Get a grip . She took a deep breath to clear her head. Oh geez, he smelled wonderful. Something she did not want to notice. She pulled away, her nerves tingling.
    “Thank you for finding my purse,” she said. She pulled her right leg under her to leverage herself up, but forgot about her skinned palms. As soon as they touched the sidewalk, she gasped and curled her wrists toward her body.
    Zorro leaned over and picked up Tori’s hands. Turning them palm up, he grunted. “Bet that stings.”
    His quiet, deep voice wrapped around her heart. His touch set her mind and body at ease. She was exactly where she was supposed to be.
    Focus! She shook her head and leaned back a few inches. “Not as much as my leg,” she tried to joke.
    “Let me see.” He laid her hands in her lap and gently prodded at her skinned-up leg. “Can you stand?”
    Tending to her injuries, he was more focused on her than ever. It was disconcerting, uncomfortable, and fabulous. Tori wondered what it would be like to be the focus of his attention long-term.
    “I’ll be fine, thank you,” she said, pushing his hands away and grimacing as her palms made contact. She should go home.
    Rule #1—If you’re attracted to them, they’re bad for you.
    Lexie and Tori had created the rules for their protection.