A guy darted across the street—tall, broad, muscular—and leaped into action. He threw a powerful arm up and into the thief’s chest, stopping the perpetrator in his tracks.

Her mugger went down in a hard sprawl, dropping the knife.

The thief scrambled away from the bigger man as if terrified, grabbed his knife and bolted across traffic. Horns blared and cars screeched to a halt.

Immediate relief flooded her, and her body released the fear and anger that held her muscles tight. She had never seen anything so heroic except in movies and TV shows.

The do-gooder picked up her purse and jogged down the block to her.

Up close, he was more of everything.

“Care for a little assistance?” he asked, gesturing to the glass and her bare feet.

“Uh, yes. Please. Thank you.”

Although she couldn’t imagine how he’d be of any more assistance. Then he swept her up from the sidewalk and into his arms like she weighed nothing.