Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Guilt flickers in her eyes before she glances away, mumbling something under her breath I can’t quite decipher.
I cock my head and take a step closer. “What?”
She clears her throat and raises her voice. “I said that my phone is dead.”
I drag a hand over my face. It’s becoming more of a challenge to keep it together. “Are you shitting me right now?” Fury vibrates inside me like a live wire.
Even in the darkness with only the silvery moonlight and headlights, I see the stain that suffuses her cheeks.
“Unfortunately, I’m not,” she whispers.
“Do you have any idea how fucking dangerous this situation could have turned out?” Even though I’m doing everything in my power to keep my voice level, it escalates as I wave a hand. “You’re wearing a tiny dress that barely covers your ass and your phone is dead, just like your car. What if I hadn’t found you? What if some other guy with far fewer scruples had stopped and offered his help? What would you have done then?” My gaze skims over her curvy little body. “Fought him off? What do you weigh? A buck thirty?”
She smashes her lips together and scowls. “I’m twenty years old and already have a father. I’ll get an earful from him when he finds out about this. I don’t need to hear it from you, too.”
My brows lower as smoke billows from my ears. “Well, that’s too damn bad, little girl. You’re gonna hear everything I have to say on the subject.”
“I’m not a little girl,” she says through gritted teeth.
“The fuck you aren’t.” And this just proves it.
Instead of responding, she crosses her arms tightly against her chest. It only makes her breasts swell against the tight fabric. The wave of desire that crashes over me has my dick rising with a vengeance.
I hold out my hand. “Give me the keys and I’ll take a look. If it’s not an easy fix, I’ll call for a tow.”
She reaches inside the car and grabs the keyring before setting it in my outstretched palm. A burst of unwanted energy jolts through my fingers as she does. Instead of meeting her gaze, which will only exacerbate the situation, I swing away before grabbing the handle of the door and yanking it open. I stare at the small opening in disgust before climbing inside. By the time I settle on the leather seat, it feels like my knees are shoved somewhere in the vicinity of my chin and I can barely move around in the tight space. Already I know it’ll take a magic trick to get myself out of here.
I don’t bother glancing at Poppy. If I do, I’ll probably find a smile simmering around her lips. I can already feel the warmth of it radiating from her like sunlight.
“Don’t say a word,” I mutter.
She clears her throat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Yeah, right.
I shove the key in the ignition and turn it, praying the engine starts up without issue.
Instead, I get nothing.
The damn thing won’t even turn over.
Hmmm. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s the starter or possibly a faulty alternator. I’m not even going to bother jumping it.
“Well?” She steps closer. “What do you think?”
Just like I suspected, it takes effort to unfold myself from this clown contraption she calls a vehicle.
Once free, I say with a huff, “I think it could be a couple of things. I’m going to tow it to my place and take a look over the weekend. It’s probably the starter or alternator. There’s an outside chance it could be the fuel pump. I’ll have a better idea after I get under the hood.” Before she can ask any more questions, I slide the cell from my pocket and call Jonny. He owns the towing service I use on a regular basis. I send business his way and he returns the favor.
My gaze reluctantly strays to Poppy as I give him all the details before hanging up.
“I didn’t realize you were a mechanic.”
Why that comment rubs me the wrong way, I have no idea. It takes all of five seconds to close the distance between us and push into her personal space. My voice cracks like a whip. “Do you have a problem with that?”
Her eyes flare. “Of course not. Why would you even ask?”
I jerk my shoulders.
Honestly, I don’t know.
There’s all this pent-up attraction buzzing around beneath the surface of my skin and nowhere for it to go. Instead of acknowledging that this girl has got me all hot and bothered, it’s easier to snap and growl at her in hopes she’ll keep a safe distance. It doesn’t escape me that I’m the one who continues to move closer. I’m all but itching to get my hands on her. And that realization pisses me off more than anything else.