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Then, two things happened at once, she overstretched and felt like she pulled her ribs apart—causing her to scream—and a strong wind blew, causing her skirt to fly up and exposing her bottom to the elements.
“Um…excuse me? Are you alright?” someone asked.
A male someone.
Perfect…I’m practically bare-assed and sprawled out on my back seat in freezing temperatures. Kill me now.
“Um…I’m not sure,” she replied. “I feel like I pulled something.”
“Okay, hold on. Let me help you.”
Ashlynn felt him first put something that felt like a coat over her, and then he reached in and gently pulled her out of the car. Her back was to him as he held her steady with one large hand splayed over her stomach.
“How do you feel?” he asked softly, his breath warm against her ear. “Can you move or twist? Where did you feel the pull?”
“My ribs,” she said as she carefully twisted to the right and then to the left. “Actually…now that I’m upright, it feels a bit better.”
“That’s good. What were you reaching for?”
“Oh, right.” She shook her head. “My shoes. They fell out of my bag and…”
“Here, let me get them for you.” He stepped around her and bent into her car, and she had no idea who he was or what he looked like—just that he was big.
But when he backed out of the car and straightened, she realized big didn’t really fully describe him. He was…well…he was tall and muscular and looked fantastic all dressed up. Dirty blonde hair that was cropped short, a strong jaw, kissable lips, and basically made a very appealing hero.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I’ll wait until we’re inside to change into these.” She shivered. “Which we should probably head in because I’m sure you’re freezing since I’ve got your coat.”
“I’m fine,” he said, smiling down at her and yet looking at her like he was trying to place her.
Ashlynn turned to walk toward the house. “Aren’t you coming?”
He nodded. “I’m sorry, but…do we know each other? You look really familiar.”
Now that she studied him, she felt the same about him. “I grew up here in Sweetbriar Ridge. Did you?”
“I lived here for most of middle school and through the end of sophomore year of high school. I’m a friend of Leo’s and…”
Oh, no…it can’t be…
“Wait,” he said, and she knew in that instant that he’d recognized her. “AJ? Ashlynn Jane Donovan?”
Crap.
“It’s just Ashlynn now, or Ash,” she corrected. “Nobody calls me AJ anymore.”
He was smiling and then he was…laughing. Not hard, but enough to tell her he was probably remembering one of the last times she ever spoke to him because on that fateful night, she had inadvertently flashed him her underwear too.
Okay, laughing had clearly been a mistake.
And then comparing the hot pink panties she was currently wearing to the blue ones she wore at fifteen was a colossal mistake.
Ashlynn had stormed off into the house with a few choice words thrown at him, and Reid had stayed outside for a few minutes just to gather his wits.
And to give her a head start, since he was fairly certain she would not appreciate him being anywhere near her right now.
Tucking his hands in his trouser pockets, he let out a long breath—which he promptly saw right in front of his face. Ashlynn Donovan. Damn. It had taken him years to get up the courage to talk to her back when they were in school. He could still remember the party they were at, the people who were there, and what she was wearing. She’d been sweet and definitely a little flirty, and he remembered feeling nervous and excited to finally have the attention of the prettiest girl in school.
And he’d blown it then, just like he apparently blew it right now.
