What the hell had that crazy truck driver been thinking? Talking of him… What had happened to the truck? Why wasn’t the guy coming back to help? The other car was illuminated by Corey’s headlights. The front was smashed in. There was no sign of any other vehicle.Bastard truck driver.Corey spotted a wisp of smoke coming from the other car and gulped. That waswhat he could smell.He pushed himself up, took one step and immediately fell headlong.
It took a moment for him to pull himself together before he risked trying again. No broken bones, he didn’t think, though his left foot hurt. But he had very shaky legs and felt as if the entire world was wobbling beneath him. He hurried down the road as fast as he could manage. Not fast at all, but he did the best he could.
The driver was still inside his vehicle, slumped against an airbag. There was no one else in the car. The boot had flipped open and the roof was part-peeled away. Corey could smell fuel as well as smoke and the engine was still running.
He yanked at the driver’s door but it didn’t budge.Fuck!What was it with car doors staying locked after an accident? Why didn’t they automatically unlock? When Corey banged on the glass, the guy didn’t stir.Shit. Is he dead?Corey had his phone in his pocket, but it seemed pointless wasting time calling the emergency services when the car could catch fire at any moment. He slithered to the other side, tried the passenger door and yelled in frustration when that wouldn’t open either. The smell of petrol was stronger.
Corey stumbled back to his car, crawled onto the bonnet so he could reach inside, then grabbed the emergency hammer from the door pocket. He hurried back, only slipping once. One strike shattered the glass on the passenger side. He’d been given that tool in the restaurant’s Secret Santa gift exchange, and to think he’d wished it had been chocolates. Corey reached through to switch off the engine, then, after a struggle, opened the door.
The driver was moaning and Corey breathed a sigh of relief. But there was a lot more smoke now and it was seeping into the car. He had to get the guy out and fast. He used the blade on the tool to puncture the airbag—such a brilliant gift—then shookhim gently. Once he had people to buy presents for, they were all going to get one of these things for Christmas.
The guy groaned and blinked.
“You’ve been in a car crash. You need to get out. Can you sit up?”
The guy lifted his head for a moment, a bewildered look on his face, then his head dropped and he lost consciousness again.Bloody hell!Corey reached past him for the handle and to his relief, the door swung open. Back on the driver’s side, he pulled the door fully open, cut the seat belt and took a deep breath. In his head, Corey was strong, muscular and well over six feet tall. In reality, he wasn’t the bulky giant he needed to be. But somehow, he managed to get the guy out and drag him away from the vehicle.
The snow helped. Adrenaline helped. The pain in his foot didn’t. And… Not the time to be lusting after a stranger but…Wow!Corey’s thing for his Geography teacher roared back into his head. This guy in his shirt, tie and waistcoat reminded him of Mr Jennings.
Once he’d moved him away from immediate danger, Corey limped back to the man’s vehicle.Jesus, it’s cold.Shock was wearing off and Corey was only wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt. Smoke was filling the car. The back doors were wedged shut, so he took a deep breath before he entered on the front passenger side and fumbled on the back seat for the clothing he’d spotted earlier. A suit jacket, a woollen overcoat, and finally the phone from the front console.
Corey was coughing as he stepped away, the acrid smoke making him choke. He didn’t want to risk checking inside for anything else. But the boot was open, and when he looked in and saw a suitcase, he lifted it out. No point leaving it to burn. While he was transporting everything down the road to wherehe’d left the driver, he heard a whoomph and looked back to see the vehicle ablaze.
Had he pulled the driver far enough away? Corey didn’t think cars exploded like they did in the movies but he wasn’t going to take any chances. When he reached the man, he put the coat and jacket on top of the case and the phone in his pocket. As he bent to pull the injured guy further down the road, he came round again.
“What…?”
“There’s been a crash.”
“You hit me?”
“Not me.” He pushed back his irritation at being blamed for something else that wasn’t his fault. Twice in the same night! “The truck hit us both.”
The man sat up, groaned as he rubbed his chest, then stared at his burning vehicle. “Shit!” He turned to Corey. “The truck…I…I couldn’t believe it. He was heading straight for me. I tried to pull over but…”
“He should have waited until the road was clear.”
“He didn’t stop?” He looked around. “Why didn’t you pull in to let him pass?”
Corey leapt straight from concerned to pissed off and didn’t try to hide it. “I was driving carefully in tricky conditions. As he overtook me, I saw you coming and I braked. I hoped he’d be able to pull back in. He did, but he hit my car and went on to hit yours.”
“Sorry. Sorry. That was uncalled for. It wasn’t your fault. Are you hurt? You pulled me from my car? Thank you. You saved my life.” He gasped. “Oh my God.”
“We should put our coats on. I got yours.”
“You went back for my things?”
“No point freezing to death after narrowly escaping it.” Corey took out his phone. “I’ll call… Fuck. No signal. I grabbed yours too.” He gave it to the guy.
“Nothing on mine, either.”
“I’m going to get my jacket.”
The rear of Corey’s car was badly dented, though the back seats were intact. He was shivering badly now, but managed to force the boot open. To his relief, his guitar looked fine. His box of bits and pieces not so fine. The box had broken and his things were scattered. He pulled on his sweater, then his jacket and fastened it. Hopefully, he’d warm up soon. At least his hat and gloves were at the top of his bag and he put on those as well and pulled up his hood.
The guy was on his feet, fastening his coat when Corey reached him. He looked like he’d just stepped out of a smart London office, though he was pale and shaky. Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome was way out of Corey’s league, not that this guy was likely to play in the same league. He probably had a wife and kids waiting for him, a warm house to go home to and Christmas to look forward to. At least he wasn’t burning to death in his car.
“Do you have a hat?” Corey asked.
