Page 24 of The Other Half

But now that I sat here in her car, my lies to myself that it meant nothing, and I’d have done it for anyone wore thin. Everyone didn’t have eyes like that. Everyone couldn’t make me laugh for the first time in months. Everyone didn’t have a smile that flooded me with a warmth I never thought I’d feel again or had felt that intensely before for that matter. She certainly wasn’t just anyone, but it’s what I kept telling myself and intended to keep doing so.

Because lying to yourself is safe.

When I pulled in after fixing her car, she was going to think I was nuts. Probably rip out her city girl mace again. Who drops everything to help a stranger? Considering backing out of the driveway and leaving it where I found it miraculously fixed, I decided to just drop the car in the driveway and hike back to my truck on the causeway. She’d find it here and just think some good Samaritan had brought it to her. Perfect, I thought while I started forward.

The loud engine shook, and I cringed, letting off on the gas while trying to keep it quiet so I didn’t wake her. It was only seven in the morning, and if I wanted to get out of here undetected, I’d need to quiet this death-mobile down. But even at a crawl, the engine was probably waking the entire neighborhood. Hell, at least this thing would scare all those damn coyotes off.

Pulling up around the corner, I saw her little shack ahead. Still trying to keep my approach a secret, I rolled to a stop and put it in park. When I turned off the key a loud backfire exploded and echoed through the woods.

“Shit.” I closed my eyes, hoping it would make me and this hideous car disappear. When I opened them again, I saw her face appear in the window. Busted.

The front door opened, and she stepped out. Pink satin pajamas hung loose off her figure, but even from here I could see she wasn’t wearing a bra. The sight of her in a messy ponytail and cute outfit brought back that infuriating feeling that shot my racing pulse out of the starting gate.

“Jake?” she asked from the doorway, folding her arms across her chest and covering her breasts.

There wasn’t any escaping unnoticed now. With a deep sigh I opened the door and stepped out. “Hey, Cassie. Sorry I woke you. I was just going to drop this off.”

“Did you fix my car?” she asked while she stepped onto the porch and started down the stairs, careful this time not to fall through.

“Um, yeah,” I said, sliding my hand behind my neck. Was I sweating? If it weren’t for the dew still on the cold ground, I would have tried harder to pretend it was the heat causing me to perspire.

“Oh, my God. I can’t believe you fixed it.”

“Oh, it’s not a big deal. I just figured I’d take a look.”

“Not a big deal? Are you serious? You fixed my car! You’re my hero!” She launched herself forward and threw her arms around my neck.

The feeling of her body against mine startled me, and I froze while she pressed into me. That racing pulse she induced took off like there was a Formula One car flying through my veins. With my breath trapped in my lungs, I stood unmoving while she squeezed me tight.

“Thank you. Thank you so much,” she said, and her breath brushed across my neck. Goosebumps pricked on my skin and I closed my eyes while a surge moved through my whole body. For a moment I let myself sink into her embrace and my arms started closing around her without my permission. But then my brain turned back on and I dropped them to my sides and pulled back out of her arms.

“It’s nothing. No biggie. Easy fix.”

She stared at me and I saw the hurt flash in her eyes. Damn it, I hadn’t meant to make her feel bad.

“Sorry. I just got excited.”

“No, it’s fine. I just... not a big hugger.”

“Of course. My bad. Didn’t mean to attack you.” A sweet smile tugged up her lips.

“Don’t apologize. It’s me. And I’m covered in grease.” I lifted my hands, blackened from working on her car, grateful for the extra excuse why I didn’t dare hug her back. We stood together in the awkward silence until I shrugged. “Should be working now. Spark plugs and battery needed a little work. I wouldn’t go too long without getting into a mechanic for new ones, but this should tide you over for a while.”

“Thank you, Jake. Seriously. You’re a lifesaver. You have no idea.”

“No problem. I’ll see you around.” I turned and started down the driveway.

“Are you walking back?”

“Yeah. My trucks on the causeway.”

“No way. You are not walking after fixing my car! Let me grab Poppy and I’ll drive you back.”

“It’s fine. I like walking.” Really, I just didn’t want to be near her any longer. It was getting harder by the second to keep those feelings she elicited at bay.

“I’m driving. Stay. Put. Give me one second!”

Before I could argue she spun around and ran up the stairs. The way her ass looked in those pajamas had me biting my lip and tugging at my hair while I spun in circles debating running off down the driveway. But not wanting to look like even more of an asshole than I already did after hug-gate, I waited. A minute later she popped back out still wearing her pink pajamas and holding a dog in her arms. She’d added fuzzy brown boots to her wardrobe, and I was disappointed when I noticed she’d also added a bra. Didn’t matter, I reminded myself. I wasn’t interested in her that way, no matter how good she looked both in and out of that bra.