Page 24 of Love in Overdrive

She flung her bag in the rear seat and dropped her head between her knees. Air rushed past her lips as she rocked back and forth.

“I think I’m going to throw up.” Or hyperventilate. God, she was such a wimp. Laney hadn’t even talked to the woman, and her flight reflexes kicked in.

“In that case, you might want to step out of the car.” The deep, rich words flowed like dark chocolate from the driver’s seat.

Laney froze. What. The. Hell? Opening one eye, she spied the fast-food bag on the floor. Oh, no, no, no. She was in the wrong car.

Could this get any worse? Squeezing her eyes closed, she thought of her options. Open the door and run. No, even with the curtain of hair blocking her face, it was a small town. She’d never live this down. Hey, Miss Hunt. I heard you got in the wrong car, then ran away.

No, not a good idea. Just smile, apologize, and get out. She bit back the lump of embarrassment in her throat. On three. She inhaled. One… Two…

“Ma’am. Are you okay?”

Electricity zipped from nerve to nerve. That voice. She knew that voice. It washed over her like a fine whiskey, warming every place it touched.

No. It couldn’t be. The anxiety flooded her system. Her chest constricted to the point of pain. Air sawed in and out of her lungs.

“Do you need a doctor?”

No. No doctor. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The last thing Laney wanted was to explain why she was having a grade-A panic attack.

She bit back the acidy taste bubbling up in her throat. It was a hallucination. It had to be.

She craned her head to the side. Her gaze landed on long legs in blue denim. Crap.

Okay, don’t freak out. It doesn’t mean it’s him.

How did that manifesting crap work? She was trying to manifest anyone but the guy who wouldn’t leave her thoughts all week.

Her gaze moved over a broad chest clad in a tan Carhartt jacket up to the square jaw covered in a dark growth that had to be a few days old. Sucking in a breath, her focus moved up to find warm brown eyes.

“Shit.” She slapped her hand over her mouth. Of all the cars to accidentally climb into, why his? She groaned.

“Laney?” It was his lucky day. He couldn’t control the tug at the corners of his mouth. She was here, in his car. Cade didn’t know why or how, and he didn’t care.

“Cade. Hi. I, uh.” A crazed glint flashed in her beautiful eyes—a caged wild animal. Her gaze flitted to the door and back to him. A deer in headlights would be less freaked.

His fingers itched to reach out and touch her pale cheek. He gripped his steering wheel instead, not wanting to scare her off.

“Laney, about the other night. I was going to call.”

The color on her cheeks deepened now, and not in a good way.

Fuck. This might be his only chance to explain, and he was mucking it up. He was tempted to lock the doors so she’d have to listen to him.

“Don’t.” Fire replaced the scared animal.

A loud alarm sounded, pulling his attention to the building.

“What’s that?” Cade looked past Laney to the people on the sidewalk.

The back door of the Honda flew open.

“What the hell?” Cade craned his neck to see who the fuck had climbed in his car.

A guy in a hoodie and shades carrying a black duffle slid into the backseat and slammed the door.

“Listen, buddy. I’m not an Uber.”

“Drive!”

Cade stared down the barrel of the black handgun. What the fuck! His instinct was to fight, but in the split second it took Cade to process the threat, the man pointed the gun at Laney.

If it was just him and the carjacker, Cade might have fought back, but not with Laney in the mix.

“Now, or Blondie will get a new piercing.”

Cade put the car in gear, then positioned his hands at the ten and two on the steering wheel. Rage boiled in his chest. He’d been in some hairy situations, some with civilians, but… He cut his gaze to Laney shaking in the passenger seat. He shoved his anger aside and focused on an action. Because when the time was right, judgment would be served.

But for now, he’d do as he was told and drive.