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She just frowned at him. “Yeah, guess it is.”
There was a sharp edge to her voice that made him think he’d just said something wrong. But he hadn’t said much of anything, so surely that wasn’t the case.
“Here you go,” Penny said, coming back and handing Autumn a container of food.
“Thanks, see you around,” she said to Penny…or to Huck? He didn’t know. But “see you around,” sounded casual. Yet nothing in her demeanor or the look she was giving him was casual.
She turned and walked out the door and Huck may have been a master of women, but he was treading uncharted territory with the sexy mechanic. Though he was pretty sure, she was pissed and it was his fault.
…
Autumn tossed a fry into her mouth then went back to working on the car. She shouldn’t be upset. She wasn’t. Okay, maybe she was a little miffed. Yeah, that sounded like a good word. Because if it was more than that, she’d be setting herself up for heartbreak, and that would be stupid.
Was she seriously thinking about what it would be like to stay in Diamond?
She could kick herself for entertaining such a ridiculous fantasy. She had a permanent job ready and waiting in LA.
It didn’t matter what she wanted. This was reality, and she had to face the facts. Everything she’d experienced in Diamond was temporary, including Huck. His reaction was more than enough to remind her of that.
He was “cool” with her going. Something she’d remember. Because while he may not like being left, he knew she wasn’t permanent and so she wasn’t a threat to him anyway. She wasn’t worthwhile enough to keep, so when she did end up leaving, he was already prepared. And so the game went on. It was how he kept himself safe. Even if she stayed in Diamond, she wouldn’t be able to stay with him.
She huffed, tossed the wrench on the ground, and stared into the open hood of the car. This should be clearing her mind and not making her think of Huck and feel all…wanting.
Wanting his hands on her. Wanting to be the woman that got to put her hands on him. In public.
People didn’t randomly touch Autumn, but it looked like Huck was used to contact. Between slaps on his back from buddies and hugs from his friends, he looked like it happened to him all the time.
What did that say about her? She didn’t spend enough time around people for her to give them a chance at sticking around, much less leave herself open to a simple physical gesture.
Maybe that was why she liked Huck touching her so much. There was heat. Intimacy that went beyond a simple fling. He challenged her. Took her over. And she liked it.
She heard the scuff of boots behind her, and she didn’t need to turn to know who it was.
She’d pulled down the garage doors. The only other person besides Pete who could come through the back entrance would be Huck.
Damn him for coming.
She didn’t trust her words or her feelings at the moment, so she grabbed her wrench and went back to work on the car in front of her. Now was the time to get herself under control and stick to the facts. She liked Huck. He liked her. And that was it. The sooner she stopped fantasizing about anything more—anything permanent—the sooner she could stop feeling this ache, as though she’d already lost him.
You can’t lose something you never had.
“Ignoring me, honey?”
She didn’t spare him a glance, just kept focused on the engine. “Just working. Can I help you with something?” Okay, maybe she stuck her ass out a little further when she said that. Something Huck must have picked up on since she heard a slight growl come from his throat.
“Yeah, you can.”
She recognized the tone of his voice. Heard his boots scuff closer. Felt his presence close in like she was prey caught in the lion’s sight. It was time to play. The battle of truth and wills had begun again.
“Having a problem with your equipment?” she asked with no innocence in her voice. She was baiting him. They both knew it. Sure, they’d called a truce long enough to go back to bed a few times, but time was running out. They’d nursed aggressi
on toward each other, and now she wanted to unleash it.
“I was hoping you could tell me.” He pressed his hard cock right up against her ass. “Being the professional and all. Does it seem like I’ve got an equipment problem?” He thrust a little into the groove of her ass, and she bit her lip to keep from moaning. But her damn core was already screaming for him to come closer.
“Being the professional I am, I’d have to diagnose the problem accurately. Perhaps something happened to cause the equipment to…” She wiggled a little. “…alter.”
“Maybe this one just needs to be taken out for a ride.”
