Page 44 of Runaway Road (Runaway 1)

Then he bent and kissed my cheek. Right there on the sidewalk in broad daylight with the entire congregation inside the motel’s office bearing witness. Had he known I’d been feeling insecure? Most likely. Brooks seemed to understand me better than anyone ever had, including Karson.

Brooks left me on the sidewalk, crossing his lawn to where his truck was parked outside his garage. I stayed put—this time I had to watch him walk away.

My shoulders slumped. My smile dropped.

I didn’t like it.

Chapter Nine

Brooks

I used my forearm to wipe the sweat from my forehead, then slammed the hood on the truck I’d just finished working on. It was the Chevy I’d hauled in early yesterday morning. The owner hadn’t been able to get it to start. When I’d gotten it into the shop, I’d understood why. The thing hadn’t been tuned up in years. The oil was practically sludge and the battery corroded. The starter was on its last leg.

The owner was new to Summers and had recently moved into the widow Aster’s place after she passed in March. He’d given me the go-ahead to fix it all, so after getting parts yesterday and clearing the shop, today it had been my project.

“Chevy’s done,” I told Tony, wiping my forehead again. The sweat wouldn’t stop dripping. “You can go ahead and call for him to pick it up.”

“Will do, Brooks.” Tony unscrewed the cap on a gallon jug of water and hefted it to his lips. Most of the water went inside his mouth, but a healthy trickle dripped down his chin and onto his coveralls.

No matter the temperature, Tony wore coveralls. Today, he’d at least given up hot coffee for cold water.

“What else we got on the docket for the day?” Tony asked, catching a dribble of water with his wrist.

I blew out a long breath and stared down the shop to the office. “I need to spend some hours on paperwork.”

I hadn’t sent invoices in a week, and as much as I hated keeping the books, I did like getting paid. Normally, I did my billing at night. I’d stick around after the shop closed. Unless Wyatt had a night off or we had Monday dinner at Mom and Dad’s house, I was here until my growling stomach forced me home.

Those three or four nights a week made it possible for me to keep up on the business side of things. But with Londyn here, I’d left every night this week as soon as the last car was out of the shop and on the road with its owner.

Last night, I’d even closed up early. I’d hoped to catch Wyatt between football practice and work so I could tell him about Londyn. But he’d had a friend over when I’d gotten home, so I’d put it off. As soon as he’d gone to work, I’d hauled ass to the diner to pick up a couple of cheeseburgers, then met Londyn on the rock.

I’d been braced for her to be in an off mood thanks to her ex’s visit. But she’d been her normal self when she’d shown up to meet me. We’d talked about her life over dinner. Londyn had quickly become my favorite topic. I’d asked her more questions about the journey from California to Montana to Boston and the places she’d stopped along the way.

By the time our cheeseburgers had been devoured, the pair of us had been too full to do anything but lie on the rock and watch the sunset with our hands linked.

As much as I would have liked kissing her for an hour, my lips were chapped and my control on the brink. One taste of her and I wouldn’t have had the strength to stop at a kiss.

It was killing me to send her on her way to the motel each night. Alone. I’d walked stiffly home, my cock so swollen and aching I’d been forced to take a miserably long cold shower.

At the moment, a cold shower sounded great. I was melting, and just thinking about Londyn had stirred my dick to life.

The last time I’d been this hot for a woman had been . . . never. Not even as a teenager with Moira. And I was about done waiting. I’d been patient, but there was only so much a man could take.

I glanced at the clock. It was nearly noon. Tony had come in early this morning, around six according to his punch card. I’d been in shortly after eight, having hung around the house this morning to make sure Wyatt had breakfast before leaving for practice.

He was a zombie in the mornings. During the school year, both Moira and I made sure he was out of bed because he could sleep through ten blaring alarms. I’d hoped today might be the exception to his normal dazed routine so I could tell him about Londyn. But he’d nearly fallen asleep in his eggs.

I’d kept the conversation light, talking about football and his plans for a summer Friday night. He’d woken up enough to ask if he could take a girl to the movies. I’d agreed as long as he promised to spend some much-needed time with his old man on the boat tomorrow.

“I’m ready for the weekend,” I told Tony.

“Same. You got plans?” He raised an eyebrow, no doubt wondering if I had plans with Londyn. Though he hadn’t outright asked about her, it was no secret that I’d had dinner with her every night this week.

Meggie knew it. Therefore, Sally knew it. Therefore, Tony and the whole town knew it.

“Wyatt and I’ll probably take the boat out.”

“Good plan.” He fanned his face. “This heat sure came on fast.”