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“I’m just being nice,” Toby began immediately, holding up both hands in retreat. “No pressure, no funny business, and absolutely no ulterior motives. I swear. I was driving by and thought I’d offer some help to whoever this was. I didn’t know it was you. Actually, why don’t you wait for the tow truck or…”
“Toby…”
“I’ll have your dad come get you if you don’t trust me…”
Samantha gaped in shock.
He didn’t look mad or offended, even though his words gave her that impression – he looked almost chagrinned or dejected. Did he think she wouldn’t want help… because it was from him?
“Hey!” she hollered, getting out of the car when he turned his back to walk back to the other vehicle – only to see him turn and get this strange look on his face.
He ran over, physically grabbed her by the arm and jerked her bodily against him, before flying backwards onto the hood of her car with an audible pop as her hood dented beneath them.
“What are you…”
A semi-truck with a cattle trailer flew by in that moment a little too close for comfort – sending the smell of manure, flying hay, and other debris in the air. The air horn screamed angrily as it flew past, rocking them both with the air buffeted from the truck. The pungent, noxious odor made them both cough and gag uncomfortably.
She met his concerned eyes to see they were watching her as he held her against him.
“Are you okay?”
“That was close…”
“But you are alright?” he asked again.
“Yes – thank you.”
“Good,” he began and started to move, making her realize she was lying on top of him, on her car hood, bold as could be, for anyone in the world to see.
She was sprawled on top of Toby Saxon!
Hearing another long, angry honk, Samantha looked up and met her father’s gaze.
Her dad got out of his truck and slammed the door, striding over towards them. She couldn’t even speak fast enough as her dad pulled her off of Toby like she was a sack of potatoes and grabbed him by the front of his shirt.
“You stay away from my…”
“DADDY!” Samantha hollered, immediately grabbing him by the arm. “Daddy, wait!”
“Boy, I told you years ago that…” her father growled as Toby just stood there, barely touching the ground, his jaw mutinous as he stared at her father silently – waiting.
Wasn’t he going to say anything?
“Jackson!” her Uncle Hunter yelled quickly. “Jackson, get away from the road and put him down. You know if you touch Valkyrie’s kid, he’s going to beat your…”
“Just like I should have done to this twerp years ago when he started sniffing around after my daughter…” Jackson bit out, glaring at Toby, who just stood there. “Aren’t you going to say anything for yourself?”
“No, sir.”
“Why not?” Jackson shouted in his face, about three inches away from his nose – and Toby didn’t flinch.
“Because if it was my daughter, I’d do the same thing,” Toby said calmly – and three sets of eyes swung to the young man in shock.
Samantha stared at him in surprise, realizing that he wasn’t defending himself from how badly their appearance looked, because if the shoe was on the other foot, he would react like her father was now… and that seemed to deflate her dad.
“Get in my truck, Sam…” Jackson snapped.
“Would you let me speak?” Samantha retorted angrily. “He saved me from almost getting hit by some stupid hauler on the way to the Butler farm. You should be thanking him instead of threatening him… and I’m an adult now.”
