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After locating her keys and holding them out to me, Allie pulls out a red bandana, rolls it into a two-inch strip, and ties it up into her chestnut brown hair, using a mirror on her desk to get it adjusted correctly.
“I figured I should try toRosie the Riveterit up today. I wish I had those blue coverall things, too. This was the best I could do on short notice.” She waves her hands in front of her overalls, and the tight, low-cut shirt she has on underneath. She even has on bright red lipstick, which is something I’ve never seen on her before.Fuck,she looks good.
Allie has a simple wardrobe like jeans, t-shirts, and cotton dresses, but the way she wears them makes her stand out. She uses clothes to show off her body instead of using her body to show off clothes. “It’s working.”
Allie’s different today. She’s as strong and gorgeous as always, but instead of being bristly and argumentative, she’s being sweet and considerate. I’m finally getting the version ofher she gives everyone else.
~
“Lie down on the creeper and roll under there.”
“I’m sorry?” Allie puts her hands on her hips, scoffing a laugh. “Lie down on the what?”
“It’s called a creeper.” I point at the flat, four-wheeled dolly by her feet.
“The fuck it is.”
“Why would I make that up? Lie down and roll under there.”
Eyeing me skeptically, she lies down carefully and glides underneath the car. My biceps rubs against her, from hip to shoulder, as I roll into the tight space next to her. We got started early, but the desert sun is closing in on us fast.
Allie rolls her head to face me, bringing her nose within inches of mine and the scent of coconut, lemon, and cherry with her, cutting the drab smell of asphalt and road dirt.
She listens intently as I talk her through the steps of removing the old starter. Nodding emphatically to show her understanding when I finish, she knocks her forehead solidly into the underside of her car and immediately bursts into laughter. “Ow! Fuck!” She presses her hand to her forehead. “I bet you’ve never done that.”
“It’s more common than you think.” I ease her hand off her forehead. “Let me see. Close your eyes so I can check with the flashlight.” I roll my chest against her side, careful to keep my weight off of her. With her eyes closed, the light lets me view every detail of her face close up. Her defined brows, a few shades darker than her hair, are arched and serene at the same time. Dark, thick eyelashes cast long shadows over her round, freckled cheeks.
Plush, pouty, reddened lips part, asking me, “Can I open them now?”
Shit.I’m supposed to be checking her head. “Almost.” Carefully smoothing my thumb across her hairline, I find she has a bump forming on her forehead already.I’m an asshole.I should have warned her how tight it is under here. I should never have let her get hurt. I should have had ice on this already instead of getting lost in her eyelashes. I swing the flashlight off her face. “Alright, sweetheart. It’s not bleeding, but you’ve got a decent-sized bump already.”
She opens her eyes and lifts her hand back up to touch her forehead, wincing.
“Are you dizzy?”
“Nope,” she shakes her head side to side to emphasize her point.
“Vision blurred?”
“Also nope.”
“That’s good. Now we need to get you some ice.”
“No, no. Don’t worry about me. I can ice it after we’re done. I want to learn how to do this.”
No sense of self-preservation in this one.“You can learn how to do this after we get ice on that.” I roll out from under the car, but she doesn’t follow. “Come on, Allie.” I say, tapping her foot where it sticks out under the hood.
“I’m fine!”
Stepping around, so I’m standing between her legs where they’re extended out from under the car, I wrap my hands around her ankles. “You can do it after your head is taken care of.” Sliding my hands over her calves, I pull her forward until she’s no longer underneath the car, and my hands are hooked behind her knees, holding her legs on either side of mine.
She squeals, and her words come out in between deliciousbursts of laughter. “Lucas Pine! Put me down!”
Fuck, she looks good like this. It takes control I didn’t realize I had to give up the view and lower her feet to the ground. “Can you sit up?”
She accepts my offered hand but scoffs, swinging herself upright. “Yes, I can sit up.”
“Wait here for me.” I head intoTurbine, and by the time I return with a bag of ice, she’s back under the damn car. Rolling in next to her again, I say, “You were supposed to wait,” as I plunk the bag of ice on her forehead.
