Holy fuck.
It’s a good thing I’m sitting. Otherwise, it might’ve been my panties on the floor instead of me.
“Gonna tow you into town. I’ll check your car out at my shop,” he says. No small talk and no nonsense, though his tone doesn’t sound as harsh as it did over the phone. “I’ll give you a ride too. Get in.”
Your wish is my command.
While I get up and discard the peanut pack and water bottle on my passenger seat, the behemoth spins his truck around and gets the towing rig in front of my Kia Picanto. I get in while he gets out and fixes the tow rig to my car.
When he drops back into the driver’s seat, the entire cabin rumbles under him. But how could it not when every inch of him is carved muscle?
He starts the engine, and we start moving.
“I’m Callie, by the way.” Introductions feel necessary, though I don’t suspect he cares too much to get acquainted.
“Boone.” He tilts his head to look at me side-eyed. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Kind words? That’s progress, but it doesn’t give me much to go on. Instead, I spend most of the ride stealing a few looks wherever I can, sort of hoping he doesn’t notice, but honestly wishing he does.
A few minutes later, we drive into Meadowview, and it’s pretty much what I expected. A one-street town, with houses and storefronts intermingling. A group of kids plays baseball in the street, while their parents and a grocery store owner chat around the fence separating them.
But they all pause and stare as we drive past. If I were the suspicious type, this would be terrifying. Like I stepped out of reality and into some cult-driven nightmare. And though I know they’re just people staring at the newest face coming to town, a shiver still rolls up my spine.
“Don’t get many visitors?” I shift my gaze away from the onlookers to Boone. Only for the pit in my stomach to spawn a million butterflies in its place when I lock onto his razor-sharp jawline.
“Couple passers-by here and there. Mostly folks who took a wrong turn and need directions,” he says. “But don’t mind ‘em. Folks in Meadowview are plenty hospitable.”
A few blocks farther, and Boone pulls into his auto shop’s parking lot.
“You can join me, or you can head into the waiting area.” He guides me toward it with a nod of his head.
“I’ll wait.” Give me some time to clear my thoughts. Reason this out logically rather than fawning over the beast beside me.
“There’s a kitchen in the back. Cold water in the fridge. Beer, if you drink it. Make yourself comfortable.” He kills the engine and turns his head in my direction. Every inch it moves, the faster my heart starts to thump. As if making eye contact with him will tip me over some edge I didn’t even realize I was standing on.
“Pretty generous for a guy who answers the phone withwhat.” My teasing is an attempt at testing the waters. Seeing how he reacts and if I need to back down or push forward. Who knows to what end, but this feels like something I should ride out and see where it takes me.
“That was business.” Boone scoffs.
“Then what’s this?” I raise a brow, just as our eyes meet.
God, he’s handsome.
“This? Now that I’ve had a look at you,” —he opens his door and prepares to step out— “Less business, more pleasure.”
And with that, he exits, leaving me a blushing mess in his passenger seat. That single sentence is enough to make me spiral. Tickling places that have no place getting excited when all of this could very well lead to me losing my weekend away.
I jump out of the truck, wanting to explore this topic further. But just as I take my first step, a dog separated by a wire fence launches itself into the mesh, barking frantically. My heart skips a beat at the sound, but looking over at the chocolate colored Labrador, there’s no violence or malice in its approach.
Boone smiles and erupts into deep laughter. “Don’t mind Cinnamon, either. She’s good as gold.”
“Cinnamon?” I whisper breathless, still trying to catch myself after the jump scare.
“Uh-huh.” He brushes the fence as we pass it, scarred fingers stroking the dog’s fur. “Closest thing to family I’ve got left.”
“She’s yours?” I shouldn’t be surprised. I don’t know a thing about this guy, and yet, that’s the kind of surprise that makes me want to learn more.
“Yup. And that’s my house.” Another flick of his head guides me to the single-story building.
