I tap the hood of her car while she gets in and shuts the door. What is the feeling I’m feeling, like I want to get into the passenger side for no reason other than I don’t want to be away from her? The feeling, the pull is so strong it’s overwhelming. I don’t understand where it’s coming from. The sex would be amazing with her, no doubt. The conversation is already fun, as long as we’re not misunderstanding each other. But the simple idea of her leaving my side to go do what she needs to do feels wrong. Feels painful. It’s preposterous how strongly I feel about her not wanting to leave. I’m not that guy. I’m not the guy who isolates a woman, bosses her around, claims her as property. I’ve never been that way.
This feels so different, and it takes everything in me to be still and watch her leave.
By standing here and watching her drive down the path away from me and toward the highway, I’m making it obvious. I’m watching her go. She can see me in her rear-view mirror and thinks I’m a fool. I’m too forward. A bad boss. A bad friend who is making her feel guilty for leaving when we have things to talk about. A desperate, silly boy.
Wave back. I know you see me. Wave back. Please.
But she doesn’t wave back. When she gets to the end of the driveway, she signals left (city driver through and through. Who are you signaling for? Nobody.) and cranks the wheel.
She’s not going to wave.
But I do get a sign in the form of a sputtering, choking sound coming from under the hood of her car.
Thank you, universe.
Chapter Eight
Jane
Great. This is all I need. My piece of junk car dying on me at the end of Henry’s driveway.
And here he comes, jogging up to rescue me. Oh brother.
At least he’s not looking smug about it. I hate guys who look smug when a woman is having car trouble.
I roll down the window. “I’m not sure what happened. It just…”
“No worries, I heard the whole thing. Pop the hood?”
I do as he says and wait in the driver’s seat while he does his thing. A few seconds later he instructs me to start it up.
I turn the key and it starts. I blow out the breath I’ve been holding.
Henry’s tanned, sinewy forearms take up all the space in my driver’s side window as he leans in to explain the problem.
“Fortunately, it’s a simple fix, but you’re gonna have to baby it. And I’m following you home.”
“That’s not necessary,” I say.
“It is if you don’t want to be stranded by the side of the road,” he replies.
“I have Triple-A,” I retort.
“Very smart. I have a truck full of tools and a tow rope. I’m following you, Jane.”
I’d be lying if I said his commanding tone didn’t turn me on. At this point, I’d be lying if I said any part of him wasn’t turning me on right now.
Dammit, what did I say just a minute ago? Jane, you are a badass, think-on-your-feet woman with a brain faster than a speeding bullet. You don’t have to lose your wits just because a hot guy fixes your car and demands to see you home.
You’re right, I tell my conscience. I don’t have to lose my marbles. But I can deliberately choose to set them aside in a little compartment and allow my lady bits to have some fun for once.
“What’s wrong?” His words interrupt my internal debate.
I turn and look at Henry, who’s smirking. It’s then that I realize I’ve just shifted in my seat because my undies are getting damp.
Jeezus, what is wrong with me?
“Nothing,” I say. “I’m just anxious to go pick up Sarah.”
“I’ll be right behind ya.”
The hokey way he talks sometimes should make me cringe, but for some reason, it’s working for me.
Henry follows me to Rocket’s trailer. I’m hoping he’ll park down the road a little bit so nobody asks any questions, but he’s right on my tail the entire way. I wince when I hear his pickup truck door shut. He shouts when Jet steps out of the trailer, already with two beers in his hand.
He hands one to Henry, not even questioning what he’s doing here. Sarah bolts out of the trailer when she sees me but runs straight at Henry.
“Hey, state fair buddy,” he says. There’s no stopping her when she wants up, and when she motions for “up,” Henry glances at me questioningly. I nod my head and he picks her up. She chatters, mostly in gibberish, but knowing the noises she makes as I do, it sounds like she’s telling him all about the unicorn he gave her.
Rocket’s face is all questions when she sees Henry, and she finally levels me with her gaze when the guys step away to look under the hood of my car. Sarah goes with them, and I smile as I watch him point out and name things under the hood for her benefit.
“Oh my gosh, he is so into you,” Rocket says when I tell her the entire story of today as we lean against the railing of the deck. “I knew this would happen. I was hoping for it.”
I’m perplexed. “Excuse me. You knew?”
Rocket smirks. “He’s been talking nonstop about you since the two of you met at the state fair. When he told Jet he ran into you and offered you a job out of the blue yesterday, I knew it was fate.”
I shake my head at her and pick up Sarah’s car seat and diaper bag. As I head to my car, Henry sees me and immediately hands Sarah off to Jet, taking the bag and car seat off
