“Let me have a look for ye’,” he said. “I’m Peter, by the way.”
“Alannah.”
Before I could say another word, the man rounded on me, his elbow brushing my arm as he passed me. He focused on my engine, and I moved around to keep an eye on him. We talked back and forth for what seemed like an eternity, and the entire time, he asked me if he could give me a lift anywhere to which I replied with a firm no.
“Honestly,” I said to the man, feeling uncomfortable, “I’m really okay. Like I’ve said, I called roadside rescue and—”
Both myself and the man looked over our shoulders when a horn sounded. I was relieved to see the tow truck sporting the C.A.R. logo for Collins Auto Repair approaching us before pulling in front of my car in the breakdown lane and rolling to a complete stop. I should have been surprised when Damien got out of the driver’s side of the truck, but I wasn’t. I watched as he approached us, and I cursed at how attractive I found him in dirty work clothes when I wanted to remain angry with him for being a shitebag.
“Hey, baby,” he greeted me before glancing at the man next to me. “What’s up?”
Peter glanced at me. “Baby?”
I nodded. “He’s me boyfriend.”
“Oh.” He nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly. “It looks like you don’t need me help after all, Alannah.”
I had told him that multiple times, but who was counting?
“No, man,” Damien said as looked at my engine. “I’ve got her.”
Peter cleared his throat, then bid us a farewell before he jogged back to his car. I waved at him as he drove by and merged with the motorway traffic, disappearing amongst the cars. When I turned back to Damien, he was already at work, so I moved to his side.
“You made a new friend, I see.”
I scowled. “He just stopped to help me.”
“He was looking at your ass.”
“He was most likely lookin’ at the car, Damien.”
“He was looking at your ass,” he repeated. “I saw him.”
“Well, if he was, what was I supposed to do about it? I told ‘im I didn’t need help, and that I called roadside rescue. He was just bein’ nice.”
Damien snorted. “He nicely wanted a piece of ass.”
I grunted. “Stop talkin’ about my arse, and arses in general, okay? Great, thank you.”
“But I love your ass in general.”
“Yeah, well, love it from afar. You won’t be seein’ or touchin’ it for a while.”
“Not while you have this stick up it.”
“You’re such a dickhead,” I quipped. “Go away. Make Ryder or one of the other lads come back and help me.”
Damien rolled his head on his shoulders before he lifted his arm and rested it against the open bonnet. My eyes lingered on the bulge of his bicep for a moment too long, and when I flicked my gaze to Damien, I found a roguish grin on his too handsome face. I schooled my features, trying not to be embarrassed that he caught me checking him out.
“When one of the guys’ girls call in a problem, they deal with it personally. You’re my girl, so I deal with you. That’s just the way it is in the shop.”
“That may be the way it is in the shop, but do I look like I give a shite? Make Ryder or Gavin come and help me. I can’t tolerate ye’ when you’re bein’ like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like this,” I snapped. “Pissed off because ye’ didn’t get your way so you throw a tantrum.”
Damien laughed, shook his head, then laughed some more before he turned back to my car, closed the bonnet, then moved back to his truck.
“It’s broken,” I said, keeping my arms crossed. “Smoke came from somewhere in there, and it made horrible noises.”
“I’ll bring it back to the shop and have JJ look at it with me. Go hop in the truck while I get it hooked up.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“Nothin’.”
Damien stared down at me, and when I rolled my eyes, I could have sworn I saw his lips twitch.
“I was on me way to IKEA,” I explained. “I got an email about new art supplies. They’re sellin’ canvasses, ten different sizes, for half the price when you buy them in bundles. They even have pre-stretched ones back in stock, so I don’t have to stretch them meself anymore. And me oil and acrylic paints are thirty percent off. They restocked me pencils and have this new brush I wanna try out so bloody bad. Now I can’t go ‘cause this stupid car is bein’ extra stupid today.”
Damien raised a brow.
“What?” I furrowed my brows. “You asked.”
“Can you order them online?”
“Yeah,” I grumbled. “But I like gettin’ them in person.”
“Until your car is fixed, you don’t have a choice.”
I grunted, then without a word, I walked towards the passenger side of the truck. I reached up to open the door, but before I could touch it, Damien reached over me and opened the door for me. He put his hands on my hips and lifted me up until my foot touched the third step. He closed the door behind me, so I buckled myself in and waited a few minutes while he hooked up my car and reeled it on the bed of the truck. I fanned myself with my hand, and by the time Damien got into the truck and started the engine, I was dying for some air conditioning.