“Suspended?” It all clicked into place then. My father had made a power play. Suspending my roadside assist service had been a part of it.
I groaned again as headlights pulled in behind me. The last thing I needed was for some creepy guy to pretend to help me while he tried to guilt trip his way into my pants.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m afraid the service was suspended two days ago. I’m sure you could sort it out with the accounts department, but I’m going to have to transfer you.” The disembodied voice informed me.
“Don’t bother. I’ll do it myself.” I ended the call and looked into my side mirror. I kept an eye out for the supposed knight in shining armor to make his appearance. “At least he didn’t dick with my credit cards.” Maybe there was some hope for us after all. Probably not.
The door to the SUV behind me opened and a hulking figure emerged. A vaguely familiar voice called out. “Need any help?”
My breathing hitched as his features came into focus in the side mirror. Short dark hair, chiseled jawline, arrogant swagger.
Oh, hell no.
The very last person I wanted to see appeared at my door.
James Skye. Fucking great.
“No, I’m okay. Just a flat. I got it.”
He leaned into my window like it was the most natural thing on earth. Mesmerizing eyes stared at me, dancing slightly, like he was amused.
“It doesn’t look like you got it. Come on, pop the trunk. It’s just a flat. I’ll have you back on the road in a few minutes, tops.”
Were his eyes blue or green? I couldn’t see in the fading light. Then I kicked myself mentally for even wondering.
“No, really. I can do it myself.” I popped the trunk and heaved myself from the car.
He watched as I pried at the latches holding the spare tire in place. Then, he shook his head and gently pushed me out of the way. His nimble fingers fiddled with the latches.
“I know you can do it by yourself, but I’m offering to do it for you. Let me prove that chivalry isn’t dead.”
I would’ve rolled my eyes if I wasn’t so grateful that I wasn’t by myself in the dark anymore. Even though I would never admit it. “As long as the record shows that I didn’t need your help.”
He smirked. “I figured you’d studied law from the conversation between you and your father the other day. So, rest assured, the record will correctly reflect that I swooped in to save the damsel in distress, despite the fact that she was perfectly capable of saving herself.”
“Good.” I let him get to work. True to his word, he had the tire changed in a few minutes. He fired off random questions while I tried not to stare at the bulging muscles in his arms or the graceful way in which his body moved.
He’d started with, “What’s your spirit animal?” and was up to “Cranberry or pomegranate tea?” by the time he was done. He was completely effortless. Despite myself, I’d found myself answering his questions while ogling his ass as his designer jeans scraped the pavement.
“An eagle and coffee,” I answered as he worked.
“Is coffee a variation of either of those teas?” he asked as he wiped his hands on his jeans.
“Nope, but I’d take coffee over every kind of tea any day of the week,” I said.
He kicked the tire once he was done. “That should be fine, but you should get the other ones checked.”
“Thanks, I will.”
He was standing too close for comfort now. His musky scent invaded my senses, mixed with a cologne that I didn’t recognize, but it smelled manly and divine.
“So, where were you off to?” he asked.
I tried to forget what those lips had felt like on mine only a couple of days ago. They’d had no business there, but since I’d been responsible, I could hardly take it out on him.
I took a breath to calm my pounding my heart. It was a great kiss, sure. But he was a football player. One of my father’s stars, no less. Sure, he was attractive, but that was it. “None of your business.”
“Well actually, I came to your assistance when you were in need, if I’m not mistaken. I happen to have a need of my own.” Seriously? The guy couldn’t be that direct. At least not with Richard Ralls’s daughter.