“You going out via River Road?”
“Yeah.” Was there another way?
“You know... that unpaved bit before you hit River Road? It can be tricky. I got a flat tire out there one day. Down by that lookout. Off River Road. You know how there’s an overlook well off the road? I was down there.”
This seemed like quite a detailed narrative for a story about a flat tire. Not that she was unsympathetic. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. A flat tire. In a secluded spot. A flat tire can really hold a person up.” He said all of this slowly and carefully. “You could even be loud and no one would hear it,” he prompted.
Realization and lust whooshed through her with such tidal force she dropped her keys.
Gentleman that he was, he stooped to pick them up.
He placed them into her outstretched palm, and his fingers lingered there for a millisecond, transferring about three billion kilowatts of desire along with it. (“Lust isn’t measured in kilowatts. For Christ’s sake, Eden.”—Dr. Jude Harwood.)
And held her gaze.
“About how long does it take to change a flat again?” Her voice was a little shaky.
“Oh, twenty minutes or so, give or take. If you’re really slowing down and doing the job right... thirty, even.”
Her head went light. “Well, that’s very interesting.”
“Isn’t it? Well, I’ve got to get going.” He opened his truck door.
“I’ll be leaving in a few minutes, too. Right behind you.”
Behind you... behind you... behind you...echoed in her head.
She could just picture him behind her a little too well.
What felt like a veritable carpet of heat unfurled across the back of her body.
“Bye!” she bellowed at Avalon, who had peeked out the window at the sound of their voices, and leaped into her car.
And peeled out of there so fast gravel spit.
Heart pounding, she slowed her car as she approached that River Road overlook. Hands already trembling. She braked to send a text to Danny.
Danny, I think I have a flat. I can fix it. But I might be just about fifteen minutes later than I anticipated. Sorry!
She coasted forward around fifty gently curving feet until she was just off the road.
And pulled up alongside Gabe’s truck.
Clever spot. They weren’t visible at all from the road.
She opened the car door with trembling hands. Climbed out and stood against her car for a moment.
Gabe rolled down the window of his truck. “Trouble, miss? Need a... ride?”
“Wow. Cheesyandhot... two of my favorite things.”
He pushed open the door to the truck and tilted his head, beckoning her inside.
She gave her van door a hip bump to close it.
She climbed into Gabe’s truck and pulled the door closed behind her. It smelled like leather and Armor All and a little bit like sweaty man.