Jesus, Thea. Get it together.
She licked her lips.
“That fever still raging, huh?” he drawled, keeping his gaze on her car.
“Seems to be,” she croaked.
After sending her another heated look, he headed back to his truck. Wait. Where was he going? Was he going to just leave her here?
She knew he was under no obligation to help her. And let’s face it, most of her life people had walked away from her. But still . . . it seemed kind of rude.
Especially when she’d already mentally undressed him several times.
That kind of thing created a bond . . . well, it should have.
You’re an idiot, Thea.
Disappointment flooded her. Not because she thought anything would come from her attraction to him. She was experienced enough to know that sexual chemistry could fizzle and die as quickly as it had begun. Just because someone got her blood pumping didn’t make them good boyfriend material. In her experience it tended to be the opposite.
But instead of going for the driver’s door and taking off, he moved around the back of the truck, opening it. When he returned, he held a small toolbox.
“Do you . . . do you know how to fix my car?” she asked hopefully.
“I’m a mechanic,” he confirmed.
Elation filled her. Quickly followed by worry. What if he expected to be paid for his time? She’d need to offer something. Only she didn’t have any cash, and even though she’d just been paid, she had bills coming out her butt.
Crap!
Okay, one issue at a time. Either way, she was going to have to part with some money to get her car fixed. If she had her way, she’d take it to old Joe who lived three streets over and took care of the neighborhood cars for a case of beer and a pack of cigarettes.
Of course, that could be the reason her car was now smoking, considering Joe had just given the motor a tune-up.
Awesome.
He grabbed a rag and undid that same cap. That would have been much smarter than just reaching for it with her poor hand, which still throbbed.
She pushed the pain to one side. She couldn’t do anything about it then, and looking at it would just make it hurt worse.
“Can you fix it then? I’m going to be late for work.” She didn’t want to sound rude or ungrateful, but she really had to get to work. Her boss hated tardiness.
She was certain that if he had his way she’d live at the office. He practically did.
“Unfortunately, I can’t.”
“But I thought you were a mechanic.” Maybe, like old Joe, he wasn’t a very good one.
“Shame. Looks like he should be good with those hands,” she muttered to herself.
“Excuse me?”
Her eyes went wide as she stared up into the handsome man’s face. A smile curved at his lips as his eyes danced down at her. “Did you just say I look like I should be good with my hands?”
“Nope, I didn’t say that.” Because that would be way too embarrassing.
The look he gave her told her he thought she was a complete and utter liar.
“Can’t do it now, I’ll have to get it towed back to my garage. It’s not far from here.”
She chewed at her lip anxiously. “Can’t I drive it now and get it to a garage after work?”
“Not unless you want to blow your engine up,” he replied. “And that I can’t fix.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
She thought about her options. The car couldn’t stay there, it would just get towed and she’d never be able to pay the towing fees and the fine. But if she let this guy tow it to his garage who was to say he was any good? Or that he’d charge a fair price?
She sighed. Only one option was clear.
“I’ll get it towed myself. Thank you.”
He gave her a skeptical look and shut the hood, turning and leaning his ass back against it. “I’m good at what I do, and I don’t hike my prices.” His gaze turned thoughtful. “Tell you what. I won’t charge labor; you just pay for any parts that are needed.”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” she said.
“You aren’t asking, I’m volunteering.”
She shook her head, feeling ashamed. “I don’t need charity.”
Reaching out, he tilted up her chin. That time she didn’t flinch back. His blue eyes stared down into hers. “Go on a date with me then.”
“P-pardon?”
“Payment for my labor. Go on a date with me. Unless you have a boyfriend?”
She blinked. “No, I don’t. You’re seriously going to tell me that in return for you working on my car for free you want to take me out on a date?”
“Yep.”
Her gaze narrowed. “You’re not going to insist on some fancy restaurant and order champagne and lobster then leave me with the bill, are you?”
Anger flashed in his gaze. Her breath caught. “Not sure what sort of men you’ve been dating, but when I take a girl out, I pay.”
“So, not only will you be working on my car for free but you’ll be paying for me when we go out? That doesn’t seem fair.”
“Everything always fair in your life?”
She snorted. “Rarely.”
“Seems a fair trade to me. Few hours of work in exchange for a few hours of your company.”
“This isn’t a sex thing, is it?” she blurted out.
“Pardon?”
“You’re not asking me out because you think I’ll give you a blowjob in the restaurant bathroom? Because while I like sex, I’m really not that type—”
Her sentence was cut off as he placed his hand over her mouth. “I’m gonna stop you right there before you succeed in pissing me off,” he growled at her.
He already sounded plenty pissed off, so it was probably a good idea he’d shut her up.
“I am not asking you to have sex with me. Okay, maybe trying to bribe you to go on a date was not my best move. But when I take a girl out, I pay and I do not expect anything in return. All right?”
She mumbled behind his hand.
“What was that?” he demanded, removing his hand.
“Most guys would,” she told him.
“Well then those guys would be dicks and totally unworthy of your attention.”
“You don’t even know me,” she whispered. “Why would you want to help me? Why would you want to take me on a date?”
He gave her a wicked smile. “Maybe I just enjoy saving damsels in distress. Gives me an ego boost.”
“You need an ego boost?” She gaped at him. How could someone who looked like he did need an ego boost?
He burst into laughter. “Well, I don’t now. Maybe we don’t know each other. But that’s what a date is for. Getting to know someone. And hell, maybe I’m just hard-up for some company.”
“I doubt that,” she said dryly.
“Look, I’ll get your car towed. Got a buddy who will do it cheap. I’ll work on it for you, when it’s fixed, I’ll give you a call and we can go on that date.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “You’ll hold my car prisoner until I agree to a date?”
“Damn straight.” He winked at her and she couldn’t help but smile back. He was charming and funny and gorgeous.