Right?
“I was in the process of helping her when you interrupted, Daxon,” North finally retorted in a gravelly voice. Daxon… I liked that name. It was unique and beautiful. Just like him.
I couldn’t help but snort, and both of them looked at me. One gaze filled with amusement, the other filled with disgust. He had totally been “helping me.” Insert eye roll.
“Your ride acting up again?” North asked, his gaze practically caressing Daxon’s ride. I didn’t blame him for the way he looked like he wanted to make babies with Daxon’s Harley. Even I thought the bike was gorgeous. And I knew nothing about motorcycles.
“Something’s wrong with the clutch again,” Daxon said on a sigh, glancing down at the bike with frustration.
“Johnson,” North barked, and a tattooed beast of a man strolled out of the garage, wiping his grease covered hands on a dirty rag. He gave me a wink as he walked up to us, his gaze sauntering up my body and making me blush with the clear connotation he was giving me.
A low growl filled the air, and I glanced at Daxon, who was glaring at Johnson like he’d punched his grandma. Johnson immediately stopped looking at me and took a step back nervously.
Interesting.
“Take a look at Daxon’s clutch. Make sure it’s fixed this time,” North snapped exasperatedly.
This guy really was not a people person.
“Sure thing…” Johnson hesitated, his gaze twitching to me. “Daxon.”
These people were kind of weird.
“It’s going to be maybe two months to get it fixed, if we can get all the parts we need quickly. And that’s if we open the hood and everything isn’t destroyed,” North announced, staring at my car as if it personally offended him. “I’ll tell you right now that it’s not worth fixing though. The thing’s a piece of trash.”
I ignored his last statement. “And how much do you think it’s going to cost?” I asked, dread infused in my voice. The guy yesterday had said thousands, but maybe he’d been wrong.
“More money than it’s worth,” North drawled. “Around ten thousand, give or take a few a thousand.”
“Ten thousand dollars?” I asked, feeling faint. I stumbled backwards, and a strong pair of hands suddenly steadied me. For a second, I leaned into their warmth before realizing it was Daxon holding me. How had he gotten behind me so fast?
Men were not allowed to touch me. Especially strange men. I darted forward as if his hands had burned me, ignoring the decidedly pleasant sensation I’d actually experienced at his touch.
When I turned around, a little ashamed at my reaction to normal human touch, Daxon was studying me intensely, a puzzled look on his face as he did so.
“It’s going to take me some time to earn that kind of money,” I admitted to North. “But I just got a job at the diner down the street. I’ll be saving every penny.”
North shook his head in disgust. “I’m not in the business of charity, lady. I’m not like the rest of these fools that can be distracted by a pretty face. Take your car and get the hell out of here,” he snarled.
Despite the fact he’d just metaphorically kicked me in the gut, something inside me warmed at the insinuation that I was pretty. I hadn’t felt pretty…not in years. Even coming from someone who had the jerk title firmly won…it kind of felt good.
I was pathetic.
“I’ll spot her when it’s ready,” Daxon said casually, as if it was no big deal that he’d offered to help a complete stranger.
“Of course,” North spit under his breath.
I stared at Daxon in shock…and suspicion. “I—Why would you do that? You don’t even know me.” Shaking my head at him, I turned my attention back to North. “This wouldn’t be a charity case. You said I have a few months. If you could just work on it slowly while I save the money.” I told him, determination leaking into my voice as I straightened my shoulders and tried to look fierce…or dependable. One of the two.
North stared at me for a long moment, something shifting behind his gaze. “I’ll put it as a last priority. But if you don’t have the full amount by the time it’s done…” He growled loudly, shaking his head as he stormed away.
My bravado dropped as soon as he wasn’t looking at me. I was going to have to sell plasma or something. There was no way I could earn that kind of money at the diner, not even if I turned out to be the most amazing waitress on earth. Something I seriously doubted I would be…
“Hey,” Daxon said gently, touching my cheek softly, making me flinch once again.
“Please don’t touch me,” I whispered, frustration clogging my words.
He held up his hands. “We’re a little bit friendly around here. It’s just a habit. I won’t do it again. Not unless you ask.”
I tried to hide my swoon when he winked at me. Was he hitting on me?
“What’s your name?” he asked, cocking his head and giving me a flirty grin. The guy could smile. My ovaries were working overtime just looking at him do it.
I hesitated before giving it to him. That feeling in my stomach was on overdrive as I stared at him.
“Rune,” I finally answered.
“Rune,” he said softly, as if he was savoring the taste of my name. The way he said it sent images of rumpled sheets, soft sighs, a heaviness between my thighs.
“You okay?” he questioned, cutting off the highly inappropriate and out of character daydream I was having standing there.
I blushed what I was sure was a thousand shades of red. “I have to go,” I blurted, turning around and practically bolting away.
“We’ll talk about the loan!” I yelled over my shoulder, well aware of his gaze all over my skin and the amused smile on his face that I desperately wanted to take a picture of.
The men in this town were going to be a hazard to my health. Just in a different way from how Alistair was.
Men, I thought disgustedly under my breath as I darted around the corner, finally out of his line of sight.
This town was turning out to be more than I’d bargained for.
I was itching to run. I’d been on the track team in middle school and high school, and it had been one of my favorite things to do. The rush of runner’s high, the breeze floating past your face, the ability to forget your problems with every step. I’d loved everything about it. Alistair had quickly put a stop to it, deciding that it would bring too much temptation for me, but now that he wasn’t around…
I laced up my sneakers. After I’d escaped, they had been the second thing I’d bought after my now defunct car. Tonight would be my first run, and I already could taste the inner Zen I was about to experience.
Waving at Carrie, who looked strangely worried as I slipped out the door, I set off down the sidewalk.
And immediately regretted every single bag of potato chips I’d consumed on my little road trip. As a latent wolf, I didn’t have the metabolism I would have had if Alistair, my alpha, had released my wolf. It was a small thing compared to everything else, but I was definitely raging about it as I huffed and puffed down the sidewalk, looking more like a beached barracuda than the graceful gazelle I liked to think I’d once resembled.