Authors: J. Rose Allister
“In the trunk. Didn’t reckon you’d want my wet things ruinin’ your new car.” He leaned his head to peer around her at the window, and a dark swatch of the russet bangs he’d tried to tame back fell over his forehead. “Though it seems you don’t mind bein’ wet.”
She fixed him with a hard stare at that comment, but she saw nothing sordid in his expression. When she followed his gaze, she saw water beading up on the ledge of her door. More drops speckled her face as she turned to the open window, and the left sleeve of her fluffy white sweater was actively taking on water as well. She’d been so distracted by her break with sanity that she’d forgotten all about opening the window.
Her finger stabbed the button to raise it while her other arm brushed off her sleeve. “I needed some air. I was blazing and flushed a couple minutes ago.”
“In this weather?” He eyed her. “Maybe you’ve got the fever.”
“I don’t think I’m sick, but I’ll try not to breathe your way just in case.” She frowned at him. “How do you know this is a new car?” No doubt because she’d been driving like an idiot who’d barely gotten her license.
“It’s still got the dealer tags. Plus, that fresh-leather smell.”
He inhaled deeply at that, and when his eyes fluttered, she got the distinct impression that her upholstery wasn’t what was invigorating his senses. His gaze fell on her, glittering with something that made her want to jump out of the car. “That’s a scent I thought I’d never pick up on, and yet it finds me here when I least expect it.”
The flare of heat sparked inside her again even before he thrust a hand out at her. “Connor James Darach, at your service.”
She hesitated, glancing at the offered hand in suspicion. Part of her feared she would get burned if she touched him. His smell enveloped her, damp and musky, with no cologne or anything but pure maleness. She managed to inhale it without her eyes fluttering like his had done, but she practically felt her pituitary gland releasing hormones into her bloodstream. This would not help her driving skills.
Setting her jaw to steel herself, she took his hand and tried to ignore the way his touch left her stomach simultaneously sinking and floating. “Terra Marie Benson. Though I’d say I’m the one servicing you at the moment.”
The last part of the remark sizzled as it flew off her tongue, and her eyes flew wide. Good God, had she just said that? She yanked her hand away, cursing herself mentally.
A bare hint of a smile touched his lips. “I suppose that’s true enough at the moment. I’ll gladly pay you for your gas and trouble, though.”
He reached behind him for his wallet, but she shook her head. “I couldn’t. You’re out of work, and I was heading this way anyway. Don’t worry about it.”
Before he could reply, she turned back to the road and hit the gas pedal, aware of his eyes on her while she eased the car around the harrowing curves that seemed even more daunting now that the road was thoroughly wet and her concentration equally shot. When the winding road straightened for a merciful stretch, she forced a slightly shaking hand off the steering wheel and pushed a stray lock of hair away from her face.
The damn car was getting too hot for her again, but it would look ridiculous to switch on the air conditioner or roll down the window again in this weather. He was probably chilled to the bone from hitchhiking, and blasting him with cold air would give him the pneumonia she’d been trying to stave off. She’d just have to suffer.
And suffer she did. A slow burn spread all the way from her legs to the top of her head, and her sweater itched on her chest and back where another sweat was breaking out. Wasn’t spontaneous combustion a mere myth? She tugged on the front of the emerald-colored scarf hugging her throat, loosening the knot.
Another curve approached. She forced out a breath and clamped her hands even tighter on the wheel as she slowed the car and wished her pulse would do the same. The rapid beating was making her dizzy.
“Is somethin’ wrong, Terra?” Connor asked. “You look a mite tense.”
The sound of her name on his lips sent a quiver through her stomach. “I’m a tense person.”
“Yeah. I’m gettin’ that.”
The curve tightened harder than she anticipated, and so did her stomach. She turned the wheel over too far, overcorrecting into the turn. A spike of panic hit when she felt the rear tires begin to fishtail. She hit the brake, and the skid grew wider.
“Oh, God!” she exclaimed.
“Let off the brake,” Connor said, his voice the epitome of calm even as he braced a hand on the dashboard. “Turn the wheel so you’re steerin’ into the skid.”
“I know.” She gritted her teeth and did what she was told, fighting an overwhelming urge to stomp on the brake and spin the car out entirely.
Luckily, the car hugged the ground nicely, and her maneuvers quickly righted it. Nevertheless, as soon as they were safely out of the turn, she pulled over to the side of the road, panting and shaken. “Jesus,” she breathed, raking a quivering hand through her hair. “I’m so sorry about that.”
“Do you want me to drive?”
She shook her head. “No,” she snapped. “I can do it myself.” She immediately regretted the bitchy tone. Wiping her damp palms on her jeans, she turned to him. “Sorry for being such a lousy chauffeur. You probably want to jump out and run, and I don’t blame you.”
“You’ll find I don’t jump and run easy. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Apparently she wasn’t, because the truth blurted out of her unbidden. “It’s just that I’m feeling so damn hot all of a sudden that my nerves are on edge. It’s like I’m going to burst into flames. Plus it’s the first time I’ve been on a long drive since, well, quite a while.”
She groaned inwardly at the sudden information dump. Hell, why not give him her social security number while she was at it? Here she’d been scared of letting a stranger into her car, but she hadn’t considered that he had more reason to be leery of the crazy woman driver beside him.
Connor regarded her with a wary caution that lit up the gold flecks in his eyes. “It’s all right,” he said, the deep tenor of his tone dropping into a silken rhythm that almost lulled her into believing him. The feel of his hand dropping onto her thigh, however, did the exact opposite.
Electric chills shot along her spine and between her legs, which didn’t help her current predicament one bit.
“Just relax and sit a spell until you’re ready,” he said. “I ain’t in no hurry.”
Relax with him around? The hand vacated her leg as suddenly as it had appeared, but she could still feel the hot weight of it searing right through her jeans.
She sat for another moment, staring at the frantic motion of the wiper blades, before shifting in her seat and taking hold of the wheel. “I’m fine.”
They headed out again in silence, but the pounding pulse in her throat and rising body heat ratcheted higher until she wanted to scream. Finally, she spat out, “Do you mind if I turn on the air conditioning?”
“Not at all. It’s your car.”
“I don’t want you catching cold after you’ve been out in the rain,” she went on, amazed what a blithering idiot she’d become.
Her hand fumbled with the unfamiliar temperature dials while she tried to keep her attention on the road.
“Here, let me,” he said, and their hands brushed when he reached forward to the controls. Their flesh barely grazed, yet a fiery tingle shot up her arm that sparked an audible gasp. She pulled back as though she’d been electrocuted, not that this was entirely untrue.
Moments later, she sighed in relief when blessed cool air poured out of the vent.
“Thanks,” she breathed.
“It feels good,” he said, tugging at the neckline of his tight sweater. “It’s not only you, you know.”
“Not only me what?”
“Feelin’ that heat.”
There was something forbidden in his tone, but his face was impassive when she glanced at him. “Guess new leather interior gets hot,” she ventured.
“How old are you?” he asked.
She started at the sudden shift in subject. “I’m old enough to drive, if that’s what you’re afraid of.” Both a car
and
his stick shift, thank you very much. Although she wasn’t entirely sure which one he was wondering about. Her pulse flickered at the thought.
“Are you eighteen?”
Terra stiffened. “I’m twenty-one. It’s my birthday today, actually.”
Why was she humoring him? These were questions that, considering his prior comment
and
his hand on her leg, should have her ready to push him out the door. Instead, she twirled a finger in the air, and a ridiculous giggle burst out. “Yippee, I know. Birthday.”
He shook his head. “Twenty-one? Honestly?” His tone held a note of open skepticism.
She couldn’t stop smiling and wondered why she was acting as blonde as she actually was. “Why, don’t I look it?”
“You ain’t twenty-one. There’s no way.”
A frown dampened her giddy grin. “What are you, a bartender? I feel like I’m being carded for beer.”
“Let me see your eyes.”
“My what?”
“Stop the car.”
She let out a barely restrained snort even while wondering why this was so damned funny. “I swear,
officer,
I haven’t been drinking. Jesus, my driving isn’t that bad.”
“Your drivin’ ain’t the issue. But it’s about to be.”
“You aren’t making any sense.” Not that anything about her day today did. That prompted another misplaced laugh.
Connor scowled. “I mean it, Terra. Stop now.”
She giggled again and rolled the eyes he was so desperate to look at. “Fine.”
Soon they were yet again shouldered on the road, and her idiotic grin faded when Connor took hold of both sides of her face with his hands and leaned close—too close—to stare into her eyes. She felt his hot breath fanning her lips, and hers whooshed out in an uneven cadence during the endless moments of that stare. Something was way wrong with her, because she watched the compelling gold speckles in his eyes sparkle and spread out until the blue began to fade.
His eyes drifted down to her mouth, and she unconsciously licked her lips. His head dipped closer, until his full, erotic mouth was maddeningly close to hers. Please, she shouted in her mind. Please kiss me until I lose my mind. Not that she hadn’t already.
Her lips tingled with anticipation as she waited for the kiss she shouldn’t allow. There was stranger danger and all that. She should order him out of the car. The spinning thrill in her stomach sped up until she wanted to laugh or jump off the ride, she couldn’t decide which. Her eyes widened when his lips moved to scant millimeters from hers, and he closed his eyes and hovered there for a long moment. After several pounding heartbeats and with what appeared to be reluctance, he grimaced and pulled away. She stifled a groan of disappointment.
“I thought as much,” he said. “Wide and dark as a midnight ocean.”
She blinked as he broke the spell. Somewhat. “What are you talking about?”
“Your eyes. It’s startin’ now,
right
now. I don’t get it.”
“Okay, you’re starting to freak me out
right
now.” She tried for a serious tone that didn’t quite jell with her odd, silly mood. “What’s the matter with my eyes?”
She yanked down the sun visor and checked her reflection. Her eyes seemed normal to her. They weren’t bloodshot or glowing or spinning around in their sockets. She peered closer. Then again, her pupils were a lot wider than normal. Her purplish-brown irises had been reduced to narrow rings around thick black orbs.
“Huh,” she said, flipping the visor back up. “That’s weird.”