I found myself transfixed at the sight, his hands so big and masculine, his fingers long … strong. I couldn’t help but think about what it would feel like to have those hands on my body, pulling me closer, pinning me down on the bed as he took me.
They were such crude thoughts, visuals that had me instantly wet. For not having any sexual experience, they certainly were filthy enough.
“My car is doing weird stuff,” I said awkwardly and gestured outside to where the tow truck had dropped it off. I looked back at Roman, and saw him watching me. After a second he looked out the window.
I couldn’t help but look at the line of his neck, the muscle that ran right underneath, following it down to that dip at the base of his throat. His skin was golden, and the sight had my heart racing. I clenched my hands in the straps of my purse and kept it close to me, as if it were an anchor, a lifeline.
“Let’s go check it out and see what we can do about getting it up and running.” He smiled, just the corner of his mouth kicking up, flashing straight white teeth. He held his hand out for me to go first, and when I walked past him, his body heat moved right into me, causing me to sweat harder.
Get it together.
Once we were standing by my car, the hood popped, and Roman leaning down to get a look at it, I found myself staring at him once more. He was like the negative end of this magnet and I was the positive. I couldn’t not be drawn to him.
I looked at where his hand was curled around the edge of my car, grease stains around his finger nails, his skin this golden color like it had been kissed by the sun. I lifted my gaze over his muscular, vein-roped forearm, my heart starting to pound a little bit harder.
“What was the problem with it?” he asked in his deep, baritone voice.
He was still bent over looking under the hood, but he turned his head to the side to glance at me. I stood there for a moment, my mouth opening and closing like I was a fish out of water. Finally, I cleared my throat and rubbed my hands down my thighs, wiping the sweat off and trying to focus on something else.
“It started making this weird noise, then smoke was coming out from under the hood. Also, my temperature thing was going all the way to hot.”
He straightened slightly and grinned. “Your temperature thing. The gauge?”
I felt my cheeks heat. God, why was it so hot? “Yeah, the gauge went all the way to hot.”
He nodded and looked back under the hood. “Well, I’m going to assume it’s your water pump, but yours is buried pretty deep down.”
“Water pump? Is that something serious?”
He stood there for a moment, and then straightened fully. “Nah, not really. It’s an easy enough fix.” He looked back at the shop. I followed his gaze but didn’t see what he was staring at. When Roman finally looked at me again I felt a tingle move through me.
I tried to play it off like I had control over my emotions, pretended like he didn’t affect me the way he really did. For the most part, I thought I was doing a pretty damn good job, or maybe that was just wishful thinking.
“Listen, Randy is a good guy and all, but he overcharges for labor.” He closed the hood of my car and leaned against the front of it, crossing his arms over his chest, his lean muscle being displayed under his coveralls. “How about I just come over and fix it? Shouldn’t take me more than a day, and that way it’s not gonna cost you an arm and a leg.” He gave me that lopsided grin again and I felt my pulse jump.
“Really?” The fact Roman was willing to do that would have made me fall for him even if I wasn’t already madly in love with him. “That would be fantastic. Maybe I can pay you back by taking you out to dinner or something?” I immediately felt stupid for even suggesting that. But his smile relaxed me slightly.
“I’d like that,” he said and for a moment we just stood there staring at each other, not speaking. “Listen, I’ll have one of the guys tow your car back to your house. Then I can come over Saturday and fix it up, if that works?”
I was nodding before he even finished speaking. “Yeah, that will work perfectly.” Again, nothing was said as we stared at each other.
“Great. Listen, how about I give you a ride home?”
I was about to eagerly accept when the sound of a car pulling into the parking lot had me looking over. My father’s SUV came to a stop beside my car, and I silently cursed him for ruining the moment.