I see Lucas slowing as he drives by. I wave at him with my middle finger and smirk as he gets an eye full of who is with me. I want him to know Hattie will be mine. She just doesn’t know it yet. Wait…what did I just say? I shake my head and get in my truck. When I rejoin her, she is singing along with the radio.
Shaking my head at her choice, I chuckle.
She smacks me hard in the gut. “Not everyone has the voice of a rock star.” She goes back to singing Beyoncé.
“I have a few rules for my truck.” I hold up a finger. “Number one, don’t touch my radio.” Adding a second finger, I continue. “And number two, no cat in heat screeching.” Popping up a third finger, I tell her, “Number three. You sit by me.” I change the station to rock and Kid Rock is belting out lyrics about a first kiss. Not exactly what I was going for but much better.
Hattie has a scowl on her face, mocking offense over my comment about her singing. Her voice is actually nice, but I enjoy seeing her cheeks flush.
I stop the truck on the side of the road when she refuses to sit next to me. “What are you doing?” She looks at me with this bewildered expression on her face.
I don’t say anything. I go around to her side of the truck, open the door and shove her into the middle of the seat. Her mouth is still hanging open when I get back in and get back on the road.
“Much better,” I tell her as she still sits there shocked that I actually did just do that.
After a minute or two, she relaxes and puts her head on my shoulder. Her head nestled against me feels so good. My gut instinct is to kiss the top of her head. However, I stop myself. I am sure that would really freak her out. I have to get a grip. It’s just so hard. I like this girl a lot.
“So, what is it we are doing today, friend?” She watches the scenery as it blurs by.
“You ever been muddin’?”
“Um…no,” she answers weakly.
“Well, sweet cheeks, that is about to change.” I pull into my friend Ryan’s driveway; he is a regular at the bar and a good friend. I back up to the trailer that is waiting for me. Ryan owns an ATV shop and he lets me borrow his four-wheeler when I want to ride. I used to have my own, but after the shit with Lanie, I sold it when I moved to the trailer park. Bitch took the house. She took everything. I gave it to her to just be done with her.
After getting the trailer hitched, I grin at an anxious Hattie as she fidgets with her hair, twirling it around her finger. “Nervous?” I ask as I drive us to the property Ryan owns. He had planned to build a larger home, but the financing fell through. For now, he uses the land as a rider’s playground.
The ground is still wet from the heavy rain we received a few days ago. I can’t wait to see Hattie all muddy and freaked out. I just know she is a prissy girly girl.
She shakes her head no, but her body language says something else. “Do I make you nervo
us, Hattie Mae?”
“You wish,” she spits out quickly. A smile spreads across her blushed cheeks as she stares at me quizzically. “Just trying to figure you out, Zane.”
“I am an open book, got nothing to hide,” I say knowing it is bullshit. Only thing to hide is the fact that I like her a lot.
She waits patiently as I get the ATV unloaded. When I wave her over, she seems apprehensive. “Don’t we need helmets or protective gear or something…?” She looks a little pale.
“Only thing you need to do is wrap those arms around me and let me take care of you today. Trust me, you’ll be fine.” I wink and smack her on her ass, earning me a smack back. I wasn’t expecting that. Hattie just keeps surprising me. I can read most women easily, but she is complex. Nothing like what I am used to—it’s refreshing.
Chapter 10
Hattie Mae
“Ahh… Slow down, Zane!” I am screeching as Zane is whipping us right into a puddle of mud as he guns the gas on the four-wheeler. Why in the hell did I agree to get onto this deathtrap with him? Oh yeah, it was those dang eyes and his tempting lips. My right arm is beating on his back while my left is snaked around his waist, holding on for dear life. And the only response I get is the jerk laughing at me. Mud splashes all over the two of us. I am pretty sure a bug just went down my throat as I was screaming. I cough and wheeze, trying to clear my throat.
He continues to laugh and go faster.
Jerk.
But then it happens. He gets hit in the forehead with a big bug and I lose it as he cusses under his breath.
“You didn’t see that damn thing. I will probably have a bruise. If anyone asks I was defending you against a wild animal.” He chuckles, and I shake my head.
We continue to zip through the mud and the trees. I have to admit I am having the most fun out here with Zane. Justin never wanted to do anything like this. He cared more about going to art galleries or hanging out with his friends playing Xbox. Zane is definitely a good ol’ boy and I like that about him. He is so fun and carefree. I lose track of time and myself when I am with him. I become completely engrossed with him. He enamors me with his wit and charm.
The death on wheels comes to a stop and Zane twists his neck around and smiles at me. “We are out of gas. I didn’t think to check before we left.” I smear mud across his smug cheek. “Oh, darlin’, you have no idea what you just got yourself into.” He has an amused, all-knowing, wicked grin on his muddy but perfect face.