She had already packed her bag that morning, tossing in a sexy thing of lingerie. She didn’t want to be presumptive, but she was hoping that tonight Beau would take it a bit further than the gentle kisses he’d given her last week. She appreciated the way he treated her like the most delicate glass. One wrong move and she would shatter, but tonight she wanted him to be rough. Savannah just didn’t know how to ask for that. She’d never been the straightforward type.
Maybe tonight was the time to change that.
A message popped up on her phone, alerting her the sheriff was going to send Alexis over just to take Courtney’s statement about the drug cabinet and any potential missing inventory.
“Have a nice weekend, Courtney! Can you lock up behind me?” Savannah hollered as she made her way to the main entrance of the clinic, Courtney replying that she was right behind her.
It was dark out as she peered through the glass, thankful that Mr. Connelly’s truck had the brightest headlights she’d ever seen lighting up the front of the clinic. Darting out the door, she waved to Courtney, who was tugging the door closed, and made her way to the idling truck.
Savannah quickly greeted the older man that had always treated her like a daughter and he put the truck in gear, taking her down the block to the auto shop.
When she arrived, all of the bay doors were closed, but the lights shone brightly inside. Mr. Connelly left the truck running but walked her to the shop’s door and knocked. Another older man with the name Hugh on his badge answered the door and let her inside as she thanked her ride.
“Beau’s over on there.” The man pointed with black-covered fingers toward a bright red car that looked like something from decades past.
“Thanks,” she said. “I’m Savannah, by the way.” Holding out her hand, she was surprised when the man glanced down at her outstretched fingers and then at his own, quickly wiping the excess stuff from the digits before pressing his hand against hers. His cheeks reddened and his eyes tipped downward in what she thought was embarrassment. She hated when people did that, and she noticed it more frequently in the small town.
“Hugh,” the man mumbled as he shoved his hands into the grease-covered suit he wore over his clothes. “I’ll be leaving shortly. Beau is locking up,” he added as he walked away.
Savannah noticed a smidgen of grease on her hand from their contact, but she didn’t care. Hard work was hard work and she didn’t care how you came by it.
As the man walked away, Savannah was left standing in a place where she felt very unfamiliar. There were big containers, tubing, cords, and more tool boxes than she could count, some of which were taller than she was.
Savannah was stalling as she slowly turned around in her spot, taking it all in. There were weird smells and liquids she couldn’t name, things she’d only seen in movies, but it actually brought her a sense of comfort.
The excitement she’d felt all day had morphed into nerves and now she was unsure of her next move. Her chest moved upward as Savannah took a deep breath. She gripped the strap of her duffle bag, haphazardly tossed it across her body, and took a step closer to where Hugh had said Beau was located. One step turned into ten and soon, she was close enough to make out his body.
His strong thighs held the weight of his body as he leaned over the opened hood of the car. She watched as he blindly reached for a tool in the chest he had rolled close by and expertly adjusted something she couldn’t see.
The only sounds in the shop came from whatever he was doing under the hood and the whooshing in her ears with each breath she took. Savannah doubted anyone else could hear the latter.
Not wanting to startle him, she quietly stood until Beau stood straight, placed his hands on the edge and shut the hood.
“Hey,” she said quietly and felt her knees practically buckle as he spun to face her, his gaze traveling over her body that felt like a lover’s caress. Savannah hoped tonight she would get to feel his actual touch against her skin.
“You’re here.” He sounded like he couldn’t believe that she was standing before him, like the kid who got that one Christmas gift they never imagined they’d receive.
“I’m here.”
Reaching for a rag tucked into the waist of his coveralls, Beau wiped his hand, then stepped over to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Savannah wished it had been more, but she knew Hugh was still close by and most likely slipping out the door.
Maybe Beau had a thing against public displays of affection?
“I’ll be done in a few minutes.”
As is possessed by a seductive goddess, something Savannah knew she was not, her hands reached forward and pressed against the hard planes of his chest.
“You don’t need to rush. I can wait in the office or something.”
“Naw, I’m about done here. I just need to make sure she starts. Not to mention Belle is probably itching to head home.”
At the mention of the dog’s name, Savannah immediately turned her gaze from Beau’s handsome face and focused on the door to what she assumed was an office.
Beau chuckled as he took her hands and walked her to the office, opening the door to a very excited dog that could already sense that she had arrived. The two immediately embraced in only the way that a human and canine did; paws on shoulders and a face full of kisses.
“Jealous of my own dog,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ll be just a minute.”
“No rush,” Savannah said as she gently placed the dog's paws back on the ground, rubbing her head to let the dog know she enjoyed the love.
True to his word, Beau left and returned to the office a moment later, the rumble of a car starting the only sound in the space while he was gone. He was sans covering for his clothes this time.
“Are you ready?”
Savannah wanted to tell him that she’d been ready since the moment they met, but instead, she replied with a quick, “Yes,” and then followed him and Belle out of the shop.
***
Beau did his best to mask his shaking hands as he placed them on the steering wheel. He hadn’t been this nervous since he had taken Jenny Marconi to the senior prom – he had been a junior. Before they’d even arrived at the dance, she'd taken his virginity that night. As he drove Savannah to his apartment, his nerves were about twenty times stronger.
He glanced over and watched the moonlight dance across her skin as he drove down the road. Bewilderment filled him, knowing that she was sitting in the truck, willingly going to his place.
“Are you hungry?” he asked her as Belle’s head popped up from between Savannah’s legs. The dog had made herself at home on the floor, safely encased by Savannah’s body. But the dog had a hearty appetite and would immediately pop up in attention at the mention of food.
“I could eat. What do you have in mind?”