I swallowed and looked away, failing miserably at keeping my blush at bay. “So. You’re Jack Hunter? I’m assuming you own this place by the way you waltzed out of the office.”
“I am, and I do. I’ve owned it for a while now. I can’t say I’ve ever been quite so happy to be a mechanic before today. Out of all the mechanic shops in all the towns and all that.” He winked, then finished bandaging my knees. “What are the chances that you’ll leave me your number? Honestly, as long as I have a way of calling you back, I don’t mind you running away. The visual is fucking spectacular.”
I smacked his arm without thinking and then grabbed it to pet it, like I was soothing it. What started as an apologetic stroke quickly turned into an exploratory feel. There were muscles on top of muscles, and I couldn’t help myself. “Do you work out?”
“When I have the time. Are you going to give me your number?”
I licked my lips and looked out at Gabe and the other mechanic through the office windows. “I don’t know.”
“It doesn’t have to be a big deal, Win.” He reached under the hem of my dress and stroked my thighs as he pulled my dress back into place. “I would happily be your stress reliever whenever you need one.”
It occurred to me that he was offering to be my booty call, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. On one hand, what aspectacularbooty call, but on the other, I wasn’t normally that type of woman. I had enough going on in my life. I didn’t need to add in anything else. It would be a lie to say sex hadn’t helped ease my tension for a while, though.
Jack grinned and pulled me off the desk and into his chest. “You’re going to hurt yourself if you keep thinking that hard. You’re chewing a hole through your lip. How about you show me your car? You can think about my other offer.”
I smiled up at him and hesitated when I should’ve moved away. There was just something in the honey color of his eyes that called to me. Then there were his lips. I’d felt those full lips on mine, and I knew the way they felt and the way he tasted. I’d worn the marks of his beard on my breasts for days after the hours I’d spent with him and the others.
Just like that, I remembered the real reason I couldn’t have anything with Jack. It was the same reason the excitement at seeing him had quickly faded. My shame was the other person in the room, and she was a loud heckler, making herself known just when I started to forget about her. Jack had taken me over a desk in a church with two of his friends. It’d been amazing, and the best sex I’d ever had, but I couldn’t see him.
“Whatever you’re thinking, I don’t like it.” Moving away, Jack sighed and motioned towards the door. “Show me the car, Win.”
I ducked my head and shoved my hands in the pockets of my dress. “Of course.”
Gabe barely looked up at us as we walked by. He was engrossed in whatever the man with him was saying. I was sure he couldn’t have cared less about the tire the man was pointing at, but Gabe faked interested well.
Jack growled when he saw my car, and his hand cupped the back of my neck as he turned my body towards his. “You’ve been driving around in this?”
I was recovering from hearing him growl, so it took me a second to catch up. I glanced over at my car and nodded. “Yep. That’s Sheila.”
He leaned down so we were eye to eye and narrowed his eyes. “No.”
I stammered as he let me go and stumbled after him as he circled my car, the scowl on his face darkening. “What do you mean? No?”
“Win, baby, the tires are bald. Not just bald, but they’re some of the worst I’ve ever seen. You can’t drive on these. The noise you’ve been ignoring? What kind of noise is it?”
I pouted at my tires and shrugged. “I don’t know. A screeching sound?”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Give me your keys.”
“I need my car, Jack. I don’t have another way to get around.” I felt my panic starting and stared up at him. “And I know I can’t afford all new tires right now. What if I just replaced one or two? Would that be enough for now?”
Leveling me with a hard look, he shook his head. “No. It’s not safe. I’ll help. There’s no way I’m letting you drive around in this death trap.”
Tears filled my eyes, and a different kind of shame washed over me. Turning away from him, I stared out at the highway. With my arms wrapped tightly around myself, I walked a few steps away from him and my poor car, needing to give myself a moment to pull it together. It was hard when I was staring at one more way I was failing.
“Winnie?” Gabe’s booming voice was the breaking point. I kept my head down and gave into the tears. I heard him jogging closer. “What’d you do?”
Not wanting Gabe to blame Jack, I turned to face them and shook my head at Gabe. “He didn’t do anything.”
Jack watched with a hard jaw as Gabe wrapped me up in a hug and held my head against his chest. “The car. It’s not safe to drive.”
Gabe stroked my hair and sighed. “Are you crying for Sheila, honey? She just needs a little trip to the car doctor. It’s fine.”
“I can’t afford it. I can’t afford anything.” I sucked in a sob and forced myself to stand up straight and push away from Gabe. I was an adult. I was strong. I could handle it. “Okay. This is fine. I can handle this. I’ll pay for you to replace two of the tires now. I’m sure Mom will let me drive Daddy’s old truck until I can afford to fix the rest.”
“Big Ham? No, Winnifred!”
“I told you I’d help, Win.” Jack’s brows were pinched together as he looked down at me. “I probably have the tires lying around somewhere.”