Time passed and, close to
closing, Archer was by his truck when a tingle ran up his spine.
Lifting his head, he watched as a green jeep pulled in. The
stiffening in his pants told him all he needed to know—it never
failed, his body always knew when Delicia was around. He watched her
climb out and look around.
Damn, she made that look good. She wore her uniform, a short sleeved
light blue shirt and reflective EMS trousers. Her hair was back in a
French braid and he longed to release it. Licking his lips, he shut
his truck door and ambled over to where she stood talking to Mark,
another one of his mechanics—a trainee actually, but he was a quick
learner.
“Delicia,” he said upon his
approach.
Her amazing brown eyes,
reminding him of chocolate mousse, flicked up and widened slightly.
“Mr Bennett,” she responded.
He disliked her calling him
Mr Bennett but let it go for the moment. It was her thing, what she
did when others were near. “Something I can help you with?”
Mark took the hint and
walked away, leaving them alone. She looked just about everywhere
else, except at him. And Archer realised she was nervous around him.
“Delicia?” he asked,
stepping closer and inhaling the scent of tangerines that surrounded
her.
“Hi…umm…I’m sorry to stop by
without a…um…appointment, but I needed my oil changed, if possible.”
“Of course. I’ll do it for
you right now.”
Her gaze flew up to meet his
and he sent her what he hoped was a disarming smile. His cock
stirred when her tongue sneaked out and wet her lips.
“If you’re sure. I don’t
want to make anyone stay late.”
He held her stare. “It’s
fine. Keys in the ignition?”
“Yes.”
“Go on in to the waiting
room and have a seat. I’ll be done in no time.”
Reaching out, he turned her
and gave her a gentle nudge towards the main door. The urge to draw
her closer and kiss her swarmed him. He clenched his hands into
fists and repressed the desire. Instead he just watched her walk
towards the door and with one look back at him, she slipped inside.
Archer walked to her Jeep
and paused right before getting behind the wheel. A throat clearing
behind him pulled his attention from the vehicle. He turned to find
Mark there.
“Want me to get this one,
Risk?”
“No, it’s okay, Mark. I got
it.”
A knowing smile curved up
Mark’s lips and he narrowed his gaze in response. “Sure thing, boss.
I’ll go clear a bay for you.” Hand outstretched, he offered the
plastic seat cover then walked off.
“Do that,” he muttered,
protecting the seat then getting behind the wheel.
Delicia had a six-speed
Wrangler and he could tell she did a lot of outdoors stuff—her
vehicle was decked out for it. There was nothing girly about this
Jeep. And he liked it. Before long, he was draining the oil and
checking air pressure on her tyres. Out of the corner of his eyes,
he could see his employees watching him closely.
“What?” he asked Mark who
continued to hover around.
“Nothing.”
With a grunt, Archer looked
at Mark. A seventeen year old boy who had been working here since he
was fourteen. The kid was a whiz with cars and loved nothing more
than working on them, despite only having been actually working on
cars for a year—before that he’d cleaned up around the shop.
“You sure seem to be
interested in what I’m doing for a man who’s claiming nothing. You
got nothing else to do?”
“Well, it’s just that…how
well do you know Lis?”
Biting back his growl at the
familiar way Mark spoke about Delicia, he swallowed. “What are you
looking to know?”
“I…I…” A flush moved up the
boy’s dark cheeks and he figured it out.
“She’s older than you, you
know.” Archer poured in the oil.
“I know, but…”
“She’s got a man, too, Mark.
I’m sorry.” He capped it and wiped his hands off on a rag from his
pocket.
“She does?” He sighed.
“Who?”
Waiting until the young man
looked at him, Archer then said,
“Me.”
He stepped from the hood and
slammed it shut. Going to the driver’s side, he got in and drove
through and around to the front. Once in the waiting room, he walked
up to where Delicia sat thumbing through a magazine and said,
“You’re all set.”
Delicia looked up at the
sound of Archer’s deep timbre. The moisture in her mouth vanished as
she stared at him. This man is just too damn fine. With what she hoped
was a normal smile, she pushed to her feet and stood before him.
“Wow. That was fast. Thank
you. For taking me.” Okay, that was not supposed to be said. She
squeezed her eyes shut and wished she were anywhere but where she
was. “I mean, for taking care of my car.”
His gaze burnt hot when she
met it again and there was this hint of knowing within the depths of
his eyes. “No problem. Anytime, Delicia.” |
