“Fucker,” I muttered. I hadn’t seen him in months, not since the last court visit when I had to argue that the new granite countertops he’d had installed at his house, in my name, were not my financial responsibility.
And now this.
I put the jack under the car and managed to pump it until the carriage lifted enough for me to get the wheel off the ground. Then I put the lug wrench on one of the lug nuts and turned it counter-clockwise. Correction. I tried to turn the damn thing counter-clockwise, but it literally wouldn’t budge. It was hard to grip with my mittens on, and I wasn’t strong enough to get it to move. Not even an inch.
I was sweating beneath my heavy winter gear from the strain.
I ignored the sound of a car pulling up the street. I’d never been one to play a helpless female. Yeah, a decent guy would stop if they saw a woman trying to change a tire. Especially in this small Montana town. But I wasn’t going to flag someone down or anything. I could figure this out on my own. I was used to dealing with shit by myself.
The car stopped, even though I didn’t think I was visible from the road. I heard a door slam and the sound of a heavy pair of boots packing down the snow. I peeked around the side of the car, and my heart skipped a little.
Clint. All six feet plus of him.
My sexy cowboy was here to check up on me. No, not my sexy cowboy. Just a super sexy, bossy, sexually potent and skilled, cowboy. He had on sturdy leather work boots, jeans and a thick coat. He wore his cowboy hat, even in twenty-degree weather. His hands were bare, and I doubted he felt the least bit cold. I was sweating now for an entirely different reason.
It was his dark stare that took in every inch of me that had me licking my lips.
He might have the most impeccable timing imaginable. If I wasn’t happy to see him because of it, I’d wonder why he was here in the first place.
He was quick on the uptake because he was already taking in my tire with narrowed eyes.
I cleared my throat. “Hey. What are you—”
“Someone slashed that?” he barked, cutting me off. Like he was pissed off. No, more like he was going to kill someone over it.
It immediately reminded me of the punch he’d taken to the nose at Cody’s. How he hadn’t even winced when he’d been hit or when I’d set it later. He hadn’t even shown anger, really. He’d just delivered his form of justice—swift and sure—by lifting the loser by his neck right off his feet which showed how strong Clint was. Unusual. Most guys would have decked a guy right back. But no, Clint had just shown the guy his strength. The potential for harm. He left my would-be suitor practically scrambling home to his mama.
“Yep,” I said, standing up and setting my hand on the car window since I was lightheaded. Fuck, for a second there, I’d forgotten I was pregnant. I hadn’t been nauseated yet this morning. Shit. I shouldn’t have been doing the stupid tire.
“Any idea who did this?” he asked, looking around as if Todd lurked behind the bushes.
It was tempting to tell him everything. Maybe unleash that protective streak he seemed to have for me, having him go all Incredible Hulk on Todd. Boy, that would have been awesome.
But no.
That would complicate things even more. If I thought Todd was making my life hell now, I could only imagine what he’d do if he thought I was dating someone. He still considered me his, and getting a guy into the mix, even one as big and brawny and who could clearly take care of himself as Clint, was just stupid. I had no idea what kind of spin Todd would put on it before a judge. I was already desperate to get our divorce finished before he discovered I was pregnant.
I shrugged. “Probably some neighborhood kids.”
He cocked his head, searching my face like he didn’t believe me, but then took the tire iron from my hand. He stood so close I could feel the heat radiating off him. He brushed his finger over my cheek. “Go wait inside where it’s warm. I’ll get this changed for you and get you on your way.”
That bossiness again.
I didn’t know why it was so damn sexy coming from him. It was the complete opposite of Todd who was manipulative. A gas-lighter. Always making me feel like I screwed up and needed to scramble to fix my mistakes.
Clint hadn’t suggested I couldn’t fix the tire on my own, only said he’d do it for me. Somehow, he made me feel like I was perfect, and he’d take care of everything.