But it never worked.
And now he’s dead, too, and I’m trying to be invisible in my aunt’s house. Trying to make up for his crimes with crimes of my own.
He cocks his head, studying me, and I get the irritating notion he read my hurt, even though I have a stellar poker face.
Of course, that pisses me off. I flip the socket wrench in the air and catch it. “Why don’t you show off a little, Muscles, and loosen the rest of them?”
He wanted me to ask for help? I’ll ask.
The sooner I get this over with and get away from his scrutiny, the better. I am very much doubting my ability to do this on my own—I should just throw in the towel now.
He smirks and takes the wrench. In about five seconds, he loosens every bolt and sets the socket wrench down. Then he removes the hoses and drains the fluids into a pan he shoves below.
“Hey princess, go empty this in the barrel inside.” He thrusts the pan of fluids at me.
I try not to show my distaste at touching the grimy pan and my fear of it sloshing all over me.
Maybe I really am a princess.
I gingerly take the dripping pan and hold it out in front of me to go in.
When I get back, the car is up on jack stands.
Which doesn’t make sense.
I didn’t hear him start the engine—hell, I already know the thing doesn’t drive, or I wouldn’t have had to tow it here.
“How’d you get the car up there?”
“I pushed it.”
Dayum. That definitely gets me hot and bothered. This guy may still be in high school, but he’s about as manly as they get. I mean, he’s over six feet of solid muscle, he knows his way around a car and back, and apparently can single-handedly push them around his garage with total ease.
My body tingles with some primitive reaction to his physical prowess. Like the cave girl in me just realized he would be the very best choice for a mate. Not only would we make beautiful babies—not that a cave girl thinks about that—but he’d be able to beat off our predators with a club and make sure we survived through the winter.
“Did that excite you?”
I scoff, but search his face. Again, I didn’t think I was showing anything in my expression.
Turns out, it wasn’t my expression that gave me away.
Bo is staring at the twin points of my nipples, jutting through my sports bra and t-shirt.
I fold my arms across my chest. “As if. Listen, I think you’re right. This is more than I can handle. How about I just pay you for the hour and get out of your hair?”
He saunters over to me. He has this casual way of moving. It’s strange to watch a guy so big move with so much grace and ease. “Okay.” If I didn’t know better, I would say he sounds disappointed. “I’ll take your money. How are you getting home?”
I fully planned on calling an Uber. I really did.
I don’t even know what comes over me when I tip my face up and turn my flirt on. “Feel like a drive to Cave Hills?”
He plucks the one hundred dollar bill out of my fingers, and I get the feeling it’s a lot of money for him.
Not that it’s not to me, but I’ve been dealing in huge deficits and big payments. I’m getting used to handling large amounts of cash.
Spoken like a true criminal.
“It’ll cost you,” he tells me. I think he’s going to ask for more money, but he surprises me by getting real. “Take your next car somewhere else, Legs. We can’t handle this kind of heat here. My brother acts tough, but he’s in over his head, and I’m guessing you are, too. So after this one, retire. Or find a new mechanic. Just don’t come back. Understand?”
For some reason, I can’t breathe with him standing so close. He’s not threatening me, but I almost prefer his snarl over this honest appeal. And again, I experience a sense of rejection, which is totally stupid.
“Sounds like Uber would be cheaper.”
He drops his head to the side. “Yeah, I thought you’d say that. Get on the bike, Legs.”
I don’t know why the stupid nickname is starting to grow on me. It’s totally derogatory to refer to a female by one of her body parts. And yet my chest gets warm when he says it, like I’m celebrating the fact that he’s given me a pet name.
Utterly ridiculous.
I’m also celebrating him taking me home. Which is even more ridiculous. Being attracted to a guy who thinks so little of me is a problem. A total mistake.
So getting excited about nesting behind him on his bad ass bike is an even bigger mistake, but here I am, doing exactly what he said. Getting on his bike and putting on the helmet as I watch him lock up the shop.