Chapter One
“Hey Deacon, look lively. We have a customer.”
Deacon frowned. It was past closing time and they already had a backlog of cars in the workshop. The vehicle he was working on had to be ready before ten the next morning. “Can you cover it? I’m busy here.”
“Oh yeah,” Vico replied. “Sure I can. It’s the goddess from the office across the street. I’m glad to be of service for such a beautiful customer.”
“The goddess?” Deacon dropped his tools and made a move to climb out of the inspection pit. As he did he caught sight of her walking towards the entrance to the workshop. The early evening sun was lowering in the sky behind her, and that only emphasised her outline.
She really was here and Vico—his junior partner—was already on his way over to greet her, prowling like an alley cat. Deacon cursed under his breath, and then dented his forehead on the underside of the car as he hastened out of the pit. He’d been lusting after this lady since they’d opened the workshop. They both had. They were often attracted to the same type, but usually Deacon backed off. Vico could charm whoever he wanted—women and men. He was Eastern European and displayed old world charm in his every move. Vico was also bisexual and flaunted it, whereas Deacon was straight. He also wasn’t so sure of himself, so he usually threw the towel in if another man got territorial.
Not this time. If the goddess from across the street was coming over, he really did want his chance to chat with her as much as Vico did.
“Greetings, how may I be of assistance?” Vico already had the charm at full throttle, and he’d also had the foresight to clean his hands on a cloth as he approached the woman.
She smiled Vico's way, tentatively, and then glanced at the sign over the workshop door as she passed under it, entering their space. In one hand she held a small shoulder bag, and a key fob dangled from her long, elegant fingers. Her glossy black hair swung to her shoulders in a long bob. She wore a short, fitted dress in some kind of shiny blue fabric. Simple, but pure style. The strappy high-heeled sandals she wore made her shapely legs look even longer.
Deacon rubbed his hands over his head and then forced himself to drag his attention away long enough to check his hands. Oil everywhere. No doubt he had it on his head as well and looked like a right idiot.
“Hi,” the goddess said, “I work across the road and I’m afraid my car won’t start. It’s a classic and it’s a bit temperamental. I have a mechanic who usually services it for me, but he’s near home and that’s ten miles away. I need to get to an appointment this evening.”
She glanced his way and smiled. It mesmerised Deacon. Suddenly he didn’t mind so much that she might be amused at his appearance. “I wondered if one of you could take a look at it for me?” she added.
She looked from one to the other of them, as if unsure who to direct her comments to.
He snapped into action. “Sure thing. Vico, could you check the lady’s car, please.”
Vico gave him a wry smile indicating he was unsurprised that Deacon had pulled rank, and collected her keys from her.
Deacon noticed she was about to follow Vico back to the car, and interrupted. “Take a seat. I’m sure this won’t take long.”
She walked over to the seat he offered. Up close, she was even more attractive than he’d imagined. Large green eyes and a mouth that made him ache to kiss her.
“I hope you’re right. Unfortunately I have an appointment I have to be at. This couldn’t have happened at a worse time.” She glanced at her watch as she sat on the chair, and then crossed her legs high on the thigh, magnetising Deacon’s attention to the soft, bare skin of her legs. The urge to kneel down beside her and stroke her was taking hold of him. He dragged his attention back to her face.
“I can always get a taxi.” She frowned. “It's my fault for wanting a classic sports car.”
“It’s a gorgeous vehicle. We’ve both been admiring it.” Not just the car, you too, he thought, and smiled
Her expression brightened. “Thanks. It costs a lot to maintain, but I love it. In fact my friends tease me about it. They say that the car is the love of my life and there isn’t room for a man as well.”
Interesting. “What you need is a man who is a mechanic, and then both you and the car would be kept happy.” It was a spur of the moment comment, but was it too blatant, he wondered. What if it was? He had very little time. Vico would be on his way back soon. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
She laughed softly, and he noticed how thick her eyelashes were as her eyelids lowered. “That would indeed be rather handy,” she responded, and then fanned herself with one hand, glancing at him as she did so.
Was that a once-over? And was she aroused, or was she just hot? Deacon felt clueless. She looked warm, and her cheeks were flushed. It was humid inside the workshop, could be that. They were used to it, but he made a mental note to get a large fan, in case he had a beautiful woman sitting here on a hot August evening again.
“What is it that you do over there?” He nodded at the office block. “We’ve been wondering, since we opened up here.”
“Oh, there are several different organisations in the block. We rent part of the second floor, the offices overlooking this side.” Again her eyelids lowered briefly. “I work for the Yorkshire tourist board.”
“Tourism? Sounds glamorous.”
She chuckled, pushing her heavy hair behind her ear on one side as she looked at him. “Not really. I monitor standards in the local hospitality industry, hotels mostly.”
Responsible job, high powered. What would she want with a self-employed mechanic?
“The car is my bit of glamour,” she added.
She didn’t need a glamorous accessory like the car, she was pure glamour herself. He was about to respond when Vico jogged back.
“The starter motor has gone. We can have one delivered first thing in the morning.”
She nodded. “Thanks. I better call a taxi.”
Deacon shook his head. “That won’t be necessary, I'll give you a lift. We don’t have a courtesy car as y
et, so it’s the least I can do.”
She looked up at him, hesitating. “I don’t want to be any trouble.”
“You won’t be.” He smiled. “I was about to lock up for the day.”
“Yeah,” Vico interrupted, and started undoing his overalls right there and then. “We were about to lock up anyway, we can give you a lift right away.”
Deacon frowned. He’d been making headway, but Vico wasn’t going to let it go. Apparently he wanted her just as much. There had been friendly banter between them about her every time they’d spotted her going in and out of her office. Deacon had even announced he wanted to wake up with her, every morning. Vico had responded that he’d already be there in her bed. It was genial rivalry, but that was before either of them knew they’d get a chance to meet her for real. Would this test their friendship? He hoped not. Vico was the perfect business partner. Hard working, positive, energetic. Deacon knew he couldn’t compete with him when it came to women, however.
Her eyes had widened and she watched as Vico stepped out of his overalls, deftly peeling off his work persona. Underneath he wore snug black jeans and a T-shirt. He kicked the overall to one side, and then put out his hand. “Vico Laberi, at your service.”
She rested her hand in his. “Astrid Jacobs.”