I'm feeling that same pull right now as she happily sings her way home. My chest is tight and my heart starts to race. She's beautiful.
But she's rich. And you know how rich girls are.
I've seen it before. The nice rich girl who knows how to be polite while really on the inside she's screaming for you to go away. It's the barely touch handshake and the nostril flare of disgust masked with a practiced smile.
Why would she be any different?
It doesn't matter if she's different or not because she's off limits.
She's my boss's daughter. I shouldn't even be thinking about her as anything else. Not as a sexy little minx. Not as a hot angel I'd love to destroy. She's out of reach. That's how this thing works. I stay in my lane, she stays in hers, and I don't have to worry about losing this job.
Kelsie turns up the driveway, oblivious to the fact I'm sitting right here. “Buddy Holly,” I say as she approaches the garage door.
“Oh,” she jumps slightly and throws her hand to her chest. “Jesus, I didn't see you there.”
“Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. And it's Brand, not Jesus.” I chuckle. She giggles with me. “I just heard you singing, and I'm surprised you even know a song that old.”
“Yeah, I like all kinds of music. From old to new.” She smiles with her lips closed. Garlits sniffs his way to me and tries to climb up on my chest. “Garlits, get down.” She tugs the leash with a strong pull.
“He's fine.” I reach out and pet his head. Garlits flops to his side and rolls onto his back so I can scratch his belly. “He's quite the ham, huh?”
“He really is. I'm sucker for that face of his.”
“So, how did you sneak past me with this little guy? I didn't see you leave.”
“There's a path in the back that leads out to the main road. I like to take it with him. It's a little hilly, so it gives him a good workout.”
“I see it doesn't just do his body good.” I smirk and wink. My eyes run up and down her body. I don't even bother trying to hide it.
I know I shouldn't be so brazen, but the words just tumble right out. I hardly even think about it. For all I know she could slap me, scoff, and run to tell her father.
He's going to fire you for that dumbass.
Me and my big mouth.
I'm about to apologize, again, when she giggles. “I'll take that as a compliment. I guess I like the workout too. I can say the same for you too. It looks like working on cars does your body good.” Her smile widens and she winks back.
“Me?”
“Yeah, you. I'm sure it helped build those muscles.” Her eyes slide down my arms, then slowly back up to my face. “Unless you spend hours in the gym lifting?”
“Nope, this is all wrench work.” I flex. She laughs again, only this time she bites her bottom lip and her cheeks turn rosy. “So, you like cars like your dad?”
“Meh,” she says, tipping her head from her left shoulder to her right. “I wouldn't say I love it. This is my dad's thing.”
Are you sure about that? I don't ask her out loud, but I think it. Because the guy thought the smoke was from a hole in his exhaust. Any novelist like him in the car world should have known instantly what it was. He didn't.
“So, what's your thing then?” I ask.
She eyes me curiously, her brows lowering slightly. “You really want to know?”
“I wouldn't have asked if I didn't.” I push myself up off the creeper and wipe my hands on the rag in my pocket.
“Gardening.” Her voice lowers as if she's whispering a secret to me.
“Gardening?”
“Yeah, gardening. Why? Is that weird?”
“No, not at all. I'm just picturing you in a garden in the same little shorts you had on this morning.” My lips spread into a broad smile.
Kelsie's cheeks flush and her eyes drop to her dog who is now rolling around on his back as if he's got an itch he can't scratch.
I'm enjoying this right now. The way her skin is turning pink, and her breathing is getting more shallow and rapid. Her hands nervously twine and untwine the leash handle around her wrist. She's twisting the tip of her sneaker into the pavement.
There's a chance she might burn a hole in the toe if she keeps twisting her toe the way she is. Her chin drops into her chest, causing her ponytail to swing down across her face. I reach forward, using the very tips of my fingers to push the hair back.
“You shouldn't ever hide your face. You're too pretty to hide.”
Her eyes slowly lift to mine. They jump back and forth, and it looks like she's holding her breath. I can't tell for sure if she is, but if she isn't, her breathing is so shallow it's unnoticeable.