Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Maybe I’d take Brett with me. At least then the clucking was divided between us.
In the meantime, I headed to the small house I shared with Brett. I’d have a couple beers with him, maybe watch a movie. Convince him to join me tomorrow.
Another exciting Saturday night in the life of a carefree bachelor.
Wasn’t it grand?
CHAPTER TWO
Stefano
I headed home, the sun just beginning to lose its brilliance in the late evening. I loved summer—the heat and long days. I liked hiking in the vast emptiness around Littleburn and Lomand, discovering small, private places I could escape to. I had grown up in a suburb of Toronto and lived over the garage I worked at in a busy section of the large city. I had always been restless and edgy. Since living out here, even though it was only a short drive to get to Toronto, I was more relaxed. I liked the open spaces and the quiet. The different pace of life. Knowing my neighbors’ and customers’ names. Being greeted by name when I walked into my favorite bar or store.
I drove leisurely, in no hurry. Under me, the engine of my rebuilt Mustang growled low and powerful. I had to admit, another reason I loved this area was being able to take the car and let it go on one of the long, deserted roads. But today, I was just headed home and enjoying the drive with music playing and the windows open.
I noticed a small, older SUV pulled to the side of the road, and I slowed down. It was sitting at an odd angle, the back hatch open and the driver bent over inside, searching for something.
I pulled over, coasting close, and cut the engine, unable to take my eyes off the vision in front of me. The driver was a woman, wearing a skirt. A short one, from the looks of it. She was bent over, her creamy thighs exposed, the short skirt pulled so high, I caught a glimpse of lace stretched over an ass I could only describe as spectacular. It was rounded and full, and I had no doubt it would be a handful to grip. And for some reason, I wanted to do just that.
I slid from the car and called out. “Hey—can I help?”
The spectacular ass slid out of the hatch, and the driver stood. She turned to me, her eyes wide, clutching part of a jack. I froze mid-stride as she turned, my muscles locking into place at the sight of her.
She was average height, but at 6’2”, I towered over her. She wasn’t thin or plump, but somewhere in between, with heavy breasts, a sweet indentation at her waist, and rounded hips. Deep brunette-colored hair was pulled away from her face, masses of tiny curls escaping everywhere. She had a heart-shaped face, with curved cheeks and full lips that were currently frowning. Her skin was like cream, and I had the urge to reach out and touch it to see if it felt as soft as it looked. Her eyes were huge and dark—darker than mine and wide-spaced. She looked upset and a little frightened. I knew my size intimidated strangers, especially, I supposed, if you were a woman stranded on the side of the road at night. I held up my hands in supplication and offered her a friendly smile.
For a moment, our eyes locked, and the rest of the world faded away. We stared at each other, her dark eyes wide and alert. Her gaze lit something within me. Something hot and fierce. She licked her lips, causing my eyes to focus on them. I found myself wondering what they would taste like—how they would feel underneath mine. Her eyes focused on my mouth briefly, then she shook her head. “You scared me.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought you’d heard me coming.” I indicated my car. “Kinda hard not to hear that engine.”
A look of derision crossed her face. “Toys,” she muttered. “Men and their toys.”
I frowned. My car wasn’t a toy. It was a fine-tuned piece of machinery, and I was proud of it. But I ignored her. “Can I help?” I repeated.
She shook her head. “Nope. I got this.”
I ignored her and walked closer. I dropped down to my knees and inspected the flat tire. I whistled in alarm at the rim.
“How long have you been driving on the flat?”
She crouched beside me, and her scent wafted across my nose. It was alluring and sexy. She wobbled a little, and I put out my hand to steady her. Her skin was soft and her eyes widened, our gazes locking again briefly, her eyes flaring with something. She stood and grimaced. “I was trying to get home and thought I would have it fixed in the morning. But it seemed to get worse.”