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Time passed and,
close to closing, Archer was by his truck when a tingle ran
up his spine. Lifting his head, he watched as a green jeep
pulled in. The stiffening in his pants told him all he
needed to know—it never failed, his body always knew when
Delicia was around. He watched her climb out and look
around.
Damn, she made that look good. She wore her uniform, a short
sleeved light blue shirt and reflective EMS trousers. Her
hair was back in a French braid and he longed to release it.
Licking his lips, he shut his truck door and ambled over to
where she stood talking to Mark, another one of his
mechanics—a trainee actually, but he was a quick learner.
“Delicia,” he said
upon his approach.
Her amazing brown
eyes, reminding him of chocolate mousse, flicked up and
widened slightly. “Mr Bennett,” she responded.
He disliked her
calling him Mr Bennett but let it go for the moment. It was
her thing, what she did when others were near. “Something I
can help you with?”
Mark took the hint
and walked away, leaving them alone. She looked just about
everywhere else, except at him. And Archer realised she was
nervous around him.
“Delicia?” he asked,
stepping closer and inhaling the scent of tangerines that
surrounded her.
“Hi…umm…I’m sorry to
stop by without a…um…appointment, but I needed my oil
changed, if possible.”
“Of course. I’ll do
it for you right now.”
Her gaze flew up to
meet his and he sent her what he hoped was a disarming
smile. His cock stirred when her tongue sneaked out and wet
her lips.
“If you’re sure. I
don’t want to make anyone stay late.”
He held her stare.
“It’s fine. Keys in the ignition?”
“Yes.”
“Go on in to the
waiting room and have a seat. I’ll be done in no time.”
Reaching out, he
turned her and gave her a gentle nudge towards the main
door. The urge to draw her closer and kiss her swarmed him.
He clenched his hands into fists and repressed the desire.
Instead he just watched her walk towards the door and with
one look back at him, she slipped inside.
Archer walked to her
Jeep and paused right before getting behind the wheel. A
throat clearing behind him pulled his attention from the
vehicle. He turned to find Mark there.
“Want me to get this
one, Risk?”
“No, it’s okay,
Mark. I got it.”
A knowing smile
curved up Mark’s lips and he narrowed his gaze in response.
“Sure thing, boss. I’ll go clear a bay for you.” Hand
outstretched, he offered the plastic seat cover then walked
off.
“Do that,” he
muttered, protecting the seat then getting behind the wheel.
Delicia had a
six-speed Wrangler and he could tell she did a lot of
outdoors stuff—her vehicle was decked out for it. There was
nothing girly about this Jeep. And he liked it. Before long,
he was draining the oil and checking air pressure on her
tyres. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see his
employees watching him closely.
“What?” he asked
Mark who continued to hover around.
“Nothing.”
With a grunt, Archer
looked at Mark. A seventeen year old boy who had been
working here since he was fourteen. The kid was a whiz with
cars and loved nothing more than working on them, despite
only having been actually working on cars for a year—before
that he’d cleaned up around the shop.
“You sure seem to be
interested in what I’m doing for a man who’s claiming
nothing. You got nothing else to do?”
“Well, it’s just
that…how well do you know Lis?”
Biting back his
growl at the familiar way Mark spoke about Delicia, he
swallowed. “What are you looking to know?”
“I…I…” A flush moved
up the boy’s dark cheeks and he figured it out.
“She’s older than
you, you know.” Archer poured in the oil.
“I know, but…”
“She’s got a man,
too, Mark. I’m sorry.” He capped it and wiped his hands off
on a rag from his pocket.
“She does?” He
sighed. “Who?”
Waiting until the
young man looked at him, Archer then said,
“Me.”
He stepped from the
hood and slammed it shut. Going to the driver’s side, he got
in and drove through and around to the front. Once in the
waiting room, he walked up to where Delicia sat thumbing
through a magazine and said, “You’re all set.”
Delicia looked up at
the sound of Archer’s deep timbre. The moisture in her mouth
vanished as she stared at him.
This man is just too damn fine. With what she hoped
was a normal smile, she pushed to her feet and stood before
him.
“Wow. That was fast.
Thank you. For taking me.” Okay, that was not supposed to be
said. She squeezed her eyes shut and wished she were
anywhere but where she was. “I mean, for taking care of my
car.”
His gaze burnt hot
when she met it again and there was this hint of knowing
within the depths of his eyes. “No problem. Anytime, Delicia.” |
