I lightly smack his arm to get him moving. “Go, would you? You two are like a couple of bickering children.”
“Hey, she started it.” He grins.
I can’t help but smile at him. “Shh. You’ll get her riled up. Not the best idea first thing in the morning.”
Outside, he takes my hand as he heads toward his car. “Seriously, I meant it about dinner. I’ll pick you two up. Around seven?”
A seed of wariness sprouts in my gut. “I don’t know. I think you may want to steer clear of Shay for a while. She’s pretty pissed about this bet. I’m not super happy about it either.”
When we get to his car, he leans close and brushes his lips across mine.
He lightly squeezes my fingers. “I promise, it’ll be fine. Nothing can go wrong. You’ll see. Trust me.”
I pull my hand free, giving him a doubtful shake of my head. “Trust you? I don’t even know you.”
“Then I guess we’ll have to remedy that. I’ll see you soon, Love ‘Em.” He winks as he gets into his car.
THREE
Please, God, let me get off the street before it dies.
The car sputters and chokes. I let off the gas and take the right turn, coasting along. The entrance to the pet store’s rear parking lot mocks me.
I pat the dash. “Come on, Sweet Sue, you can do this. Just another fifty feet to a spot in that lot.”
A jolt throws me against my seat belt. I wrestle the steering wheel, trying to guide the car to the metered parking spot at the side of the road. There’s no way we’re making it to the other side of the street.
The car rolls to a complete stop.
Here? It has to die here? Eight more feet, and I’d have been in the spot. Great, now I’ll have to push the car.
Shit.
I hit the button to turn on the hazard lights. I jam the gear shifter into neutral and get out.
Luckily, traffic is light at the moment.
Damn it.
I grab the door frame with one hand and the steering wheel with the other, pushing.
Push. Harder.
“C’mon, Sue, roll. Just a few feet.” Tightening my grip on the car, I try again.
Progress. She moved—all of about three inches, if that gum spot just under the edge of the door is anything to measure by. I’m sure it was closer to the front of the car a moment ago.
I’m sure.
I hope.
The breeze blows my hair into my face, I brush it back.
“One more time. This is it, Sue.” My hands strain against the car, and my shoes grip the pavement.
I hold my breath and try again.
Not even a centimeter.
“Damn it to hell.”
A car wheels out of the pet store parking lot, but it immediately pulls into a metered spot on the other side of the street, directly across from where I’m trying to get Sue parked.
I heave another time.
Nada.
“You looking for your knight?”
The rasp in that voice is familiar. Embarrassment turns to heat that flushes through me. If I jump in the car and close the door, maybe he’ll go away. I hang my head for a moment, contemplating valid evasive actions.
Just get it over with.
I turn. “Hello, Jackson.”
“Looks like the damsel is in distress.”
I ignore him and try once again to get the car to budge. His body comes in close to mine, heating my back and ass as he places his hands alongside of mine.
He whispers in my ear. “Try again.”
My heart jackhammers against my ribs. My mind clamors for something pithy to answer him with.
“I got nothing,” I say.
He leans into me, his chest coming against my back, and his hard-on pressing at the top of my ass. “What do you mean you got nothing?”
I shake my head. “I’ve got no witty reply. Thank you for your help.”
Jackson heaves against the car, so I throw my weight into it as well. Sweet Sue moves, slowly at first but then it picks up a little momentum.
He says, “Hop in and steer her into the spot.”
I do as he suggests, and he lets go of the wheel and pushes, using the car’s frame. His arms flex, and the cords of his muscles come into stark definition.
Not just gorgeous. He’s strong. And those muscles.
Once the car is in place, he lets go. “All right. Now what?”
Wonder if I were to just run my fingers over those cords, would he notice?
“Now what, what?”
He quirks one eyebrow. “What are you going to do about the car?”
“Oh, the car—well, I don’t know. I guess I need to have it towed or something.”
Jackson steps to the curb, digging change out of his pocket.
“Might be best to get it done sooner rather than later.” He deposits quarters into the slot at the top of the meter. “That sign says one-hour parking.”