“Did you seriously call me Sugar?” she asks in a low, tight voice.
“Yeah?” A worried look takes over his easy grin from earlier, and I stifle my laugh at the apprehensive tone.
“I’m not your Sugar,” she grinds out, pushing him away so his hands drop to his sides.
But Causey blurts out, “It’s your hair.”
Real smooth, Causey.
“What?” Her eyebrows rise almost to her hairline.
“It’s like spun sugar.” He reaches out and runs a loose strand through his fingers, flicking it between his thumb and index finger before slowly lowering his hand. I hear the hitch in her breath and her eyes grow wide.
“Sugar,” she breathes out, and I start to feel uncomfortable being here. Would they notice if I slipped away?
“Okay, fine,” she says before I can move from my spot. “But if he gets into any trouble …” She points a warning finger at me, but she hasn’t looked away from Causey. “I’m holding you responsible.” Her voice lacks the anger from before, and I have to hand it to Causey; he certainly managed to defuse that bomb.
“Jeez, Meghan, I’m not a child,” I whine, exactly like a child.
“Well, don’t act like one.” She still hasn’t looked at me, but she arches an eyebrow at Causey, waiting for his response.
His easy-going smile is back in place. “Sure thing, Sugar.” He winks at her, and although she rolls her eyes, she is smiling.
Looks like Causey is making progress. At least one of us is.
Chapter Nine
Since my GTO is still at Causey’s house, I go home with him after work on Monday; he’s called Hank’s Auto Shop and arranged for someone to tow it. While Causey gets showered and changed, I sit on the back step with a can of soda and wait for the tow truck. We’ve been working all day, and I’m sweaty and dirty, my t-shirt’s stuck to me, and my jeans and boots are all dusty. I’m looking forward to getting home and having a cool shower.
In the distance, I see the tow truck bump down the potholed drive and pull up in front of my GTO. Leigh and her cousin tumble from the truck, horsing around, and I wonder how they get any work done. He swats her ponytail and she tells him to fuck off, before punching him in the shoulder. They stop short when they notice me watching. Only because I’m staring at Leigh do I notice the way her chest rises and falls a little quicker. I store that away, to ponder at a later date. She pushes her aviator glasses on top of her head.
“Causey phoned about a car?” She doesn’t take her eyes off me, a spark of interest in them, and I start to enjoy the way she’s looking at me. Hope blossoms in my chest the longer she stares. Green eyes rake over my body in a slow perusal, kind of like the way I check her out. They linger on my lips before sliding down, taking in the t-shirt that clings to my torso with sweat. Ripped jeans and dusty, tanned forearms from working outdoors. Her mouth parts slightly. Interesting. Her tongue darts out to run along her bottom lip and my dick stirs immediately. Now is not a good time. But then she lowers her sunglasses to cover her eyes and it’s gone.
“Yeah, mine,” I supply as her cousin walks over to have a look.
“Hey, I’m Aaron.” Grinning, he holds out his hand, and I shake it firmly.
“Max.” He seems decent, friendly enough.
“I saw you race on Saturday. You did well.”
“Thanks. You race?” I squint into the sun and shield my eyes, but I catch the sideways look he shoots Leigh, and if I could see behind those glasses, I’d say she was scowling.
“Nah …” he trails off, going by their shared looks it seems to be a sore point between them.
“What’s the trouble?” Leigh nods toward the GTO, sounding bored.
“She won’t start.” I pull the keys out my pocket and hold them out to her.
As she takes them, her fingers brush across my palm and she frowns. So she felt it too; a jolt of electricity that’s gone as soon as she breaks contact.
“We’ll tow it to the shop.” Leigh moves to the truck and drops the bars while I stand around like a fool watching her. Aaron’s chuckle brings me to my senses, and I help him hook my car up. Once it’s secure, Leigh dusts her hands off and walks around to the passenger’s side.
“You racing this weekend?” Aaron asks.
“Should be.” I nod. “Will you be there?” I ask the question to him, but I’m looking directly at Leigh, watching as she pushes her glasses back on top of her head.
“I’ll be there.” He laughs, as though that were a silly question, but Leigh just rolls her eyes.