“It’s you,” she murmured, and the whisper only added to my arousal. Her lips curved into a smile before her eyes shut again.
I stood rooted to the ground for a minute. I couldn’t remember where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to be doing.
“Hey, are you all right?” Laura had opened the passenger side of the Chevette, but now she walked over to me. “She’s okay, isn’t she?”
I swallowed hard. “Yeah, I was just making sure I had a grip so I didn’t drop her.” I strode over to the car and eased Meghan onto the seat. She made a small sound, almost like a kitten, and her hand trailed down my chest on its way to settle in her lap. The jean skirt had hitched up until I could almost see her—
“Thanks, I’ll get her buckled in.”
I jumped as Laura spoke from behind me. Gritting my teeth, I stepped back and let her through.
“Let me have your cell phone.” I held out my hand after she’d shut the passenger door. “I’ll put in my number, just in case. I think the Chevette’ll get you back to Savannah without a problem, but better safe, right?”
“Yeah.” She was quiet as I punched in the numbers. “And someone will call me when the car’s ready?”
“Boomer’ll probably get in touch Monday. Garage is closed tomorrow, of course, but he’ll give you a call, let you know how much it’ll be with parts and labor. And then you can just trade out the cars when it’s fixed.”
“That works.” She took back her phone from me, tucking it in her pocket, and then stuck out her hand. “Thanks again, Sam. I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t been driving down that road. You’re a lifesaver.”
“No problem.” I shook her hand and focused on not looking into the car, where Meghan was stirring in the seat. “Drive safely going back.”
“Will do.” Laura smiled and climbed into the Chevette. I watched while she started it up and pulled out of the lot before I returned to my truck.
Images of green eyes and tousled red hair flashed in my brain as I headed home—again—but I ignored them. It had been a long time since I’d been tempted by a girl, and this one, I knew for sure, wasn’t for me. A college girl, one who came with baggage and apparently partied a little too hard sometimes ... nope. I shook my head to clear it.
I’d go home, have a bracing cold shower, and then I’d forget all about her. After all, it wasn’t like I’d ever see her again.
“PLEASE TELL ME THERE’S coffee. And maybe something to chop off my head. Oh my God, make the pain stop.” I stumbled into the living room, one hand over my eyes to hide from the light pouring in through our large windows and the other reaching out for anything that might help me stay upright.
“Good morning, sleeping beauty.” Laura’s voice held laughter and way too much peppiness for this time of day.
“Fuck the morning. Coffee, if you love me at all.”
I heard the clink of the glass pot as I pulled myself onto a stool and dropped my head onto the breakfast bar, covering it with my arms.
“Since of course I love you, here it is. Hot and strong. Just like that dude you brought home last night.”
I straightened up so fast the room spun, panic gripping my heart. “God, are you freaking kidding me? Where is he? You’re joking, right?”
Laura collapsed against the counter opposite me, holding her middle. “Oh, you should have seen your face. Priceless. Absolutely priceless. Drink your coffee before you knock it over.”
I reached for the mug and glared at her. “You’re a bitch, you know that? A mean, lying bitch. God, you almost gave me a heart attack.”
“It wasn’t that far-fetched. You wanted to take Mr. Sexy Cowboy home, don’t you remember? You tried to talk me into it. Hell, he tried to talk me into it.”
“Mr. Sexy Cowboy?” I frowned, trying to remember. The guy who’d been sending me smolders across the room had asked me to dance, as I had predicted. He’d bought me a drink ... maybe two ... and then we’d danced some more. There was a slow song, and I’d felt his fingers at the waistband of my skirt, slipping down over my ass. I didn’t remember anything after that.
“Yeah, he was, um, motivated. I had to tell him that you and I were both nuns, and that we’d run away from the convent for one last night of forbidden fun before we took our vows, but that now we had to go back or God would smite us. And him, if he didn’t just let you go.”
I sipped the coffee, almost moaning in appreciation. “Damn, this is good. So he bought that? He actually believed you?”