Tame the Beast (Ever After #1) (26 page)

“I’ll get you that oil you like.”

Apparently bribes were out of the question too.

Rose knew she needed to call a tow truck, but as luck would have it, the Internet on her phone was moving as fast as the planted wheels of her convertible.

She was ready to bang her head against the steering wheel when a large red truck flew down the hill. It grew larger in her rearview mirror, dust flying in its flanks as it slowed.

Rose’s heart pounded in her chest as she released whoever drove was pulling over, parking the shiny red beast in front of her. She was torn between relief of someone stopping to help her and the fear of stranger danger.

She peered between her open driver door and the windshield as a large brown boot stepped out from the truck. Long jean covered legs followed. Rose’s breath caught in her throat as she followed those long legs up to their owner.

“Hey there,” the man said as he stalked forward, an easy smile chiseled on his face. His voice was smooth and rough all at the same time. Like spiked coffee, it pulled her into its warmth. “You need some help?”

Rose was trapped between yes and no. Aunt Daphne’s voice whispered in her ear, telling this cowboy to hop back into his ride and drive off. On the other hand, Rose was a sucker for a great smile and even greater voice, and this man had both. If only his eyes weren’t hidden behind a dark pair of sunglasses. Aunt Ava always said you could tell a man’s intentions by the look in his eyes.

“Ma’am?” the man asked, pulling Rose out of her trance.

Her eyes widened behind her own shades. Heat rose in her cheek as she realized she was caught gawking at a perfect stranger.
And boy, did he seem perfect,
her thoughts added with a groan too filled with lust for Rose’s taste.

“Sorry,” she said and stepped out of the car. “I’m not really sure what happened. It just sort of gave out.”

“Mind if I take a look?”

Rose nodded, not trusting her voice after another wave of his deep voice sent her hormones into overdrive.

She watched quietly as the gorgeous stranger ducked his head under the hood and examined the engine. With his attention on the car, Rose’s eyes drifted, following the drop of sweat that slid from the sandy blonde hair that hid under his navy cap and glided around his hard jaw. The hairs that speckled his chin were so light she never would’ve noticed them at a distance.

Was it just her or did the warm air around them rise a few more degrees?

The muscles in his toned arms flexed and tensed with each measured move as strong hands checked every inch of her engine. Lucky engine.

Rose always admired a strong pair of arms and something about this man just screamed sex appeal. There wasn’t a single hole in his denim jeans or rip in his crisp blue and white plaid shirt, and yet Rose had the distinct feeling that he knew just how to get down and dirty.

“You say it won’t start?” he asked, turning towards Rose.

She almost jumped at his sudden attention. Her heart raced as she pulled her wayward thoughts together. There was no way she was fantasizing about a complete stranger. Clearly, it’d been far too long since she had an actual man in her life.

“Yeah, it had some problems coming over that hill and then that was it. The power completely shut down. Now it won’t start.”

“Ever have any problems like that before?” The slight accent that rolled off his tongue hooked Rose in like a fish in a barrel.

Suddenly self-conscious, she pulled at the hem of her light pink sundress. “Once in a while it would sputter when I first started it up, but I’ve never had any problems after that.”

The man nodded thoughtfully as he backed away from the hood, straightening his stance as he did. Woo boy, he was tall. Rose liked tall. There was nothing better than wearing a nice pair of heels next to a tall, gorgeous man. Well, maybe a few things better like wrapping those heels around the waist of the tall and gorgeous man.

Now, she really needed to stop.

She was thankful his gaze drifted down the road as he said, “Well, there’s a town about forty miles from here. It’s probably the closest with a good repair shop. I can give you a lift there.”

Rose wasn’t sure if it was a question or a command, but as she looked into the reflection of his dark shades, she realized he was waiting for her approval.

Although she considered herself a bit of a social butterfly at school, this was a different story. They were in the middle of nowhere, and she didn’t know a thing about this man. Could she trust his help?

Weighing her very limited options, she said, “I’m on my way to Briarville.”

“You don’t say?” he asked, cocking his head to the side. For a moment, she felt his stare running over every inch of her. A traitorous quiver ran up her spine at the thought that she might turn this country boy’s head, but it was a ridiculous idea. It had just been too long since she last dated anyone. “I guess that works out even better. Joe’s Repair Shop is in Briarville. So what do you say?”

Rose pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered his offer. Growing up so close to the big city of Benson, Rose learned to never trust strangers. It was safer that way. On the contrary, the Internet on her phone was moving at snail’s speed. Who knew when she would be able to contact a towing company, and she couldn’t stand on the side of the road all day.

But Rose wasn’t stupid. Just because this man appeared to be a showstopper, it didn’t mean he wasn’t psycho. Crazy came in pretty packages too. Going against her better judgment, Rose said, “Okay.”

The man flashed a killer smile as he dove into the back of his truck bed, pulling out a towing bar and hooking it to both of the vehicles before making his way back to his truck.

Rose eyed the height of his red beast and instantly regretted accepting his help. Although it wasn’t the most monstrous of trucks, she would certainly show a little more than she intended once she tried to jump into the passenger seat.

Why did she decide to wear a summer dress? Because the south was a thousand degrees hotter than her little hometown, that’s why.

“Need some help?” the man asked from the driver’s seat.

“No,” she assured. Her Aunt Daph’s voice ranted in the back of her head again. There was no way she was going to act like the complete damsel in distress. Not after he was towing her baby to the nearest auto shop.

Taking a deep breath, Rose planted the heel of her sandal into the side rail and hoisted herself into the passenger seat. She was sure he got a full view under her dress, but she wouldn’t let that worry her. Not today. The only thing that mattered was getting to Briarville one way or another.

“Thanks,” she said as she settled into the seat.

The truck’s engine revved to life as the man tossed his shades on the dashboard. Rock music blasted from the stereo, causing them both to jump.
Odd choice for a country boy,
she thought, smiling to herself as she sized him up again.

Quickly turning down the tunes, the man glanced over his shoulder and said, “Anytime. I’m Austen.”

He gaze swept over her as he offered a lazy smile. Rose knew he was waiting for her to introduce herself, but she was too captivated by the color in his incredibly green eyes. Her heart revved with the engine.

This stranger was definitely dangerous. Dangerous to every part of her libido.

About Allison

Allison Smith lives in North Carolina with her wonderful husband and their spoiled mutt, Bubba. When she is not diving into a new story, Allison enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, and day trips to downtown Raleigh. Her love of fairy tales inspired her first published novel,
Tame the Beast.
It was inspired by every version of Beauty of the Beast, but it is truly a tale all its own. You can find out more about Allison and her upcoming novels at
Allisonsmithbook.com
or follow her on twitter
@
allimyth