Unsteady (The Torqued Trilogy Book 1) (30 page)

My response is to roll my eyes. Because I can’t breathe, or talk.

“There was an oil leak and it damaged the bearings,” he then says. “They’re in a hurry to get back on the road so we need to see what we can do for them.”

“So you’re getting an engine somewhere then?”

Red nods, leaning back against the bench. “Yeah. It’ll be here by two at the latest. She’s a single mom who just lost her husband. They’re on their way up to Seattle so I wanted to get them back on the road tomorrow if I can. Got a refreshed engine from Portland.”

“Do you need some help with it?” I ask, hoping he says yes. I love engine replacements. Everyone usually hates them but there’s just something about removing an old engine and putting a new one in that gives me a sense of pride I can’t get anywhere else. Maybe because most think I can’t do it, or wouldn’t want to. Or maybe it has a more metaphorical outlook on my own life.

I’m more inclined to think metaphorically. “I’ll help you get it done if you want.”

He winks at me, smirking and then tilts his head as his eyes travel south. “Well, it’s always nice to have two people to run the hoist and guide the new engine in.”

Oh, my fuck… he’s hinting at something sexual with me!

“It can get a little tricky getting them in with ease,” I say.

“So you’ll help me out?” He looks at me intently, his head cocked to one side, waiting for my answer. It makes me nervous. Really nervous, so I tear my eyes from his and stare at the carburetor.

A night with him… alone… in the shop?

Fuck yeah. Okay, shit. Calm yourself down a notch. Don’t seem too eager or he’ll think you’re crazy.

“Sure, I mean, if you think you could use the help.” I shrug before surveying the shop at who’s within ear shot of this conversation. No one. Everyone’s too tired to pay any attention to me.

“You sure? I’m not keeping you from anything?”

Only from dreaming of you.

“Nope.” My gaze falls to his hands folded over his chest. The black ink on his arms catches my attention and the detailed patterns. I want hours to inspect the meaning behind each one. He doesn’t seem to be the type of guy who would tattoo just anything on himself.

“Okay, so we’ll get started when the engine gets here,” Red says, intruding on my thoughts of his hands sliding up my thighs as he sets me on the fender.

“Uh, yeah… yes. Sounds great,” I sputter, looking doe-eyed and praying he can’t read my thoughts.

He’s just about to leave when he stops and then gets closer, his shoulder touching mine sending my heart racing. “Where’d you go last night?”

“What?”

“You snuck out early… why?”

Last night, the look in his eyes when I told him I was starting to like him. The way he smiled when he was dancing with Nova. All of it played on repeat in my mind.

“Tired?” Yep, I say it in the form of a fucking question.

Shaking his head, I can tell he doesn’t believe me. Thankfully, his mom calls his name and he brushes past me without another word. My heartbeat evens out and then I think, how the hell am I going to make it the rest of the night with him, alone for the first time?

THE ENGINE ARRIVES around two thirty and Red calls me over to help. He lets me tear down the new one as he finishes another job he’s working on. I drain the oil and coolant out, remove the belts and power steering pump, air conditioning compressor, radiator… and then take a quick break.

When I look up, the shop’s empty and Red’s at his toolbox making notes. He looks over at me. “I’ll help you out in a minute.”

I shrug, wiping my hands on a shop towel. “I got it. No rush.”

Leaning over the fender, I take out the heater hose, fuel line and air box as Red leans into the fender of the truck. “I’m curious… what made you want to work on cars?”

I get this question a lot, mostly because it’s rare to see women mechanics around. Usually I give a smartass comment but this time, I try some truth. “My foster dad, Wes, he worked on cars. I… never had much of a father figure around and I was ten by the time I had one. So I’d sneak out to his shop and watch him work. He started teaching me one day and I was fascinated with how you could take a vehicle that was broken down and needing repaired, and giving it another chance at running. It’s a lot like being a doctor, only these patients can’t tell you what’s wrong. You have to figure it out for yourself.”

He nods, seeming to agree with me.

Red and I work well together. We talk on occasion but even the silence as we work isn’t awkward. I keep my attention on the engine, but my head is swimming. I wish things would have ended up differently for me. I wish I would have stepped into this shop, and not that motorcycle shop where I met Ben for the first time.

The reality is, girls like me don’t end up with guys like Red. We end up with guys like Ben and dream about guys like Red sweeping us off our feet someday.

“Are you getting hungry?” Red asks, holding up his phone. “I was gonna order a pizza.”

“Yeah, actually I am. That sounds great.”

Red turns, looking through a phone book on his toolbox and orders the pizza. I’m in the middle of trying to unbolt the transmission when I hear him talking to Raven on the phone and asking her what Nova had for dinner.

There’s practically sweat pouring down my face at this point so I strip my flannel off leaving me in just a midriff camisole tank top. When I set my flannel on the bench behind me so I don’t get any grease on it, I notice Red isn’t talking anymore.

He’s staring at me. Only his eyes are nowhere near my face. He scans the small peek of my tattoo on my side, and then my breasts that are on display for him. More than likely, my nipples are hard.

Damn it.

When I see the heated hunger in his, I’m excited to see he’s attracted to me. I always knew he liked what he saw. I felt his erection against me that first damn day. But now we’re alone and there’s certainly more here than just attraction.

Shaking his head, I can tell he’s attempting to focus on his sister talking, and not me.

Turning around, my heart pounds as he comes up behind me, his breath near my ear. “You know this isn’t a strip club, right?”

I keep my eyes on the engine and then run my fingers through my hair and gather it up to put it in a ponytail so it’s off my neck. “What can I say, engines make me hot.”

“If that’s the case, I got one you could look at,” he teases.

My voice dips lower. “Is that the best line you’ve got? I bet you got ladies lined up around the block with moves like that.”

“Lenny.” His words are low and raspy as he watches the movements of my neck when I swallow. He knows I’m nervous around him. “I don’t need moves to pick up women.”

“You’re right.” I look up at him. An uninvited sensation of lust snakes up my thighs. “You don’t.”

He gives me that relaxed grin and hands me a beer. “Want one?”

I know what happens when I start drinking with him, but I take it anyway.

“Pizza will be here in like ten minutes. They’re just down the street.”

Stepping back from the engine, I take the beer from his hand, our fingertips grazing in the process. A jolt of excitement shoots through me when we touch and I know he feels it too, because he backs up a step and creates a little more space between us.

I’m about to say something, probably inappropriate when someone knocks at the door and Red casually steps back.

As soon as his back is turned, I want to wash my mouth out for the dumb shit I keep saying. Jumping up and down, I shake out my hands and try to clear my head. “Get yourself together,” I whisper, reminding myself his innocent flirting means nothing.

There’s silence between us, the sounds of air tools filling the shop. When the pizza arrives, Red opens the shop door to pay for it.

He returns a moment later, a white pizza box in hand and sets it on his toolbox. He tosses his wallet next to it. Gesturing to the stool, he grabs Tyler’s and moves it closer. “Take a break.”

It’s about a minute into my break when I let my vagina talk for me. “This is the best pizza I’ve ever had. Nice and greasy,” I say, with a mouthful. Very lady like.

Red chuckles, his chest shaking as he takes his second slice from the box and then closes it. “You like greasy pizza, huh?”

I love his chuckles. I want to make him laugh. Too bad I’m hardly funny.

Licking sauce off my thumb, I reach for another, giving him a view of my cleavage. Not that my cleavage is all that presentable, but I’m a solid B cup for sure. “Red, I’m a girl who works on cars. I’m pretty sure you know I’m not afraid of a little grease.” I wink, sitting down on my stool. “A little dirt never hurt anyone.”

“I guess not.” Red smiles, adjusting his position on the stool. He relaxes, leaning slightly to the right as he reaches for a napkin. “So where’d you come from?”

“Oklahoma.” I cover my mouth as I chew, attempting to be ladylike and not talk with my mouth full. “Though I was actually born in Boise.”

“You were adopted though, weren’t you?”

It’s hard to give him any background on me because that’s the last thing I want to do, for him to get to know me and care. “No, actually, Maggie and Wes never adopted me. I was just placed with them when I was ten. My mom gave me up shortly before my third birthday. I don’t remember anything about her or why she gave me up.”

Red clears his throat, reaching for yet another slice of pizza but there’s an emotion on his face, one I didn’t want to see. Regret for asking. Sadness maybe. “What made you come here?”

My soon to be ex-husband is a dirt bag.

I shrug, trying to keep from letting my emotions surface. “Needed a job and a fresh start.”

“And you left behind?” I don’t dare look at him when he asks that. I can’t because I know my answer is going to be a lie. And I don’t want to look at him when I do it.

Of course he’d ask this. “Nothing.”

He nods and then reaches for a napkin to wipe his hands off. “I have a confession to make.”

My heart races. Shit… what could he possibly confess? That he has feelings for me? That he wants to kiss me? That he wants to fuck me on his toolbox? Honestly, all those are things I’d agree with, but shouldn’t happen.

“Um, Red, listen—”

“I called your old boss, Eric.”

I stop immediately, as does my breathing. He did what? “I’m sorry, you what?” I’m pretty sure my mouth is hanging open.

“Last week when you started, I pulled your paperwork and called your old boss.” Fucking shit, what if he saw that tax form and knows I’m married?

“Why would you do that, Red?” I scowl at him, knowing he had every right to call him, but still. “I’ve proven myself to you over and over again this past week. Why would go behind my back and call Eric?”

“Look, Lenny.” He drops his eyes to the floor, crossing his arms over his chest. “You may have a pretty face and a great ass, but no one is working in this garage without some kind of professional reference. I had to know you were as good as you say you are. It’s no big deal.”

No big deal? Is he crazy?
Well, I mean I get why he called, but still.

I look at him expectantly for a moment, and then huff out a breath. “And? What did he say?”

“He spoke very highly of you. Said you were one of his best and he was pissed when you left town and called him from a payphone to say you weren’t coming in. Although he was glad to hear that you were okay.”

“Oh. Well, he was a good guy. Always looking out for everyone.” I stare down at the pizza in my hand, half eaten, and I’m suddenly not hungry anymore. I wanted so badly to leave Oklahoma behind and never think about it again. Why can’t I have that?

“So, did you tell him where you were calling from?”

Red stares at me for a moment as if contemplating how he wants to answer the question. Rubbing his thumb across his lower lip, he shakes his head. “No. I didn’t really think about it at the time, but he was happy to know you were okay. He didn’t even ask where you were.”

That sounds like Eric. He probably didn’t ask because he didn’t want to have to lie to Ben, should he come looking for me. And I know he probably did come looking for me.

“Tell me about Nevaeh,” I blurt out, wanting to change the focus from me to him as I reach for my beer.