Page 38 of Holding On To Good

She dragged her gaze up—and yes, okay, maybe she took her time about it. Jeez. Who could blame her? He was like a piece of art put on display just for her viewing pleasure. Looking away without taking in the full beauty would be morally wrong.

Not to mention stupid.

And she was anything but stupid.

Patchy golden stubble covered his chin and cheeks, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw. His nose was long and crooked, just slightly, to the left, and his sandy-colored hair fell to his shoulders in wild, damp disarray, as if he’d just gotten out of the shower and rubbed it partially dry with a towel.

“My hearing is fine,” she managed when she could work some moisture back into her mouth because thinking of him just out of the shower had her thinking of him in the shower, which flustered her to no end. “And I’m not lost.”

His eyes narrowed. They were blue. Light blue, like the sky on a sunny summer morning. And he had the whole scowly mad, bad and dangerous-to-know schtick down pat.

Not that it’d work on her. Boys who needed saving weren’t her thing.

Sure, she could see the appeal. Was seeing it, live and in person. Being with someone like him was probably all thrills and excitement and fun.

Right up until he stomped on your heart and left you, broken and reeling.

Thankfully, she was smart enough not to fall for a pair of blue eyes, sexy abs and long, golden locks.

She’d had enough loss in her life, thanks all the same. No way was she signing up for more.

“Hi, Reed,” she said, deciding a fresh start was the best course of action. “How are you?”

He lifted an eyebrow. Just one. Good muscle control. “Why are you here?”

So much for a fresh start. Or politeness and manners.

“I’m getting to that.” She reached back and tightened her wet ponytail, more of a nervous gesture than to make sure the hairband was still secure. “My car is stuck—”

“I’ll call you a tow.”

And he shut the door. In her face.

Mouth hanging open, she stared at it for a good five seconds.

Then pounded on the wood with the side of her fist, almost bashing him in his stupid, scruffy chin when he yanked it open again.

“What?” he asked, as if she and her little problem were boring him senseless.

She wanted to bash his chin anyway, just on principle. “Look, I realize I’m bothering you, but I could really use some help.”

“I said I’d call a tow.”

“If I’d wanted a tow,” she ground out from between clenched teeth, which she told herself still counted as a smile, “I would have called it myself.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because I’m hoping you’ll help me without involving anyone else.” He didn’t say anything or shut the door again, so she figured she had his attention, if not his interest, and hurried on. “It’s nothing mechanical. My car runs, it’s just stuck. All I need is a push.” She nodded at his chest. “Come on. It’ll give you a chance to put those muscles to work. What do you say?”

Holding her breath, she gave him her most beseeching look, the one that worked on all five of her brothers. Reed straightened, leaned toward her and she found herself holding her breath, her heart beating fast—too fast. Her knees weak, an unwanted heat simmering low in her belly.

She swallowed, doing her best to slow her pulse, shore up her defenses and replace that warmth with icy resolve.

Stupid hormones. Always trying to get a girl into trouble.

But this, these feelings were only because he’d moved closer. And wasn’t wearing a shirt. Because he was so good-looking. Because she was female and guys like him held special power over her gender.

“What I say,” he murmured, and she was mesmerized by his mouth, by the fullness of his lips, the bottom one slightly heavier than the top, “is no.”

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