Page 64 of Hello Trouble

“You made my car break down?”

He cringed. “I fixed it for free too. I haven’t sent you the bill, if you haven’t noticed.”

I used my free arm to hit him. “Hayes! That’s so messed up!” And kind of sweet, too, in a twisted sort of way... not that I was going to tell him that.

With a grimace, he said, “It wasn’t one of my finer moments. But I never said I was smart. Actually, I’m kind of a dumbass sometimes. Like letting that fucker take you out when I knew damn well that I wanted to. I’m sorry I played games, Della. I promise I’m done with that.”

Okay, at least he’s moving in the right direction. My heart warmed a bit, and I said, “You’re fired as my mechanic.”

“Like I’d let someone else touch your car,” he growled.

“Maybe Ethan?” I teased, knowing how he felt about his coworker. “He’s not as hot as the boss, but he’ll do.”

“Fuck off.” He rolled his eyes.

“So romantic,” I teased.

“I like to keep you guessing,” he countered with a smirk.

I chuckled and then unbuckled so I could slide into the seat next to his. He draped his arm around me, and after buckling back up, I leaned my head on his shoulder.

Hayes wasn’t a knight in shining armor.

He made mistakes. He wasn’t always good at saying how he felt. He was rough around the edges and cussed more than my parents would ever approve of.

But against all odds... I was falling for him.

Would he catch me? Or was falling for the town’s bad boy a terrible idea?

33

HAYES

Music mingled with the scent of alcohol and sweat as we made our way into the dance hall. My brothers and I used to come here when we were single to meet new women. But now, with Della on my arm, it was clear just how much had changed.

I wasn’t interested in the buckle bunnies in cut-off denim and knee-high cowboy boots. I was obsessed with the curvy, proud, bubbly woman with a mane of red curls and a smile that had me doing stupid shit like making her car break down.

She was captivating.

Even against the noise and flashing lights, I couldn’t look away. She grinned at the bartender and chatted with a waitress while we got drinks. She sang along to every song that played on the speakers, regardless of whether she knew the words. Her shoulders swayed, inspired by the beat but not in pace with it.

“You’re staring,” she said over the rim of her glass as we stood at a table near the dance floor.

“And?” I grinned at her before taking a drink of my whiskey.

She rewarded me with one of her smiles. Little lines formed at the corners of her eyes, and the strobe lights on the dance floor caught her perfect teeth save for a small chip on her canine.

I took another drink, even though no amount of liquor could compete with the buzz I got just from being near her. And still I wanted more. “Let’s go dance.”

She looked wistfully over the dance floor. “You should probably know I’m liable to step on your toes.”

“You still wouldn’t be close enough,” I replied, feeling the low ache of want I experienced every time we were together.

Her cheeks heated and she failed at fighting a pleased smile. “Is that so?”

I nodded, my hands aching to hold her. To feel the soft curves of her body. “Let me prove it to you.” I took the drink from her hand, setting it on the table. A new, bouncy song was playing over the speakers, something that reminded me of Della. I linked my fingers with hers, leading us toward the dance floor opening.

“But you shouldn’t leave a drink unattended!” she argued, ever worried about the risks while my thoughts were already on spinning her around.

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