Page 36 of No Bed Of Roses

“Very pretty.”

The smile in his voice had her glancing to the side to find him looking at her, not the view. She laughed as she felt her cheeks flush. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Just honest.”

Which made her laugh again as her heart warmed. She’d fallen so far into love with this man it filled her up. But it was so early in the relationship she wasn’t ready to share. Instead, she would cherish the feelings to herself for a bit. The right time would come along.

The car picked up speed, heading down the curvy hill, so Isla pushed on the brake. The car didn’t slow.

Her heart rate picked up, and she pushed harder on the brakes. Nothing. “The brakes aren’t working.” Her voice was shaky.

Beside her, Levi reacted immediately. “Use your emergency brake.”

Where was it? How did it work? She knew this. Breathe.

Isla used her left foot to push down on the emergency brake. It went straight to the floor, but nothing happened. She couldn’t stop the whimper.

“Turn into the curve, Isla. Just steer nice and easy. You’ve got this.”

Did she? It didn’t feel like she did.

She turned the steering wheel to the right. Or tried to. “It’s not working properly either.”

Levi swore and leaned over to help her turn the wheel. The ditch loomed ahead and she wanted to turn her head and hide.

Instead, she kept yanking on the wheel while Levi did the same. They made it around the curve on two wheels.

For a moment, she thought they would roll onto the side of the car where Levi sat. She’d never felt a better thump than the one telling her the wheels had landed back on the ground.

“Left turn coming up, Isla. Pull on the wheel.” Levi’s voice was calm. How was he calm?

Isla put all her weight into pulling the wheel. This way was more difficult. Was it because she was right-handed or had something else gone wrong with the car?

With Levi’s strength, they moved the wheel enough to start the curve. The wheels hit the gravel on the side, and then they were on two wheels again.

The car continued to speed around the corners and wobble from side to side. Each time, they had less control and more momentum.

Levi calmly talked about how the ditches and the hillsides were too deep to use them to slow them down. They would just keep heading down the hill and find a flat spot to help them slow. And there was a hill going up less than a mile away. That would stop them.

Around the next curve, a car appeared, and everything changed.

She and Levi yanked the wheel hard to avoid the car.

Then they were tumbling through the air and down.

Levi fought to regain consciousness. He couldn’t have been out long, as the memories were right where he’d left them.

They were hanging upside down in Isla’s car because he’d let his guard down. He’d bet his new crop that someone had drained the brake and power steering fluids.

He opened his eyes to confirm his senses were correct, and they were. Beside him, Isla was still unconscious. She looked tiny and vulnerable, hanging from the seat belt.

Levi squashed his emotions and focused on the task. Check her for injuries. Move her if possible.

He quickly released himself from the seatbelt and maneuvered to check on her. She was breathing, and he didn’t see any blood. “Isla. It’s Levi. Can you hear me?”

Nothing.

He didn’t smell gas. Her hybrid car was only a few years old, so the tech keeping it from exploding was probably good. Still, he had to get her out.

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