Page 114 of Truck Off

“I’m a farmer and a mechanic,” he replies.

“A farmer and a mechanic?” She questions him with a heavy dose of disbelief in her tone. “You’re too … clean for either of those professions.”

Chase tosses his head back and laughs. “You’re not the first person to make that observation, but I am indeed both of those things.”

“Hot damn.” I can hear the smile in Jazz’s words. “If you look this good all cleaned up, I don’t think I could handle the dirty version of you.”

Chase’s grin turns positively smoldering as his eyes find mine. Then he winks, causing my belly to feel light again. “I save the dirty looks for those I hold special.”

“Oh my!” Jazz fans off her face like she’s burning up. Then she calls over her shoulder to me. “This one may not look like your type, but damn, he’s cute.”

“Thanks.” He smirks. “Just remember, looks can be deceiving.”

The laugh that bellows out of Jazz forces me to pause work on her tattoo again. “Will you two stop so I can finish this up?” I scold, but the humor is evident in my tone.

Chase tosses his hands up in surrender. “Sure thing, babe. Just don’t put everything away when you’re done.”

I lift my eyes to meet his. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.” He winks, and I hate that it makes my insides melt. He’s up to something, and I know I should be cautious, but that’s becoming increasingly impossible with him.

For the first time in my life, a man has my heart. If he breaks it, I might not recover.

He leans against the wall next to my chair like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Meanwhile, my heart won’t stop fluttering and my belly is tied up in knots. By some miracle, I steady my hands long enough to finish up Jazz’s tattoo.

Once she’s set and out the door, I turn to face Chase, only to find him sitting in my chair with his feet kicked up.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He shoots me a smoldering grin that breaks through all my defenses. “Waiting for you to get your sexy ass over here and give me a tattoo.”

My eyes widen and a slow smile lifts my lips. “Are you serious?”

“Yep.” He holds his arms out to his sides. “Your choice. I want a Lina original on my body.”

I raise my brow. “Anything I want?”

“Anything.”

“Can I put it wherever I want?”

He studies me for a moment with that playful gleam in his eyes that used to make me uncomfortable. Now, it turns me on. I pinch my lips together to keep from rushing toward him and kissing him senseless. What has this man turned me into?

“I think so,” he says with a hint of hesitation. “But I get veto power if you choose some crazy spot that’s going to cause me severe pain.”

“Aw.” My smile widens as I walk toward him. “Is my man scared of a needle?”

His eyes darken, never once breaking from mine as I step up next to the chair. “Fuck, I like the sound of that.”

I narrow my eyes. “Sound of what?”

“Your man.” His hand reaches around my neck and squeezes before he pulls my lips to his. His tongue parts my lips and tangles with mine. I melt into him, feeling my body fall. But then he breaks the kiss and pulls back.

I open my eyes and meet his hooded stare. Then I cup his cheeks and say, “Well, you are my man, aren’t you?”

“Yes, and don’t you forget it.” He gives me one more quick kiss before he leans back in the chair. “Now, where are you going to give me this thing, and what will it be?”

“Hmm.” I tap my chin, and then scan his body like I’m looking at him for the first time. Then I run my finger along his hip bone, from his outer hip to his groin. “Right here, and it’s a surprise.”

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