Page 2 of Dirty Secrets

“What are you studying?”

I know that Harper has already told Griffin, and suspect that Nikki may have told Carson, but I don’t feel right revealing the details of our project yet to a guy I just met. “It’s a psychology and communications project for one of our professors.”

“Ah. So top-secret college stuff, then.”

Walker glances back to make sure that Gertie is still happily munching grass where he tied her. I appreciate that he’s a take charge guy. He saw a problem, and solved it in seconds, even though it wasn’thisproblem. Plus, he instinctively got between me and the animal the second he saw that I was afraid.

I’ve never had anyone stand up for me like that before. Even to a goat.

“So you just sit around here taking notes all day?” he chuckles. Wow, I love the way his deep eyes twinkle. A guy that huge could easily look stern or scary, but he’s just utterly charming.

“Pretty much.”

“What do you do when you’re not doing that?”

I don’t want to tell him that I have a whole bunch of freelance gigs that I work on during every available moment, but I can’t lie to him either. “Oh, you know. Reading. A few little freelance projects. Occasionally a movie.”

“Well, since you’re new in town, you might not be aware that West Stoneburg has a drive-in. It’s only open Friday and Saturday nights, and they don’t put nearly enough butter on the popcorn, but if you’re ever?—”

His phone beeps, and his manner changes the second he reads the text. “Sorry, it’s an emergency. Gotta run. Scribble down your number fast?”

Without even thinking, I rip a page from my notebook and jot it down. He grabs the page, then flashes me a blinding smile. “Thanks. I’ll explain later.”

He dashes to his truck, jumping in and taking off at a speed that has to be illegal. Yet the uniformed police officer strolling out of the bakery with a bagel in his hand simply gives him a friendly wave.

I don’t know that much about these Dirty boys, just fragments of what I’ve heard from Nikki and Harper. Apparently they’re upstanding citizens, sweet guys, and two of them at least already make my friends incredibly happy.

My friends did not, however, mention the kind of crazy electricity these guys can generate from the tiniest touch. My hand and lower belly are still tingling simply from holding his hand twice. What would happen if those warm, strong hands were to?—

There’s a loud bleat behind me, and I twist to see Gertie staring at me. I swear to frick she’s raising an eyebrow.

Is a goat seriously chastising me for having dirty thoughts about a Dirty man?

2

WALKER

Idon’t mind doing my bit to help the town, but duty calling just before I could ask Jocelyn out yesterday was terrible timing.

As I drive downtown, it occurs to me that my life is often arranged for the benefit of others more than for myself. My schedule is dependent on what’s around me. Whether it’s a call for a fast drive to West Stoneburg, maintaining the volunteer firefighter trucks, or keeping on top of the backlog of cars in the shop, I’ve always put the needs of family and friends ahead of my own.

Well, not today. I left Carson and Griffin to deal with the last few steps of an engine tuneup and told them I was taking a real lunch break. Still chuckling as I recall the beyond shocked looks on their faces, I peer into every window as I drive slowly along Main Street.

My heart does a clumsy backflip when I see Jocelyn in the window at Fran’s Diner. She’s so beautiful. The sun kisses her bright auburn hair, and that deep green sweater looks perfect against her pale skin.

I park out front and walk in, smiling when I see her look up toward me. “Hello again. Mind if I join you for lunch?”

“Not at all.” She shoves some notebooks out of the way and I slide in to sit across from her in the booth. Staring into her bright blue eyes, I actually feel flustered. What the… I’ve never felt this way around a woman before. It’s kind of uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry I had to take off like that earlier. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

She shakes her head slightly as she sips her coffee. Her short, rounded fingernails are the light baby pink of a ballerina’s tutu. Jesus, have I ever noticed a woman’s nails before in my life? My mind is trying to take in every single detail about her. Studying her so that… I don’t know. So that I have all possible information to assist in my attempts to make her like me.

“It really was an emergency call. I’m kind of the unofficial ambulance driver around here.”

Her lovely eyes fly wide, accenting every single long lash. “Really?”

“Yeah. I have the fastest cars, and I’ve been driving the route to West Stoneburg for so long that I make the best time. If anyone has to get to the hospital in a situation where every minute counts, the whole town knows that I’m just a phone call away.”

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