Page 43 of Accidentally Amy

“Do you really want to have to hoof it a few blocks in the snow?” His voice was full of concern as he added, “In the dark? In the rain?”

That reminded me of the dark and rainy night where I’d kissed Blake, and my stomach did a little flip of its own accord. That kiss was in my head on an hourly basis, swear to God. I cleared my throat and said, “No, but I’m also not going to throw a lot of coin into a car that’s fifteen years old.”

He looked at me—I could see his eyes through the sunglasses now because the sun was hitting the lenses just right—and it felt like he was having some sort of internal conversation with himself as he just watched me. He didn’t say anything, andwhen we stopped at the corner to wait on the light, he said, “What are the rules about car repairs?”

“What?” I tossed my cup into the trash can next to the crossing light and put my hands in my pockets. “What do you mean?”

The light changed, and we started walking again. Blake said, “If you wanted to have it towed to my place, I could take a look at it.”

That made me stumble in the middle of the street, which made Blake grab my arm and say, “Easy, Shay.”

Easy, Shay.Good God—what was he trying to do to me? Since the moment I’d met him, his entire existence had been an assault on my ovaries. And now he was going to add car fixing and stumble stopping to the dopamine equation?

I needed holy water or garlic stat, although that fleeting sarcastic thought brought to mind an image of Blake havingunholy water poured over his massive chest like some kind of hot guy wet T-shirt contest participant.

I was disappointed when he let go of my arm, which was a ludicrous reaction, so I said, “I think that’s probably not allowable. But thank you.”

He gave me an eyebrow raise. “Why not?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, it just seems too personal.”

He grabbed the sleeve of my coat and tugged. It startled me, the jerking motion that moved me a little closer to him, but his mouth slid into a smirk before he started pulling me along behind him as he walked toward the alley to our right.

“What are you doing, Phillips?”

“Getting you to listen to reason before we go back to work,Shay.”

He let go of my sleeve once we were out of foot traffic. He took off his sunglasses, and I felt the gold flecks of his intense brown eyes as he said, “Hear me out. I’m still all in on rule following for us, but you’re my friend, Iz. If I can fix your car and save you a fortune, why wouldn’t that be okay?”

Because it would feel like…something. Something from a daydream about boyfriends working on their girlfriends’ cars.

Side note: Every time he called me Iz, a sex angel got its wings.

“Because of money, maybe?” I couldn’t think all of a sudden, but I knew there was a reason.Reasons…reasons…what are reasons again?I cleared my throat and said, “You’re my boss, so there’s got to be a rule about me paying you for services.”

“Like I’d charge you,” he said, sounding disgusted.

“Well,Iwould have a rule about that, then, Blake,” I said, tucking my hair behind my ears and looking up at his perfectly trimmed stubble. “No way would I let you fix my carwithoutpaying you.”

“Then you can pay me with a favor,” he said, and I watched as it hit. He’d said it innocently, casually offering to work for nothing, but his eyes got hot when he realized. His voice sounded deeper, rougher, when he continued with “I’m sure I can come up with something.”

The air in the alley suddenly got thick and quiet, like we were underwater. The city sounds disappeared, and I swore I could literally hear my own heart beating. I swallowed, but my voice was a little husky when I said, “I’m sure you can, too.”

“If we were alone,” he growled, his voice nearly a whisper ashis mouth lowered to my ear, “I think we could negotiate a very good deal.”

“I know we could,” I said, my eyelids heavy as I felt his breath on my neck.

Every nerve ending in my body was crackling and straining toward him, and I was almost lost to it, when I heard a car horn in the distance.

Yes, you’re in an alley, dumbass!

I blinked fast and muttered, “Which is why we need to get back on the sidewalknow.”

He smiled down at me. “We’re in the center of the city during lunchtime on a weekday—far from alone. I think we’re safe.”

“You don’t think this alley feels private?” I was still blinking, slightly disoriented as he pointed that gaze at me. “I feel all alone in the dark with you here.”

The instant those words left my mouth, I regretted them, because Blake’s languid smile dropped. His jaw clenched, and he just looked at me for a few long seconds before he said, “Izzy—”

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