Page 28 of Combust
“Anything to get you back on the road ASAP,” he agreed. “Don’t want the townsfolk to riot if those cinnamon rolls aren’t ready on time.”
This time Maggie actually laughed. The sound warmed him. Maybe he hadn’t completely torpedoed his chance with her, after all.
“You onlythinkthat’s a joke,” she said.
“No, ma’am,” he shot back. “I seen that line forming up around the block before y’all open.” He’d stood in that line himself, once or twice over the past week, to catch a glimpse of her before starting work.
He saw that the wheel was raised high enough to work now. He approached her and held out his hand. “Here, hand me that wrench. I’ll get this tire off while you fetch the spare.”
She rose from her knees in a smooth motion. Which was good, because standing next to her, with her sweet mouth level with his hips, was bringing to mind certain pleasurable acts. That’d get him slapped but good, if she caught wind of his thoughts.
She put the heavy, cross-shaped lug nut wrench in his hand with the weight of cold steel. “Thanks.”
The gratitude in her long-lashed hazel eyes warmed him as he knelt on the muddy gravel, water pouring over the brim of his cowboy hat, and easily loosened the lug nuts holding the wheel in place.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her go to the back of her Subie, lift the hatch, and bend to remove the half-sized spare from its place under the cargo compartment.
He removed the flat tire, and carried it to the open hatch. Then he grabbed the spare from her and firmly marched back to the front of the car.
“Hey!” Maggie protested, trailing him. “I can do that!”
“I know,” he said, dropping back down on his knees. “But I got this.”
After he lowered the car and removed the jack a few minutes later, he rose to his feet and turned to her. “You want me to follow you to town, make sure you get there okay?”
At this rate, he wasn’t going to have time to change out of his wet, muddy jeans or soaked denim jacket before it was time to begin work, but he didn’t care.
It was worth it to see Maggie looking at him with a kindly expression for once.
She smiled and shook her head. “Nah. It’s only a fifteen-minute drive from here. And, um, thank you, Cade.”
Before he could interpret the fleeting expression that crossed her face, she stepped forward and hugged him.
Holy shit. Up close, she felt—and smelled—more amazing than he’d let himself dream.
He wrapped his arms around her, keeping her firmly pressed against him. He’d been convinced that she disliked him, but the warm, steamy scent rising from her…well, she sure didn’t smell like she hated him now.
Desire rushed through Cade in a tidal wave of heat and hunger. His bear surged up inside him, sending prickles running across his skin like goosebumps. He couldn’t help himself. He bent his head and captured her soft lips with his own.
Her mouth was cold beneath his, but it warmed at his touch as he kissed her, long and hard and deep. She tasted even better than she smelled.
Maggie made a startled sound, somewhere between a moan and a whimper, and stiffened in his embrace.
Dammit. She didn’t want this. Didn’t want him.
He began to draw back.
That was when her arms tightened around his neck, drawing him down while she rose on her toes to reclaim his mouth.
Cade lost track of time. He stopped caring about the freezing rivulets creeping under his shirt. Or that he was going to be late for work.
Ours!His bear, always uncomfortably close to the surface, threatened to take control. It urged him to claim Maggie Swanson as their mate before anyone else could.She is ours!
And right now, she was exactly where she belonged. In his arms.
When the kiss finally ended, a long, long, time later, Cade didn’t want to let her go.
“What are you doin’ for dinner tonight?” he asked her. “How about we go grab a burger? A couple of folks have recommended a place called The Dancing Cow.”
