Page 15 of And Then There Was Us
“Brianna, I can lend you a car,” he said.
“What? You need your car.” She dug in her purse for her phone.
“Bree, sweetie, take a deep breath.”
She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
“Feel better? Let’s lock up your car, and I’ll take you home. We can figure it out along the way. Let me make a call about fixing your car.”
Her shoulders dropped and she nodded. “Thanks, Hugh. You didn’t sign up for this mess when you asked me for coffee.” She climbed from the car and watched him step away and talk on the phone. He seemed unflappable, not the least bit flustered by having to take her home.
When he was finished with his call, he returned to her side.
Brianna sighed. “Now your night is ruined and you have to take extra time to drive me home. I’m so sorry.” She looked up at him and he was smiling again.
“Let’s leave your key in the tailpipe.” He tucked the key into the hiding place, then said, “Do I look like I mind?”
“No, and it’s kind of ridiculous. You have to have better things to do than drive me all over creation.”I am such a loser. This is why I shouldn’t date.
“Are we going all over creation? An adventure. Now I’m excited.” Hugh slung his arm around her shoulders and pulled his jacket tight across her chest. “Come on. Our adventure begins. So tell me, where is this place…Creation?”
They walked around the corner, and as much as Brianna tried to deny the feelings that were building inside her, she loved being pressed against Hugh’s sturdy body. He made her feel feminine and safe, and his arm felt deliciously sexy around her shoulders.
The parking garage was quiet and practically empty. Everyclickandclackof her boot heels echoed as they crossed the garage to the elevators. When they stepped out of the elevators on the top level, Brianna scanned the parking deck. There were only about a dozen cars, and Hugh took her hand and led her toward the car in the farthest corner, stopping in the center of the lot, where not a single car was parked.
“Something wrong?” she asked.
“Nope. I just realized how beautiful the stars were and I thought, as long as we’re not in a rush, why not take a minute and enjoy them?”
“You’re not some psycho killer, are you?” She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, wondering about the gears that made him tick. He was nullifying every assumption she’d ever had about tall, dark, and handsome men being high-maintenance, self-centered, arrogant jerks, much like men say about beautiful women.
“Not that I’m aware of. Why? Do psychos look at stars?”
“You’re just so different from any guy I’ve ever met. I keep waiting for the skeleton to come racing out of the closet and bite me in the butt.” In the dark, she couldn’t see his eyes very clearly, but his hand didn’t sweat, it didn’t flinch, and he made no move to turn away. Instead, he took a step closer. And then another. His body was an inch from hers as he gazed into her eyes. It took all of her effort not to put her free hand on his waist, to stand on her tiptoes and kiss him.Kiss me. Please kiss me. No. Don’t kiss me.
“Bree.”
Oh, that voice. Yes, kiss me. Yes.“Mm-hmm?”
He lowered his face closer to hers and whispered, “Look up.”
They both looked up, and Brianna gasped at the beauty of the tiny illuminations that peppered the dark sky. Her hand came up to his waist without any cognitive thought.
“It’s so beautiful. I wish Layla could see this.” She froze.Darn it. Nothing like smothering a guy with reminders that another guy had been there before him.
“Let’s take her out one night and show her,” he said, still staring up at the stars.
She held her breath. Was he serious? Should she? She couldn’t introduce him to her daughter. She barely knew him.
Hugh looked down at her. “Why are you squeezing my hand so tight?”
“Am I? Sorry.”Did you mean what you said?Thinking about Layla brought her real life tumbling back to her. “Oh no. I forgot that I have to get Layla’s birthday present. I have to get my car fixed. I need to get her present tomorrow. I don’t think I’ll have time during the week.”
Hugh settled his index finger over her lips. “Take another deep breath.”
She did—again.
“I told you that I can lend you a car. You’ll be fine. If you don’t want to borrow a car, I’m happy to take you after my appointment tomorrow. We can get her present while my friend fixes your car.”
