Page 17 of Bad For Me (Rock Canyon, Idaho 5)

His reasonable answer, followed by a nonchalant shrug, irked her for some reason. Had she read him wrong? Was he just this nice guy who helped out stranded women on a regular basis? Was she freaking out for no reason?

Neither of them said another word, and when Jose came back, she was thankful for the diversion.

“Okay, I got your tires, and here is the cost,” Jose said, handing her a receipt. “Think you can pay them off by December first?”

Two months? That was very generous. “Yes, thank you.”

“Awesome. I’ll bring them up. I’m assuming you two can handle changing them?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it. Thanks, man,” Everett said.

Everett and Jose did some kind of bro hug, and Jose disappeared once again.

“You two seem close,” Callie said.

“Yeah, we grew up together. We both had it rough, although he had it worse than me.”

Callie wanted to ask, but Jose and another man appeared pushing two tires up front before helping get them outside. The rain was still coming down, but the thunder was just a distant rumble.

When the tires were loaded, Everett and Callie jumped back into the truck. Ratchet met her with wet kisses, and she pushed him off with a laugh. When he finally settled down, he actually lay down, his slobbery mouth on her legs.

“Geez, I keep forgetting what a big son of a bitch he is. How much does he weigh?” Everett said as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Callie stroked Ratchet’s head and velvety ears, and the warm calm only his love could bring spread through her. “He was a hundred sixty-four pounds at his last veterinary appointment.”

Everett whistled. “What made you want such a big dog?”

Callie’s hand stilled, settling on Ratchet’s head. It wasn’t really his size that had drawn her; it was something she’d read online about Anatolians being loyal and protective, known for going up against animals three times their size to keep their herds safe. Baby, her poor mutt, despite knowing something was wrong with Tristan, had been only forty pounds. No doubt, her size and age had made it impossible to defend herself. She worried about Ratchet, but he was strong.

And his strength had been what she needed.

“I actually just saw a picture of the breed in the paper and fell in love. Besides, big dogs are more intimidating than purse dogs.”

“That’s true, but whom do you want intimidate?”

You? She couldn’t say that though, not out loud. Partly because she couldn’t bear to be rude to him after he’d helped her out of a jam.

But also because she liked him. Probably more than she should.

“I don’t know. Purse snatchers? Burglars?”

“Ah, so he’s like your buffer.”

“Yes.”

“It must be hard,” Everett said. He reached out to crank up the heater, and she watched his hands. They were big hands with long fingers, and she suddenly wondered if they were rough or soft.

Stop thinking about his hands, for fuck’s sake! What happened to keeping your distance and not getting involved? Fantasizing about his hands is pretty damn intimate.

“What must be hard?”

“Feeling like you have to keep everyone at a distance.”

His words stunned her. “I don’t feel like that. I have friends.”

“Sorry. I guess I misread the situation.”

But Callie could tell that he didn’t believe that, and his arrogance irritated her. “Look, you don’t know me or what makes me tick, so stop assuming you do.”

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