Page 45 of Forever After All

The tingle that started in her chest and spread out all the way to her fingertips was unnerving. She’d seen Linc a thousand times, and that initial sensation whenever he walked into a room these days was frustrating.

She stepped out of the truck but didn’t move as he approached her. Her breaths turned shallow, and she watched every step with a captivated appreciation.

Linc knew how to walk like a man. He had a commanding presence that made him the most dominant man in every room.

Too bad he was always trying to blend into the shadows.

“What’s the problem, miss?”

Jess took a step back and waved her hand toward the driver’s seat. Linc leaned inside and inspected the dash.

“Check engine. That’s never a good sign.” He popped the hood and walked around to the front. With the hood up, he rested his hands on the frame as he looked around.

His thick forearms were front and center, and she averted her gaze. Staring at him wasn’t going to make things easier. “You see anything?”

He shook his head and reached into the complicated machine. Jess couldn’t name a single thing under the hood, but Linc worked like he knew the code to solve the Rubik’s cube.

Jess rested her elbows on the side of the truck and watched Linc’s silent assessment. He walked to the toolbox, grabbed a few things, and returned to the truck.

Jess didn’t know how to sit around. If she wasn’t sleeping or eating, she needed to be moving and working.

Watching Linc work could convince her to take a break. He looked at the parts under the hood as if they were talking to him, telling him what to do and how to fix it. As much as she wanted her truck patched up and ready to roll, hanging around while Linc worked on vehicles wasn’t a bad way to spend an afternoon.

He unscrewed the oil cap and pulled out the dipstick. “Low oil.”

“But it’s not time to change it,” she said.

“You’re burning oil. I’ll have to keep a check on it to see if it keeps happening.”

“How long will it take to fix?”

He wiped his hands on the rag. “Not long. You got somewhere to be?”

Ugh. She’d hoped to get out of this visit without talking about her plans. “I have a date later.”

“Same guy?” he asked.

“No. Another first date.”

Linc turned his attention to the rag in his hands and kept wiping, tensing his jaw the entire time. “Is there a chance you’ll tell me where you’re going this time?”

It was a simple enough question, but there was a low-boiling warning behind it. Linc was holding back, and she probably didn’t want to hear the rest of his thoughts.

“He’s taking me to The Barn.”

Linc’s brows quirked up, but he didn’t say anything before walking over to the toolbox.

She hadn’t been exactly thrilled about the guy’s date destination choice. Barn Sour was one of her favorite places to hang out, but she usually went with the others at the ranch. The place often had live music she enjoyed, and dancing that she steered clear of at all costs.

This guy was probably banking on dancing tonight, and she wanted to kick up her heels about as much as she wanted to jump off a cliff.

Linc didn’t talk while he worked, and Jess didn’t have anything to say either. After their little chat about kissing a few weeks ago, she couldn’t talk to Linc about her dates. That conversation had started the confusing sensations whenever Linc was around, and the last thing she wanted was more complicated feelings.

“What’s his name?” Linc asked out of nowhere.

“Jason. He’s from Colorado, so I don’t expect it to end in a second date, but…” Jess shrugged. “You never know.”

“He lives in Colorado?”

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