Page 15 of Montana Rain

“You have got to be kidding me,” I said.

Desperation took over, and I kept trying to get the engine to start unsuccessfully. I slumped over and leaned my head on the steering wheel, defeated.

“Shit.”

Chapter 7

Cole

The way Rayne slumped over in the seat of her car made me wince. I didn’t like seeing her in distress. However, and it might make me a bad person, I was glad her car had died. Simply because it gave me another chance to talk to her. She’d avoided me for the rest of the night after our little back-and-forth about Chicago.

I liked that I riled her up. Something about the way she flushed and glared at me made me want to do it again and again.

Maybe it was because Rayne Westerfield was holding everything back. I could see it. Feel it. Always cool, always professional, until someone got under her skin enough for her to let go. And I liked being the one who made her crack the measured, even exterior.

It made me remember the one true time I saw her let go and how fucking beautiful it was. What would I have to do to see that side of her again without crossing any lines? Because I felt something between us, and every action and move she made told me she felt it too.

Approaching the door of the car, I didn’t want to scare her. “Car trouble?”

She jerked up from where she leaned on the steering wheel, focusing on me through the window. “Unfortunately.”

It was already dark, and it was cold. She pushed open the door, and I stepped back to let her. “I’ll have to see what the problem is.”

“Why don’t you let me drive you home?” I asked. “It’s late, it’s cold, and you’re not going to figure it out tonight. Even if you did, there’s probably not a garage open right now.”

The look on her face told me she knew I was right, but she also didn’t want to admit it. She was going to tell me no, and that was fine. I expected it. I had a few months to show her I wasn’t the man she thought I was.

Rayne opened her mouth to refuse—it was written all over her face—and the door behind us opened, followed by laughter. Grant and Cori came out of the lodge, firmly wrapped in each other’s arms.

He lifted her up and tossed her over his shoulder as she squealed. “Grant, what are you doing?”

“I’m taking my wife home,” he said, matter-of-fact.

“Put me down.” She was still laughing.

He made a sound of consideration as he carried her down the steps. “No, I think I like you right here.” As they passed, he waved to both of us, and Cori looked up through her hair. “Bye, Rayne, Cole!”

“Bye,” Rayne said. She watched them with the same longing with which she watched Jude and Lena during dinner. Did other people find her as easy to read as I did? Or was it just me?

“All right,” she said quietly and sighed. “I’ll be able to get it tomorrow, and I don’t want to bother anyone with better things to do.”

I ignored the subtle dig at me because I didn’t want to have anything better to do than be with her. I also did the selfish thing and didn’t suggest we try to jump her car, because I wanted to spend some time with her, and this was an innocent way to do it.

Gesturing toward my truck, I stepped back. “After you.”

Rayne grabbed her bag from the car and went straight to the correct truck. So, she had been paying attention when I left Montana Jewels the other day. Good to know.

I opened the door for her and resisted the urge to help her up. “Thank you,” she said before I closed it.

“It’s not a problem, Rayne.” Walking around, I swung up into the driver’s seat. “Which direction am I going?”

“I’m on the other side of town.”

The nicer side, if I was remembering the full layout of Garnet Bend correctly. It would take me some time to memorize everything.

We settled into a quiet, but it was a comfortable quiet. In spite of the tension at dinner and the chemistry that sang between us, there was no awkwardness in the air. Just peaceful silence and the sound of my engine.

“What the hell are you really doing here, Cole?” she finally asked, pointing where to turn off the main road. “Of all the places in the world, you chose here?”

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