Page 15 of Her Mechanic Bear Mate

"I was expecting my brother," Eve said quickly, her heartbeat quickening at the sight of the other woman. She didn't know how, but Charlie really made those overalls look good.

The mechanic gave her a lopsided smile. "Sorry to disappoint."

"No, not at all. You're a sight for sore eyes, but what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to tidy." Charlie set her hands on her hips as she looked around. "What a pigsty."

“I thought my brother was going to help.”

“He made me come in his place.” A furious blush darkened Charlie’s cheeks. “Well, ‘made’ is a strong word.”

A grin lifted Eve's lips. She’d worried she’d made Charlie uncomfortable with the kiss but if the lovely mechanic was seeking her out, then it was reasonable to assume there was some sort of mutual interest.

As tempting as it was to flirt and tease, Eve decided to rein herself in and keep things light and professional. The last thing she wanted was to cause unease with unwanted advances. Especially since they worked together.

Maybe later, she could ask Charlie out on a date and see if there was more than chemistry. But for now, she was continuing with caution.

Charlie also coughed from the dust. “No wonder your Dad pawned this off. This room is one step removed from a biohazard.”

Eve chuckled. “It’s a disaster. I was almost finished clearing away all the rubbish. Then I was going to sort everything of worth, move everything to the side, and give it a good hoover and mop.”

“Not all today, I hope.”

“Goodness, no. I’m good but not that good,” Eve quipped. “Shall we divide and conquer?”

“At your service,” Charlie said with a playful salute.

“Oh, obedient. Good to know,” Eve blurted out before she could stop herself. Heat rushed to her ears as she quickly turned away. So much for being professional at work. Even if they hadn't kissed, that was not an appropriate comment.

Luckily, Charlie simply raised one eyebrow and ignored the comment.

They got to work, tidying the ridiculous amount of rubbish. Even though they weren’t speaking, Eve noticed they worked well together. She watched Charlie from the corners of her eyes, admiring how the mechanic lifted boxes and moved desks with effortless ease.

Eve was fairly certain she’d be dreaming about those strong arms tonight.

“Why did you kiss me Saturday?” Charlie asked quite suddenly.

Taken aback, Eve paused what she was doing. She hadn’t expected this to come up, especially not after the cold distant vibe earlier in reception. The awkward interaction from the morning had half-convinced her Charlie considered their kiss a mistake.

She realised the other woman was still waiting for an answer and cleared her throat. “Because I find you really attractive and it seemed nicer before our breath smelled of raw onions from the kebab.”

A faint smile appeared on Charlie’s face. “I see the logic in that.”

Eve tied her bin bag shut. “I didn’t do it to pressure you or anything. If you’re not interested, then we can forget about it.”

“It’s complicated.”

“That’s alright. Like I said, no pressure.” Eve wafted some dust from a nearby desk and inevitably choked and coughed. She stumbled towards the open window for air and almost tripped over a stray box.

Charlie was by her side in a flash and patted her on the back. “You alright there? Try not to die.”

“Believe me, I’m trying,” Eve coughed, terribly distracted by Charlie’s warm hand between her shoulder blades. It was the first real touch they shared after the kiss and it was making her yearn for more.

Her desire spiked when she felt Charlie’s gaze cloud as it dipped down to her lips. Eve felt tempted, oh so tempted to bridge the gap again. Instead, she remained where she was, determined to leave the choice in Charlie’s hands.

She waited, wished, wondered about what might be until Charlie broke the impasse and captured her in a kiss.

Eve practically melted from the intensity. Charlie’s lips were soft, warm, and divine against hers. In her mind, there was nothing better than kissing and being kissed by someone she desired. Charlie definitely fell in that category.

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