Page 41 of Drive me Wild (South Island Shifters)

“Declan, wait.” He stops and turns around. “Thank you for the flowers.”

“I just wanted to brighten your day.”

He just might be the Prince Charming I’ve been looking for. I’m definitely going to take that hot bath tonight and digest the information I was given.

“If I were you, honey, I wouldn’t let that man get away.” I spin around to find Gretchen, our receptionist, staring at me, dramatically fanning herself with paper.

I laugh. “He’s something special, alright.” And I think he’s also going to be a giant pain in my ass when we fight.But I bet the makeup sex would be off the charts fantastic.

* * *

I’m looking forward to a long hot bath and to digesting all the information Declan has given me. Only, as I pull into my driveway, I see some guy reversing my car off the back of a tow truck. What the hell? Parking my sister’s car, I get out and march towards the guy.

“Hey! Get away from my car, or I’m going to kick your ass.” I demand as I get around to him. He’s tall, at least six feet, and I get right up into his personal bubble when he doesn’t answer me. “What the hell do you think you are doing with my car?”

The man backs away, and I stalk towards him. I ball my fists, blind red with anger as my heart races.

“Uh… my boss sent me to take a look at your tyres and told me to fix anything that needed fixing,” he stammers.

“Is that so? And you didn’t think to take it up with the owner of the vehicle?”

“Look, lady, I only did what my boss asked. I replaced the flat tyre with a new tyre and then checked the rest of them out. You only needed one more tyre. So your car is now fixed. But you will need the other two tyres changed before your next warrant of fitness.”

“Okay, where is the bill?” I ask. I do not have the money to pay for two new tyres, a wheel alignment, or anything else he did to my car.

“It’s already been paid for,” he says. This statement stops me in my tracks. How has it been paid?

“By whom?” I ask.

“My boss.” The only two people who knew my car had needed fixing were Autumn and…Declan. Fucking Declan!

“Your boss wouldn’t happen to be Declan Stone, would it?” I ask him. He nods slowly. Damnit. I asked for fucking space, and he just doesn’t know how to give it to me. “You can go back to your boss and tell him I don’t need his help. You can take your tyres back too. I’m perfectly capable of doing everything myself.”

He huffs. “I’m not going to go against him. He asked me to do him a favour, and in truth, lady, if I have to pick between battling it out with him or you, I’ll pick you. You should be grateful that he even wanted to help. You are, after all, a human,” the last word is spat from his mouth. Does he know about Declan and me being mates? If so, shouldn’t he treat me with more respect? Then again, I wasn’t very nice to him. Before I can ask him, He pushes off my car and walks away, climbing back into his truck, then drives away. Damn it!

I stalk inside, anger boiling within me. How dare Declan think he can help without even asking if I want him to! I’m so wound up and full of rage right now I want to punch something. I grab hold of my closest LEGO statue and push it to the floor. It shatters into a million pieces, and I just stand there shaking.

I decide I need to talk to Declan and fast. The conversation might get ugly, but he needs to learn I don’t need him to swoop in and save me every single time something happens.

* * *

DECLAN

I’m in my home office working on some paperwork for the restaurant when I hear, “Declan Stone, get your butt out here right now!” hollered through my house. Waves of anger are rolling over me as I hear stomping through my home, but they’re not my own emotions.

I make my way downstairs towards my lounge, where Winter is waiting for me. One look at her tells me she’s not here to discuss this morning. She’s boiling red with rage, and that’s what I’m feeling.

“What part of I need space have you failed to comprehend? Because it didn’t mean pick up my car, get it fixed and then deliver it to my home again. If you thought I wouldn’t notice, I caught him in the act.”

“I gave you space. Now it seems it’s you who can’t stay away.”

She shakes hard and groans in anger. “Not my point. Why did you fix my car?”

“Because you need it to continue doing the job you love.” She’s staring at me, her eyes blazing with both fury and evident desire while her breathing is harsh and tense. I’m not in the mood to fight with her. I’m now in the mood to fuck her.

“I haven’t needed the help of a man in six years, Declan. While I thank you for it, you can go ahead and take the tyres off the car.” She waves a hand absentmindedly at me.

“Not going to happen, sweetheart, but nice try.” I can sense she’s wound up so tight she could do with a massage, or better yet, some sex to relieve the stress. I can provide both if only she’d let me.

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