Page 43 of Yours Truly, Fall

He comes to me, taking my hand in his and angling his head to the side while he looks at me. There’s no joking in his demeanor or even a residual grin hanging around like a groupie after a concert. It’s just him and me.

“I’m not looking to go to jail, but I’m also not opposed to breaking a few rules to get you to stay with me a few more days.”

My swallow tightens my throat, but my heart feels wide open, exposed in a way I’m not used to. I take a long overdue breath and then say, “What would have happened if I hadn’t been here?”

“I would have bled out.” He winks.

I dropped the line, and he picked it right up. “Lucky for you, I was here to help.” I wink right back. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I’m tired of trying to figure it out. Don’t I deserve nice things? Staring straight into his eyes, I accept my fate. “About that shower . . .”

CHAPTER 19

BRANDON

The player just got played.

Who knew that five-foot-four, kindhearted nurse of a woman had it in her? She acts innocent, but Autumn Season is a tease who knows exactly what she’s doing. I never stood a chance.

I’m still not sure how I got tricked into showering alone, but she also managed to talk me into running errands with her. There was mention of a reward for good behavior, and I was seat-belted in before she reached the vehicle.

I have no idea what her errands include, but she’s cruising down this dirt road like she drives it every day. Glancing at her casual grip on the steering wheel, I clench my stomach through the more treacherous parts, but she takes these mountain curves like an F1 driver. I put my life in her hands, though I’m certain a Corolla is not built for off-roading.

“Hey.” I keep my tone casual so as not to offend. “So there’s a curve up ahead that can take you by surprise if you’re not—Oh shit.” Her arm flies out as if she can keep me from flying through the windshield from this wild driving. “Yeah, that was it.”

“You good?” she asks with the innocence of a fawn.

I tug on the seat belt to take up some slack. “Yep. I’m good.”

“This road is dangerous.”

I whip my head to look behind us. Was that a skid? “I didn’t think you noticed.”

Her gaze leaves the road to look at me. “What?”

“I said that’s why I drive a truck. It’s built for this kind of terrain.”

“Right.” Her fingers tighten around the steering wheel as she reaches down to adjust the air-conditioning. “A truck is better equipped for this kind of road.”

When the tires slam into another pothole, she has me questioning if my will is up to date. “It’s probably best to keep your eyes up. This road can throw a surprise when you least⁠—”

“It’s kind of fun, right?”

“My mom would argue otherwise. She avoids driving it at night or after a storm if she can help it.”

“I can see why.” I can’t pick up on one iota of understanding regarding the dangers of this road when she’s driving like a bat out of hell. “Does it wash out after it rains?”

“Depends on the amount of rain.”

“What happens?”

“The tires will skid off the road and land you stranded on the side of the mountain. It’s a gradually inclined road so you won’t exactly be hanging off a cliff, but you can still damage your vehicle and be left waiting for help, or worse, hurt.”

The car slows for the first time as if she just discovered she has brakes. “That doesn’t sound fun.”

“It’s not. Ask me how I know.”

“How do you know?” A smile flashes on her face before she’s focused and concentrating on the road ahead. Finally. “It’s not my house or my mountain, but if I did live there, I’d pave it.”

“I plan to pave parts of it to give a reprieve and a safe place for visitors to stop, though one of the draws of an old dirt road is uninvited guests don’t call if they can’t reach your door.” I set up a delivery box down at the entrance, and I don’t even get bothered by the postman anymore. It’s great.