Page 2 of Christmas Coffee

Her gaze narrows. “How’d you know that?”

I run my hands through my hair and then lean on my elbows, getting closer to her. Her scent fills my head—fuck, she’s intoxicating. “Listen, I’ll fix your car and then you can spend the night doing funner things, or you can stay here alone. Up to you.”

She hesitates. “What do you know about cars?”

I don’t answer her. Instead, I get up and tip my head toward the door. “Keys?”

She stiffens, and then sighs as she reaches into a purse that looks like a horse-feed bag. She fishes them out and hands them to me. “Fine, but if you steal my car, I’ll kick your ass.”

I smirk at her. I like the spunky thing she has going on. This chick isn’t a pushover, which means she should be a lot of fun in bed. I offer a lazy smile and lean in close, invading her space and inhaling the perfect scent. “Tell me, honey, how exactly would I swipe a car that doesn’t run?”

Her eyes lock with mine. Defiant. “You’d be surprised at what a desperate guy is willing to do.”

I choke and laugh at her. “Desperate? That’s what you see when you look at this?”

She shrugs and gives me a once over, folding her arms loosely over her chest. She stands on one leg, which tips her curvy hips to the side, and glares at me, like she’s bored. “Does it matter?”

I step closer, her body an inch from mine. I can feel the warmth of her body. She’s close enough to touch, but I’m having too much fun taunting her. I feel the words wrap around my lips as I say them. “Desperation and kindness don’t mingle.”

She snaps, and lunges for the keys. “I don’t need charity.”

I pull back, letting her body brush against my arm. I hold the keys out of reach and look down into her beautiful face. There’s something about her that’s so different. I honestly think she may knee me in the nuts, take back her keys, and figure out the Chilton’s manual. “Good, because I’m not offering a handout. I never said I was paying, honey.”

Her gaze narrows. “Stop calling me that.”

“What? Honey? You’re not all sweet and smooth, going down?”

She snorts. “Well, you’ll never find out, will you?” She raises her brows at me and smirks.

Holy fuck. I love this woman. I can’t believe she said that. I lean in close enough to see the tiny freckle that rests on the soft skin just above the bow in her top lip. She stiffens and lowers her lashes, her gaze fixated on my mouth thinking that I’m going to kiss her.

Instead, I stop and whisper as I grin. “Stop thinking about it.”

“I’m not,” she breathes, but I know she is from the way her gaze drops. She doesn’t move. She stays there a breath away. When she shifts her weight, her tits brush against my chest. It’s enough to make me want to take her here and now. “Besides, certain acts are reserved for men who are worth it, and you’re questionable at best.”

“Then, I’ll have to change your mind.”

She smiles and watches me from under those long lashes. “Once I form an opinion, it doesn’t change.” Her minty breath washes across my lips as she speaks. It’s fucking hypnotic.

“Then, I’ll be sure to leave you with a lasting impression—something unforgettable.” I turn on my heel before she can say another word, or change her mind, and head toward the door. She follows me out into the parking lot.

I pop her hood, the real one, but see the problem as soon as I sit down behind the wheel. It’s basic, but not something that I can fix in a parking lot. I try to crank the engine. It doesn’t even sputter and I point to the dash. “See that needle?”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“It means your battery is dead.”

“But I just changed it.” She deflates slightly. “It’s new. It can’t be dead.”

“Odds are it’s your alternator, but someone needs to check it out. A jump won’t bring this battery back to life. Hell, it’s so far gone that the dome light isn’t even coming on”

She inhales slowly, doesn’t blink, and then swears under her breath. Hand to her head she says, “Shit. I can’t fix that myself.” Her book has black smudges and oily fingerprints all over it. I have no doubt that she’s been working on the car.

“Not tonight, but given enough time in the light of day, I’m sure you could figure it out.” I mean every word of it. There’s something about her, I can see it in her eyes. She likes to tinker, to take things apart and put them back together. She’s not a grease monkey—it’s more than that. It has something to do with curiosity and understanding. She wants to know how things work.

She softens a little. “Thanks. I think I’m going back to plan A for tonight.”

“Which was…?”

Her green gaze cuts to the side, landing on me. “Getting plastered and joining AAA so they can tow my car home.”

“As amazing as that sounds, I can have your car fixed in a couple of hours. It’d be ready for you, right here. And I can’t help but notice there’s a nice warm room right over there.” I tip my head at the little Hilton glowing in the cold night. She’s shivering, no coat, and doesn’t flat out reject me this time. “Which would you prefer? Drinking buddy or getting off with a guy who can make a girl come three times, back to back? It’s pretty amazing, at least that’s what I’ve been told.” I hold her gaze, shocked she hasn’t shot me down yet.

She rolls her eyes and tries not to smile. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she glances up at me. “You don’t need to hype yourself. I’m not blind.”

“It’s not hype. It’s a fact, and I felt like you needed the choice. But it is fucking cold out here, so how about picking one. Either way, I’ll make sure you forget everything that’s bothering you for a little bit. What do you say?”

She sighs loudly and looks back at the bar. She’s going to pick drinking buddy. Her body language says it all. Slumped shoulders, apprehension, lack of trust. She’s strung tight like she might punch me in the face for the hell of it.

Then she looks down at my hand and takes it, threading my fingers through hers. “Grab a bottle to go, and let’s get the hell out of here.”