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“An old Black Explorer.”
Her heart plummeted. “That’s mine. You towed my truck?”
The man shrugged. “People dump stuff out here all the time. Honestly, it looked like scrap.”
“I’m really sorry, but you’ll have to excuse me for a minute,” she said to Elizabeth before rushing off around the outside of the house. Maybe they were still chaining it to the tow truck. Maybe she still had time to salvage this close-to-shit day. As she ran, one of her heels snapped off in the stone walkway, leaving her lopsided. She ignored every distraction except getting to her truck, hobbling along as fast as she could.
When she reached the end of the second driveway where she’d parked her SUV, there was nothing in sight but the gentle sway of the weeping willows. The rural roadway was clear from both directions. Even the chatter of the wild birds couldn’t put a smile on her face now. She sat heavily on a large decorative rock and buried her face in her palms.Why can’t I catch a freakin’ break?
Karlee wouldn’t cry. She prided herself on staying strong and persevering. After discovering her degree in creative writing was more valuable being fashioned into origami than a career, she still didn’t give up. She started working at a local flower shop to pay off her student loan, discovering she enjoyed the creative outlet and working with customers. After a lot of overtime, sacrifices, and plain luck, she managed to open her own little shop. It was a dream come true, but unfortunately, like for most entrepreneurs, business suffered when the economy began to crumble. People didn’t have time to think of frivolous things like fresh-cut flowers and basket arrangements when there were bills to pay.
Anger began to bubble up once her pity trip wound down.Who tows a truck without asking around first?She wasn’t the only one at the house. Someone needed to get on the phone and demand her truck be returned. Without transportation, there would be no flower deliveries. Without flower deliveries, there would be no business. Without a business, Karlee would be broke and homeless by the end of the month. These people might be stinking rich, but they couldn’t be allowed to play with people’s lives like a game of chess.
She marched back to the house and banged on the front glass doors without apology. Screw that fancy doorbell. This time she had to wait for a couple minutes before finally catching a shadow approach from the other side of the frosted glass.
“Can I help you?”
The man’s voice was deep and authoritative. He wore dark suit pants and a pale-blue shirt partially unbuttoned. The color flattered his black hair and tan complexion. Not to mention the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. But he was no butler. The man had a commanding presence, like he owned the world and everyone in it—including her.
“Miss?”
Karlee snapped back into reality, hoping he didn’t realize she was sizing him up from head to toe. Broad shoulders, trim waist, and strong thighs. “Karlee. Karlee Jones.”
There was no sign of Elizabeth.
“My girl from the flower shop.” He smirked, just enough for her to notice. The man had evil eyes, too sexy to be holy. She squirmed on the spot, feeling the full intensity of his stare.
“You’re Robert Black?”
She really hoped he wasn’t the groom because she didn’t want to gawk at Elizabeth’s future husband with such X-rated thoughts swirling in her head. His words still lingered in her mind because they sounded so perfect. She’d give anything to behisgirl.
“I remembered you from a function I attended a few months back. I decided then I’d be using your services as soon as I had a need. You’re very talented, young lady.”
“Great. That’s … great.” As she stood there awkwardly twiddling her thumbs, she remembered the reason she’d come back to the house in the first place. “Oh … my truck. Someone in here towed my truck.”
“That would be me, I’m afraid.” He clucked his tongue. “I noticed it from my bedroom window. We can’t have deliveries delayed with only days until the wedding.”
“And you naturally assumed it was an abandoned wreck?”
He shrugged with an apologetic lift of an eyebrow. Her blood was boiling, but she had to keep her cool. These rich A-holes thought they could get away with murder.
“We’re in the middle of nowhere. I have to have my truck. Can you call the towing company before they get too far away?” The rich didn’t seem to realize that real people were lucky to make it from paycheck to paycheck. She needed her damned truck.
“I hear they have very strict policies about releasing vehicles the same day. A lot of red tape involved. I’d be happy to drive you to the impound lot tomorrow.” How could he speak so nonchalantly when she was frantic on the inside? She swore her heart would beat right out of her chest.
Tomorrow? What would happen to her tonight? “I doubt you have a bus route way out here, so tomorrow isn’t going to work for me.”
“You’ll stay here. I have plenty of spare rooms not being used.”
He held the door open wider, encouraging her to enter the house. What choice did she have? Her best friend Stella didn’t even have a car of her own, and there was no one else she could call for help. Karlee stepped back into the white marble foyer with the vaulted ceilings and Roman columns. Every beautiful detail only increased her displeasure. It was only once the air-conditioning began to clear her head that she remembered what a mess she was. She immediately tried to adjust her hair and stand straight with one broken heel. Then she recalled that Robert Black might be jaw-droppingly gorgeous, but he was taken. As in getting married in two days.
Chapter Two
“How much would a taxi cost way out here?”
“You’re staying the night, Ms. Jones. That’s not debatable.”
Her jaw dropped, but she said nothing. He took her bags and set them down against the wall. There was such an authoritative air about him. It made her pussy tingle in ways she’d never known. He scrubbed a hand across his lightly stubbled cheek and chin, assessing her like a problem to solve.
