I kick the tire and wince.
“Ouch!” I squeak. “I guess these aren’t steel-toed boots,” I mutter under my breath just as someone clears their voice behind me. I turn and look up and up and up, my eyes widening as I recognize the sexy man in front of me. “Jacob,” I whisper.
“Eden.” His full sensuous lips twitch. Almost like he thinks I’m cute or something because he more than likely saw me kick my car.Stop fawning over your brother’s best friend!a voice shouts inside my head, but I ignore it. I can’t help it. If it makes me a walking, breathing cliché so be it. There is something different about Jacob than any other man I have ever met.
“Jacob,” I whisper again and blink. Jacob is my oldest brother, Reed’s, best friend from the Army. Unlike us, he wasn’t born and raised in Moonlit Pines but moved out here while I had been gone on what my mom likes to call ‘my little adventure’. Not only is the man sexy as sin, but he’s so sweet, I’m sure hecould give you a toothache. Again, very unlike any other man I’ve ever met.
Our paths somehow never crossed until two months ago. Sure, I heard all about him from my brother. Especially when Reed was serving in the Army. I’d hear tidbits here and there about things they got into while deployed, and I wasn’t all that surprised when my growly brother’s buddy moved to Moonlit Pines while I was gone. Reed, even though he’d been somewhat of a recluse before he met his wife Cami, had a gravitational pull to him.
But that was it.
Jacob was just the name of some guy who was friends with my brother. A new resident of our small mountain town. Until two months ago, when I moved back to town after trying to spread my wings and crash landing on my face.
Like a knight in shining armor, he showed up to help me move my things into the small place I rent. He even stayed long after my brothers left to help me assemble some furniture I bought.
“What’s wrong with it?” Jacob’s square chin juts toward my old hatchback Honda Civic that most definitely seen better days.
“I’m not really sure.” I shrug. “I think it’s the battery,” I answer, unable to look away from him.
He looks good today. Really good. His beard is full but nicely trimmed, and even though his hair is a little long, the way it curls at the ends, I have to admit it’s working for him. My fingers itch to touch the damp strands.Maybe tug and pull on them while he…
“Pop the hood, and I’ll check it out,” he offers like a gentleman, and I feel myself start to swoon.
“Oh, are you sure?” My eyes drop to his arms. He’s already rolling the sleeves of his maroon Henley up his forearms.
“Of course, Eden. Anything for you.” He winks.Winks at me!I smile hoping I don’t look like a schoolgirl with a crush. As gracefully as I can manage, I walk to the driver’s side of my car and open the door, leaning in to pop the hood.
“Try and start it up,” he instructs, and I do as he asks, but the car doesn’t purr to life. It doesn’t make a sound. Not one peep.
“Okay, take the key out!” he shouts gruffly. The sound of his voice alone has goose bumps coming alive on my skin. I slip out of the car and walk toward him.
His body is bent, and I can’t help but take a moment to admire him. He’s got large masculine hands and forearms that make you think about being pinned down below him, holding on to the muscles of his broad back. Jacob is tall with a runner’s body. A little lanky, but from what I can tell completely ripped. He tinkers with one thing and then the other under the hood of my car with confidence. As if sensing me, he looks up, and his hazel eyes connect with my blue ones.
“I think you’re right.” He winces. “It could be the battery.”
“Oh.” I lick my bottom lip, not sure what to say next. Without thinking, I wave at him realizing that I haven’t even said hello yet. “Hi.” I smile at him. It hits me that he’s here. He’s at my place, and my heart stills in my chest. “Did Reed send you?”
Or did you come to profess your undying love?My silly heart wishes.
“He cares.” Jacob shrugs one of his thick, muscular shoulders, and I have to swallow back a moan.
Why is he so hot? And why is my luck this bad?
Not only is the man seriously attractive, but he’s sweet and funny. I only spent time with him that one day two months ago but to say he left a lasting impression would be an understatement.
The last two months have felt like they’ve dragged by so slowly I wanted to rip my hair out. I mean, I could have swornI saw him here and there around town when I went to work at the local beauty salon, but every time I did a double-take to check if it really was him, he would be gone. I told myself it was my imagination conjuring him up. Wishing and hoping I would bump into the man who I wanted to ask Reed about maybe getting his number, but I knew how overprotective my brothers were and didn’t want to deal with the drama that might cause.
“I’m glad he called you,” I admit, ignoring my way too pale skin probably brightening up a couple of shades of pink.
“Oh yeah?” His brow rises with interest.
“Yeah.” I find myself nodding. “I’ve wanted to reach out, but I didn’t have your number?—"
“You wanted to reach out? To me?” My eyes never leave his. I can’t believe how surprised he seems by this.
“Yeah. I wanted to, umm, ask you to dinner.”Maybe be the father of my imaginary children.The thought jars me, but I shake it off. “You know, to thank you.” The excuse tumbles from my lips easily.
“Thank me?”
