“Hey now, it’s okay.” His voice was gentle. When he clamped a sturdy hand over my shoulder, I thought I'd turn to dust and become one with the desert from his touch.
He gave my shoulder a firm, yet tender squeeze. Then he slowly withdrew his hand, but the contact lingered like a phantom limb, sizzling and awakening my senses. Once he removed his hand, it was as if his fingertips left imprints on me.
His eyes creased with genuine concern. “You okay?”
I swallowed, but the lump lodged in my throat refused to yield.
“Yes,” I croaked, internally cringing at how ridiculous I was acting. He probably saw right through me.
Ugh, I was so stupid. How embarrassing was it to crush on a man I'd literally just met?
It was something about his hat, his boots, the way his hips swayed when he moved. The amber hint in his eyes that reflected in the sunlight. I couldn’t help it. I had a thing for cowboys, dammit.
He licked his plush lips. The heat must've fried my brain because I had the urge to kiss him. I never had the urge to kissanyone.
Dear god, I needed help.
“Anyway, sorry if I startled ya.” His southern drawl made my head spin. "I parked over there, but I wasn't sure if you heard me."
I glanced beyond his shoulder and was puzzled when I saw a truck a few yards away. I pushed the rims of my glasses up my face again, suddenly self-aware of how nerdy I must've looked to him.
“I didn’t even hear you coming,” I confessed.
He grinned. “You seemed busy sitting in the sand and lamentin' your doom."
I wish I was sitting on him instead,I thought.
The sudden inappropriate idea made me cough, which I managed to turn into an apprehensive chuckle so the sexy cowboy didn't think I was crazy.
I scratched the back of my head. “So... I have no idea what I’m doing.”
The cowboy nodded. His eyes sparkled like he clearly knew that already. “I can help you out.”
“Really?” I tried not to gawk, but my jaw relaxed and drooped slightly.
“Looks like a problem with the oil filter.” He squinted at me, tilting his head, looking devious and sexy at the same under the shelter of his cowboy hat. “When was the last time you had an oil change?”
“Uh...”
I trailed off, glancing at the car as if it would provide an answer for me, but the car was as useless at responding as it was to functioning.
My cheeks heated with embarrassment. “I can’t recall. Sorry, I'm not really a car guy.”
Surprisingly there wasn't a hint of judgment on his face. Either that or he was good at hiding it.
“Ain't nothing to be sorry about. I can get a better idea of what’s going on with it back at my garage.” He paused and studied me. “You got somewhere to be? You never did tell me why you are out here all alone.”
“Oh, right.” I cleared my throat, trying to sound smart. "I came out here to conduct research.”
“What kinda research?”
“Studying the local flora and fauna.”
His forehead wrinkled. “The what-a and who-now?”
A little laugh spooled out of me. “Flora and fauna. The local plant life and wildlife.”
"Huh." The cowboy scratched his stubble and glanced around the desert. “Not much of that around here.”
