He moved back to the fireplace. Distance might be his best friend at the moment. It wasn’t like he was sex starved, except, when he was around Belle, that’s all he thought about. “What happened to the car?” he asked, unable to stand the silence.
“It made a clicking sound and then stopped working.” The wood of the door muffled her reply.
“Well, that’s helpful.” He tapped a foot against the tile surround, anxious for her to come out, yet wishing she’d stay in the bathroom until he got his wayward emotions under control. He’d never been this hot for a woman before and it scared the shit out of him.
Belle opened the door, a towel wrapped around her hair. She’d changed out of the wet clothes into a pair of worn jeans and a white t-shirt. Unfortunately, she’d removed her bra.
Fuck. Why did he have to look? He turned on his heel and strode into the kitchen for no better reason than to get out of her space. “Did it just die on you?”
“It clicked a few times before it died.”
“Then it’s the alternator. I can look at it for you but that’s my guess.” Something to do with his hands. But that was tomorrow. This was tonight and it was the two of them. Alone. Perhaps he should go out in the rain and cool off his body. He’d been around a lot of women it the past few weeks but it had been a while since he’d gotten laid.
“Can you text Tim?” she asked, padding barefoot into the kitchen.
“Sure.” He’d come in here to escape her and she’d followed. He typed out a text, pleased to focus on something other than Belle. He hit send. “All done.”
She rocked back on her heels, the action jutting her breasts out, pebbled nipples visible under the shirt. He swallowed and tried to keep his mind on track. The phone buzzed and he glanced down. “Tim said it’s in one of the spare rooms at the house but he can’t get back to the property until tomorrow. He said we can try knocking at the door. The crew should still be there.”
“Okay, I guess I could do that.” She turned on her heel and he heaved a sigh of relief that she was no longer in touching distance. “Can you text Cash and tell him to tell Kendra to come get me?”
“Why don’t you just stay in one of the guest rooms?” Close to him but a world away.
“I couldn’t do that. What if someone sees me leaving in the morning?” she asked.
“They’ll see your car. Why don’t I just call a tow truck in the morning and you can go home then? Or I can take you home right now.” A much better solution for his peace of mind.
“I hate to ask you to do that.” Her face was shadowed, but her voice spoke of her growing upset.
“It’s not a big deal. I’ll run to the house and grab my car and your phone and come get you.”
“Thank you,” she said, her wavering smile testing his resolve.
He snatched up his jacket and putting the hoodie over his head, went outside into the damp night air. The rain continued to fall, not hard but continual. He jogged across the driveway, the house still in shadows. No lights were on. He knocked on the back door and waited but no response. Shit. He went back down the stairs to the garage. He started to put his code in the keypad when he realized it had no power. And he had no key.
Damn it. Erik wanted to do this for Belle. She’d given up a lot for him and he owed her. He tried to tug the door from the bottom of the door. The custom door didn’t budge. What he wouldn’t give to have a few teammates to help get the damn thing up.
Pivoting on his foot, he jogged back to the guest house. At this point, there was nothing he could do to help her, short of calling a cab or Kendra. He entered the guest house, the heat from the fireplace a welcome change from the coolness outside. So much for their nice spring weather.
“Wow, that was fast.” She hefted her small suitcase and removed the towel from her head. The inviting fragrance reached him, the mass of hair falling around her shoulders.
“Bad news. Nobody answered the door and the electric garage doors aren’t working because of the power outage. And of course, I don’t have a key.” He peeled off his jacket and hung it on a peg by the door. His shoes were soaked and he slipped them off. “Look like you’re stuck here with me.”
She dropped onto the rug before the fireplace and pushed her hands toward the warmth. “I’m so sorry I’m such a pain in the ass.”
He joined her, legs crossed, close but far enough away that he didn’t touch her. “You’re not a pain in the ass. The weather is and your car is.”
“Come on, admit it, you know I am a pain. Just a bit.” Amusement threaded her words, along with exasperation. She pulled her hair over her shoulder and used the towel she still held to squeeze the water from it.
“We’re often our worst enemy.” Be ambiguous and stop staring at her profile. Or smelling the fresh citrus scent that captivated his imagination.
“Nicely said. More words to live by?” The question was spoken low, the only sound in the house the tapping of rain on the high window that ran along the back of the house. “Or are you avoiding the question?”
He grinned at her teasing, everything right in his world for the moment. Why he felt peaceful around her was still open to debate. He liked her company. He liked her. A bit too much. “I am smart enough to know when to shut my mouth.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Not just smart, very smart.” The fire felt warm on Belle’s fingers but the man beside her heated her body. Erik was close and she need simply lean over and rest her head on his shoulder. They were stranded for the night. He’d made a valiant attempt to help her and it melted her heart toward him more. “It hasn’t been an easy day for me.”
