I run past the gas pump and round the corner to the tailgate just as a woman appears at the edge of the truck bed.
“Hey!” I grab her by the back of her dress.
Herweddingdress, which is soaking wet from the rain. Which means I can see her nipples through the fabric, nipples that are hard from the cold.Christ. I force my gaze back up to her face.
And find myself staring into the ice-blue eyes of the very same woman I caught checking me out by the L.A. courthouse.
“Hey,” I say again, my tone softer now. “I remember you.”
Her blood-red lipstick is still intact, and her gorgeous, jet black hair still takes my breath away.
Her fancy updo style is now a hot mess from the rain, but it still highlights her pale skin and bright eyes.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I demand as she tries to pull away. “And what the hell were you doing in the back of my truck?”
She flashes me a guilty smile. She’s also shivering.
“Hey,” she says, and I’m knocked backward by the sexy huskiness of her voice. “Sorry to scare you.”
“What are you doing in my truck?” I repeat. “Did you sneak in back at the courthouse?”
She nods once. “I was supposed to get married today.”
“I figured. You look beautiful.”Why the hell did I just tell her that?I clear my throat. I blame my chattiness on my dick, which is now wide awake from the sound of this woman’s voice. “If you’re running away, I’m assuming he either did you wrong or you don’t love him. Or both.”
She shoots me an appraising look. “You’re a smart guy, Mr.—”
I give her a second glance, trying to ascertain whether or not she knows who I am. I’m not super famous, but around Los Angeles, I’m the hometown kid who was drafted in the first round. I’ve done a bunch of interviews the last month, and I’ve been getting asked for more random autographs than before.
But her face is blank without a hint of recognition on it. And I admit I find that refreshing.
“Maverick.” I let go of her dress and extend my hand. “Maverick Court.”
She takes my hand, and I jerk as an electric current shoots between us.
Her eyes widen a fraction of an inch like it surprised her, too, but she covers quickly. She drops my hand and flashes me another friendly smile.
“Hannah Walsh. Nice to meet you.”
She’s trying to hide the fact that she’s shaking from the cold rain. I start unbuttoning my flannel shirt.
“Oh, no!” she says immediately. “I’m not looking for a hookup. You may think you’re trying to be nice, or maybe you’re just one of those opportunity jumpers, but I’m not having sex with you, Mr. Court.”
My lips twitch in amusement, and I continue unbuttoning my shirt. As I peel it off my body, the little hitchhiker actually starts crawling away from me again.
I simply reach out and get a firm hold of her dress again, keeping her in place.
Then, I drape my flannel over the backs of her shoulders. “Put this on. You’re going to get sick from the cold.”
“Oh.” She looks at me over her shoulder. “Oh! I’m so sorry for misreading.”
Her cheeks darken with embarrassment. Her ice-blue eyes thaw a touch, and I’m…smitten by her.
For a split second, I nearly lean forward and kiss those blood-red lips.
Instead, I lean back on my heels and close down my expression. “Come sit in the front seat while I fill up. We’ll figure out what to do then.”
She hesitates.
