“You don’t have to explain.” They came to his truck and he opened the back door, deposited her car battery. He bent at the waist and looked for something inside. When he stood upright, he had a scarf and hat. “Here, take these. They won’t win you any fashion awards, but they’ll keep you warm.”
Prudence won over pride, and she accepted the accessories. She put the hat on first, then wrapped the scarf around her neck as she walked to the passenger side. When she buckled her seatbelt, she caught the leathery, spicy scent of Carl on the scarf.
All the breath left her lungs in one fell swoop. She wanted to yank the scarf off her neck and throw it out the window, yet that was also the last thing she wanted to do. Was it wrong to indulge this hidden pleasure for a few minutes? She inhaled a deep breath, purposely drawing the masculine smell to her senses.
“Ready?” Carl watched her with a glint of amusement.
He knew.
Her cheeks warmed, but even her embarrassment wasn’t enough to overshadow the pleasure of wearing the scarf. It was the closest she’d come to being in his arms again. It connected her to him, covered her with the safety she’d always felt in his presence. “I’m ready.”
They drove to the auto parts store in quiet. If the full parking lot was any indication, the weather was wreaking havoc on lots of cars. Either that, or everybody was gearing up for holiday travel.
Carl shifted into park. “Stay put and I’ll run in.”
“I can do it.”
“I’ll make sure they have the battery first. No sense in you venturing into the cold for no reason.”
She didn’t resist. Despite the strain between them, it was nice to have someone take care of her for a change. She pulled her debit card from her wallet. “Take this.”
Please don’t let the battery be more than I have in my account.
“I’ll be right back.” He carried the old battery into the store. Fifteen minutes later, he returned with another.
Luna hopped out of the truck and opened the backdoor for him. “They had it?”
“Yes.”
“How much was it?” She held her breath, waiting for his answer.
He told her a number substantially lower than she’d expected. “It’s a cheap brand, but I’ve used them before and they’re reliable.”
“Thank you.” Her arms itched to hug him and show her relief and appreciation, but that would be a horrible idea, so she kept her arms to her side.
“The receipt paper jammed. I could have waited, but I figured you’d want to get back to the girls.” He closed the rear door and glanced at her. “If you have any issues, they can look it up by your phone number.”
“Hopefully there won’t be any problems.” Once she’d taken her seat and buckled again, she pulled her checkbook register and calculator from her purse. She noted the new charge and tallied her new balance. It would be tight, and she’d have to strictly limit her gas expenditure to work and back, but she could buy each of the girls a small present.
“When we get back to the shelter, I’ll install the battery for you. If you don’t mind leaving your keys with me, I’ll test it in an hour to make sure everything runs fine.” He reached into his pocket and handed the debit card to her.
“I’d be grateful for that.” She tucked the plastic card in her wallet. “Would you mind making one more stop? The dollar store has a toy sale and I’d like to pick out one for Mercy and Skye.”
He glanced her way and grinned. “Maybe I’ll pick out a new toy for Hope.”
“You spoil her.”
“Are you complaining?” His eyes danced with amusement.
“Never.” She’d missed this easy banter between them. “She deserves every bit of spoiling she receives.”
“I can’t believe the difference a month has made.”
“You know what amazes me? In spite of all the trauma and suspected abuse she experienced, she has the sweetest personality.”
Carl pinned her with his gaze. When he spoke, his voice came out low and husky. “Just like you.”
His words were a found treasure, a hint of what they’d shared. She wanted to bask in their warm glow, but that wasn’t safe for her fragile heart. “When I stopped in last week, they had a box of cute stuffed animals. I thought I’d pick one out one of those for Mercy, and then a play ball for Skye with one of her favorite characters on it.”
