How he could know that, I didn’t know.
I could be!
Well, maybe not Creed Daugherty, but I could be seeing someone!
“I’ll be going now.” He sounded amused. “Have a good night, Birdee. Don’t stay here too long.”
I grumbled something dark under my breath before I started to finish up for the day.
By the time that eight o’clock rolled around, I knew that Creed wasn’t coming, so I began cleaning up.
By the time I was finished, I was exhausted and really not looking forward to a five-mile walk home in the freezing cold darkness.
I was halfway down the pathway that led to the sidewalk when I looked up and… “What are you doing here?”
And where did you come from?
“Givin’ you a ride,” he said as he waited with his feet crossed as he leaned against his work truck.
The man was damn potent in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. He was downright debilitating in his OD green tactical pants, khaki long-sleeved shirt with all the emblems and patches on it, and his black bomber jacket that declared him as a “GAME WARDEN.”
Even his boots were sexy.
A pair of scuffed-up brown cowboy boots that were very well used.
I didn’t know what it was about the combination of authority and sex appeal he was exuding, but it was an intoxicating elixir that I wanted to drown myself in.
I’d kept an eye out the window for hours, thinking maybe he’d show up, but he’d never come.
Snow started to collect on me as I stood and stared.
“Are you going to stand there all night or get in the truck?” he grumbled.
I swallowed and walked toward him and his truck. “I guess I’ll get in.”
He opened the passenger door for me and helped me inside before slamming the door closed. His old truck didn’t have all the bells and whistles that his service vehicle did, but I found it more alluring. More real. More him.
The outside may not be much to look at, but the inside looked well-loved and clean. The motor purred like a grumpy kitten, and he looked much more comfortable in his personal vehicle than his work one. As if he was one with it.
“I have to head home and change out my personal truck for my work truck, then I’ll drive you back to your place,” he murmured as he checked his mirrors before pulling into traffic.
I didn’t argue, because why would I when he was being nice and giving me a ride?
I was insanely curious about where he lived, though.
This sounded like a dream come true to my nosy-natured soul.
“Sure,” I said a little too enthusiastically.
I felt more than saw him look toward me, and my heart started beating double time.
“How was work?” he asked.
“Great,” I lied.
Stacy had been on a roll today.
He’d been full of questions, and I hadn’t been able to get a moment’s peace until he’d gone home.
