“We’ll wait in my truck.” With a firm hand on her arm, he offered hisassistance.
She wouldn’t budge. “No.”
Rubbing his gloveless hands together, he said, “Get in the truck.” If he was freezing, she must be a block ofice.
Her blue lips quivered. “I’ll wait here for the towtruck.”
“Get in the fucking truck,Alexandra. And lose the damn accent. You aren’t from Texas. Iam.”
Her shoulders sagged as she climbed in. After situating himself in the driver’s seat, he started the engine. “How long have you known?” sheasked.
“Twentyminutes.”
Her left eyebrow hitched, ever so slightly. “What gave itaway?”
“Your laughter. Your perfume.” Your love scratches. That he’d keep to himself. Reaching behind her, he untied her mask, then set it on her lap. “Much better.” He needed to kiss her. And he wanted her to take off that blondewig.
“How long haveyouknown?” he asked, then flipped on theheater.
“Colton’s engagementparty.”
“That explains alot.”
“What we once shared is ancient history,” she murmured. “No more Incognito either. As soon as you complete the interview forDC’s Brightest Tech Star, we can go our separate ways. That part we’ve gotdown.”
Though she’d meant to zing him with her sharp words, he wasn’t fazed. She was trying to push him away. And he understood why, too. So, he stayed silent, letting her have the lastword.
Crockett fixed his attention on the steady stream of falling snowflakes. And breathed. The image of the vehicle careening toward them sent aftershocks through him, but he shoved the thought away.I’ve got her and she’sokay.
He didn’t try to mask the silence with small talk. Based on her creased brow, he doubted their conversation would be friendly anyway. Just having her by his side felt so damngood.
Ten minutes later, the tow truck pulled up. He opened the door, turned back to her. “Stay here. I’ll handlethis.”
After speaking with the driver, he snapped a few photos of her car and climbed back in. “He’ll tow your car to my mechanic. I’m guessing you’ll need body work.” He shot her a smile. “Youdon’t need any body work.Youare perfect. I’m talking about yourvehicle.”
His pulse quickened at her full-on grin.“Thank you for pulling me out of the car,Crockett.”
He’d always loved the way her lips puckered when she’d murmur his name. In the past, he’d have jumped at the opportunity to kiss her. But not tonight. Tonight, she’d drawn a firm line in the sand. So, he’d start with babysteps.
“I want you safe,” he said and her eyes softened. “The driver told me we could get seven-to-ten inches, so let’s get you home. I’ll email you the photos for your insurance company. If they won’t deliver your rental car, I’ll drive you to pick it up. Donotdrive until the roads have been plowed.” He tapped his GPS system. “All righty, where do you live,Alex?”
Melancholy crept into her eyes. “You were the only one I ever let call meAlex.”
Beneath that tough, independent exterior was the shy, sweet Goth Girl he’d fallen deeply in lovewith.
After she gave him her address, Crockett weaved his way through unplowed icy streets toward her Arlington neighborhood. It was almost one in the morning when he turned onto her picturesque street. Lampposts mounted in front of every home bathed the snow-covered houses and tiny front yards in shimmery whitelight.
“That’s weird,” shemurmured.
He shot her a glance. “What’swrong?”
She yanked off her wig, unpinned her hair and ran her fingers through it. “Every light is on. My roommate’s home.” She directed him to the brick-front house that shone like a beacon on an otherwise darkstreet.
With no available parking spot, he double-parked out front. As she exited his truck, she slipped and, again, he caught her. “We need to get you snow boots or you’re going to break yourneck.”
As they approached the house, the wailing vocals of Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” blasted into the silent night. They stepped into a smoky living room that reeked ofmarijuana.
Partygoers sprawled on the sofa, lay on the floor, and sat on the lower stairs. Empty beer bottles lined the coffee table along with two bottles of Jack Daniels and an empty bottle of tequila. Candles dripped hot wax onto the side tables and fireplacemantel.
