She could have just handed it over to an auto body repair tech and let them take care of it, but she liked working with her hands. Plus, she couldn’t shake the memory of her father telling her to never let another person fiddle around under the hood. That went double for the body. Come to think of it, he’d probably meant that in more ways than one.
Still, Patti held fast to the idea that she and her father, having built most of the car with their bare hands, were the only two people in the world who really knew how it worked. Now that he was gone, the responsibility was hers alone, and she refused to tarnish his memory by letting someone else tinker around with it. If anyone were going to screw it up, it would be her.
After her date tonight, she decided that the week ahead would be designated to restoring the car. She’d already decided to opt out of any gathering her friends might invite her to, and to close herself off from the outside world for the rest of the week so she could focus all of her attention on the task at hand. Plus, being without a job was like taking an extended vacation. She had all the time in the world to dedicate to it.
Granted, no one in their right mind would consider being wedged under a chassis and covered in grease a vacation, but then they hadn’t grown up in her household. Patti was practically born under a car, so it made sense that she felt at home under one.
Returning to the box of tools, she selected a new wrench and the oil pan. Lying back on the creeper, she slid back under.
As she let the pan fill with oil, Patti let her thoughts drift back to the accident. To a set of beautiful, intense blue eyes that melted her to her very core. She should be furious that Jonathon Bradshaw had caused her so much grief, but the only anger she could dredge up had absolutely nothing to do with her car and everything to do with the two women she’d seen hanging on his arm at the club.
What was it with men who found the idea of having two women at once so appealing? Was it greed, or just a lack of security? She’d never seen the draw, and now more than ever, she found the idea of it completely repulsive. And yet, it wasn’t as if they were together. He was free to do whatever he wanted with his time, and who was she to judge anyway? It wasn’t like she was living up what was left of her youth. If she were wise, she would take a page out of his book and do something daring, like streaking naked down the beach on a Saturday. Not that it’d ever be an option for her, but still, it was an idea. She wasn’t adverse to having fun or being daring.
With the pan full, Patti slid back out and rolled to her feet, careful not to slop oil everywhere. Setting aside the pan, she ducked back under the car, replaced the cap, and double-checked to make sure everything was tight.
The bad thing about summer was how long the sun took to set. Patti didn’t realize how much time had passed until she heard the heavy thud of a car door nearby. She wasn’t given much time to gather her thoughts before she heard the voice that made her tingle all the way down to her toes.
“So you drive a muscle car and you like to get dirty.” His voice was thick with appreciation and held a touch of laughter.
Patti used her feet to propel herself from under the car. Once she was clear, she found herself looking up into Jon’s incredible blue eyes.
“Damn and I thought you were stunning before.” His eyes skimmed down her body, and Patti became acutely aware of how much skin she was showing. She snapped her legs closed.
“What time is it?” she asked from her prone position.
Jon held out his hand and she took it. Grasping it tightly, he pulled her to her feet. “It’s nearly eight. I’m usually late for everything, but I found myself unable to wait any longer.” He slid his gaze over her again, and Patti felt her cheeks warm. Here he was confessing that he couldn’t wait to see her, and she had lost track of time over a car.
He hadn’t let go of her hand, she realized. Gently slipping her fingers free of his, Patti stepped back. Standing there in her filthy tank top and shorts, grease and oil smudging her exposed skin, while he stood before her looking completely edible in a pair of fitted black slacks and a white button down dress shirt, she couldn’t help feeling self-conscious.
“I’m sorry I’m not ready. I got distracted.” Patti jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the car.
Jon followed with his eyes and nodded. “That’s understandable. Having something that beautiful at your disposal is bound to cause some distraction.”
When Patti looked up at him, she found his intense eyes focused on her and she got the distinct impression that he wasn’t referring to the car.
“I can be ready in fifteen minutes, if you still want to go out,” she stammered.
A slow, wolfish smile spread across Jon’s face as he took her in again. “If you look this good dirty...” He cleared his throat and shook his head. “Yeah, I still want to go out, but you’d better make it ten because anything beyond that and I can’t promise I’ll still be a gentleman.”
7
Jon struggled to keep his mind from wandering to sex as he sat and listened to the sound of the shower running down the hall.
All day long, thoughts of her kept him distracted, and now that he was standing in her house, he was at a loss for what to do with her. To her. Himself. His mind was a jumbled mess of confusion.
He hadn’t been serious with a woman for a long time. He wasn’t entirely sure he ever wanted to be again. But this woman was something different from what he was used to. She wasn’t glamorous in any way, but her beauty seemed to come naturally, as if she weren’t even trying.
He smiled, recalling the moment he first got lost in her eyes. It was right after the accident when he’d gone to see if she were okay. He’d never looked into eyes as blue as hers. They were rich and vibrant and full of life, like the ocean on a clear summer day. He’d met her two nights earlier, of course, but it wasn’t until the accident that he became mesmerized.
The water shut off and as Jon yanked his thoughts out of the gutter, it occurred to him that this might be the woman who changed everything. He wasn’t entirely sure he was on board with that realization, but he wasn’t willing to turn his back on the possibility just yet, either.
The muffled sound of a blow dryer came next and Jon settled into the recliner, knowing for damn certain that he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He had a sister, so he knew without question that the ten-minute stipulation he’d placed on her would be more like thirty…if he were lucky.
To his surprise, Patricia only kept him waiting an additional ten.
“Sorry, sorry,” she said as she stumbled into the living room. She had on one very high, black heel, while hopping around on it trying to pull on the other. “I know I took longer than I said I would, but beauty takes time.” Finally managing to loop her shoe over her heel, she stood up tall and presented him with a dazzling smile. “Ready?”
Jon stared. He couldn’t take his eyes off her even if he wanted to. Dressed in a token little black dress that left her shoulders bare and cupped her breasts like loving hands, and ended at mid-thigh, exposing her lean, toned legs, he was sure he had died and gone to heaven.
Noticing the look on his face, Patti’s steps faltered. “Everything okay?” She frowned down at herself, smoothing her hands over the formfitting dress. “I just realized that I didn’t bother to ask where we were going tonight. Should I change into something else?”