He was about a foot taller than she was, even in two-inch heels, and when she looked back at him, she had to tilt her head back as she asked, “Which one is yours?”
He pointed to the corner space. “The black Bronco.”
She moved toward it, not wanting him to know she’d spotted him the second he’d pulled into the parking lot. He walked next to her. They didn’t speak, even as he unlocked the passenger door. The Bronco was high, and she hesitated.
He gave her a knowing look. “I’m going to have to lift you up. That skirt you have on doesn’t have much give in it for you to climb.”
She turned and smiled up at him, taking in his broad shoulders, powerful chest, and thick arms. “I think you’re strong enough to lift me. I won’t hurt you, will I?”
He chuckled. His eyes sparkled in the dim parking lights. “Not a chance of that. You’re a little thing.”
“So, lift away.”
He easily lifted her up and onto the seat. She grinned down at him and slid her legs in as she turned on the seat. She noticed when his gaze took in the flash of thigh. Her skirt was just past her knee, but there were slits in the side that went up to just a few inches above.
“You don’t weigh enough even to strain over.”
“Not every guy would say that. You’re just stronger than most, I guess.”
“I won’t argue with you.” He winked at her and shut the door.
Lauren watched him walk around the front of the SUV. He unlocked the driver’s side and climbed in the seat easily with his tall height and long legs. He shut the door and shoved a key in the ignition. The Bronco started right up.
“Where’s your home?” he asked as he turned on the headlights.
“I live a few miles up the mountain in a cabin. Leave the parking lot and turn left. We make a right turn on Carlson Street about a mile from here and follow a dirt road another mile or so. The cabin has been in my family for a few generations.” It was actually Roni’s grandfather’s cabin. He’d died and left it to Roni. Lauren liked to escape there on weekends sometimes, and Roni let her have it whenever she wanted it. “It’s small but nice.”
2
He was quiet as he drove, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable.
This is crazy.
Never in her life had Lauren done something so bold. She should stop herself, but she wasn’t sure how else to bounce back from the betrayal of her fiancé knocking up another woman.
She’d have one fun night. Tomorrow morning she was going to put on her big girl panties, keep living her life, and move on. There was no way she was going to let Brent destroy her self-esteem. He didn’t deserve that.
Lauren softly told the sexy stranger when to turn off, and his Bronco had no problems driving up the mountain dirt road. She pointed out the hidden driveway, and he turned left, navigating past the trail of darkened trees. It ended at the small single-story cabin. He parked the Bronco in front of it and killed the engine. The headlights were left on, so the cabin was illuminated by the glow.
“You live far from town,” he observed. “Don’t you ever worry about being out here on your own?”
She gave him a cynical look. “Should I be worried?”
He grinned. “Not tonight.”
“Would you like to come in?”
His smile died, and he stared at her hesitantly. The dash lights were soft and illuminated his features enough for her to see him as he pondered, “I’m just wondering why you wanted me to bring you home. You don’t know me. I tend to intimidate most women with my size. I’m going over the reasons in my head, but none of them fit.”
“What reasons are you thinking of?” She turned to face him more in the seat.
“Well.” He shrugged. “You don’t strike me as a woman who picks up strangers for money.”
“I’m not,” she assured him.
“You also don’t strike me as a woman who picks up men in bars regularly. You said you had two drinks, and you’re buzzed. If you were a regular drinker, you’d have to drink a hell of a lot more to get a buzz.”
“You’re two for two so far.”
He hesitated for a long moment. “Now you’re inviting me in. I know you’re having a bad day and need a distraction, but you don’t know me, Candy. I could be a bad guy who gets you alone and strips you out of your clothes.”
“Maybe I want you to strip me out of my clothes,” she suggested with a little laugh.
“Do you want that?” he asked seriously instead of laughing with her.
She softly admitted, “I do.”
“Well, I’m not honorable enough to pass that up because I’ve had a hard week too.” He took a deep breath. “Sit there and let me get your door for you. It’s a long drop, so I’ll lift you down.”
“Alright.” She stared at his handsome face, wondering if this was the part where he politely left her at the doorstep. “Are you coming in?”
He nodded as he turned off the headlights and pulled his keys from the ignition. He climbed out without another word and shut the door. When he walked around the SUV, Lauren couldn’t see him well. It was too dark outside. He was just a moving shadow. When he opened the door on her side, he was still hard to see.
“Damn, it’s dark out here, isn’t it?” she mused out loud. “I usually use my phone to light the way to the front steps.”
That wasn’t a lie; she always forgot how dark it was out there at night.
He touched her, holding her hips, before turning her in the seat to face him. “I spend a lot of time outdoors. I’m used to this. You really should leave a porch light on if you’re going to come home after dark from now on.”
“I forgot to,” she lied.
He lifted her out of the SUV, and she felt her body touch his larger one. He was incredibly solid, unlike anything she’d ever felt before. He slowly slid her down his powerful chest until her feet touched the ground. His hands hesitated on her hips.
“On second thought, I don’t want you to trip if you can’t see.” His voice was gruff. “Mind if I carry you to the front door?”
She looked up at the dark shape in front of her. She was still flush against his larger body. The offer was a little unconventional. She was a grown woman. She walked in the dark all the time, but she still found herself saying, “That would be nice.”
He released her, and then she saw him bend. She laughed when one of his arms went around her back and the other hooked behind her knees. He lifted her, holding her in his arms easily, and she liked it more than she expected.
Lauren put her arms around his neck and held on as he started to walk for the cabin. She touched his hair. It was thick and soft. Silky even. She couldn’t help but run her fingers through it as he used his elbow to shut the SUV door.
“You have beautiful hair.”
“So do you,” he rasped.
He walked up the four porch steps and then bent enough to put her back on her feet. He stood next to her, but she could barely see a thing. It was that dark. His hand touched hers.
“Give me the key. I’ll open it.”
She reached into her jacket pocket and felt for the smaller key ring. She placed it in his palm which was still touching hers. He took them, and she heard the turn of keys, and then the door creaked open. He reached inside, feeling blindly on the wall, and hit the light switch.