Right at that moment, that was a dilemma he didn’t want to contemplate. He was worried enough about his mother’s health. The idea that finding out about her son’s lie might make it worse had him flat out scared out of his mind. The old man climbed into the cab, pulled his seatbelt on and started the truck. “Ready to rock?” he asked, glancing over at his passenger.
“I was born ready,” Travis answered, lookin g out the window. “Just how far is this town anyway? It doesn’t look like there’s anything alive for a good long ways.”
“We are a bit off the beaten path,” the old man answered, chuckling. “We’ll be smack dab in the middle of town in about twenty minutes, give or take. Not much traffic around here in the middle of the day. Most folks are workin’ … either their own farms or in town.”
“Can’t be much of a town, around this God forsaken place,” Travis observed dryly.
“We do alright… You won’t see any of us complainin’ none.” “I didn’t mean to insult you or your way of life,” Travis said, blushing lightly. “I guess it’s just frustration talking combined with the desert heat. Is it always this hot around here?” he asked, wiping the sweat from his brow again, feeling warm despite the airconditioned interior of the truck.
“In the summer time, yeah. Pretty much,” the old man said, shrugging. “After a while, you get used to it.” “I seriously cannot imagine ever getting used to being this hot,” Travis declared, shaking his head. “You people who live here must have skin as thick as leather.”
The old man laughed again and nodded his head. “I’d say that may very well be true for most of us.”
Travis closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the seat, tipping his hat low over his eyes. “I think I’m going to rest my eyes a bit until we get there. The sun is giving me a headache, and I forgot my sunglasses.”
The rest of the ride into town was silent. The only sound in the cab of the truck was the sound of the tires hitting the pavement and the labored breathing of the old man behind the wheel.
It seemed like his eyes hadn’t been closed for very long before the truck rolled to a stop. Travis opened them and looked around, squinting. They were sitting in front of a large garage with two bays. A sporty car was sitting out front, running with a very happy looking woman sitting behind the wheel. The woman pulled the car out onto the road and drove away with her music blaring and Travis climbed out of the truck, instantly regretting it. It was seriously muggy outside.
The old man unhooked his car and nodded to him. “You’ll be taken care of shortly. It’s goin’ on supper time, and the Mrs. is waitin’ on me.”
“Thanks for the tow. What do I owe you?”
“I’ll just have the shop add my bill to your total and collect it later. We’re pretty easy goin’ round these parts.” Travis watched the old man jump back up into his truck and drive away and he shook his head in disbelief. It was rare for anyone to put that much faith in anyone else. Especially when it came to their money. Figuring that this mechanic must be something really special, he turned and headed inside.
He spotted someone bent over behind the counter when he got inside. He couldn’t really see them at all. The only reason he knew someone was back there was because of all the clattering sounds of tools being placed in a large toolbox.
“I was just towed in, and I was told that this was the only place that could get my car back up and running quickly. I have to warn you, that car is my baby… she means the world to me.”
Feminine laughter came from the other side of the counter and the woman stood up. The first thing he saw was the top of her head, covered with long flowing raven black hair. She had a slim figure and was wearing a top that was knotted just under her breasts, showing off a lot of skin. On her bottom half, faithfully hugging her hips, she wore cut off blue jeans that barely covered her butt.
Travis felt as if his tongue had swelled in his mouth, which had gone as dry as the desert his car had broken down in. This woman was by far the sexiest he’d ever seen. He could see tattoos covering her side, the top of her chest, her elbow and another peeking up out of the top of her shorts on her hip. He’d always loved women tough enough to have ink; they were naturally a little on the wild side and acted the part in bed, driving him equally wild.
“I’m sure Lou told you that I feel the same way about pretty much every car that comes through here. No worries,” she assured him, settling a wrench into the tool box and wiping her hands on a rag. “We’ll have your car up and running in no time. Why don’t you help me push her into bay two… First thing in the morning, we’ll take a look at her, and see what’s going on. It’s the end of a pretty long day here at the shop and I was just gearing up to head home. Where you stayin’ cowboy?”
“I really don’t know,” he answered truthfully. “Is there even a hotel around here? This town seems about the size of a postage stamp to me,” he said chuckling.
“A hotel?” she asked laughing. “Yeah, pretty much no one stops on their way through. Like you said, we’re a fairly small town and we’re in the middle of nowhere. We’re not exactly a tourist trap. Sorry, but no hotels. Anyone who does stop through here knows someone who would be insulted if they stayed anywhere but with them. I’ve got a spare room, you can stay with me,” she offered, grabbing her keys and heading to the front door to lock up. “My truck’s around the back, follow me.”
“Just like that? You don’t even know my name,” Travis said, scratching his head as he followed that. “For all you know I could be a serial killer…”
“Are you?” she asked, chuckling as she opened the back door and held it open for him.
“No, of course not, but then again, I wouldn’t exactly admit it to you if I was,” he answered laughing with her, liking her easy going personality.
The woman nodded her head and held out her hand in offering. He reached out and shook it, smiling when she spoke. “I’m Laurie Schmidt… and you are?”
“Travis Robbins at your service,” he answered, shaking her hand. She had a strong grip for a girl. He turned and looked at the truck sitting just beside them and whistled in appreciation. “That’s some ride you’ve got there,” he said, walking over to it and walking slowly around it.
The truck was a dual cab with an extended bed and dual wheels in the back. It was solid black with royal blue interior. The thing was gorgeous. Almost as much so as its owner. Travis gained a whole new appreciation for the woman who had so willingly opened her home to him.
“Thanks,” she said, climbing behind the wheel. “This is my baby,” she added, grinning widely. “The first thing I bought for myself after I moved out on my own. My folks died and my younger brother took over their place… I figured it was past time for me to move on. It would have just been pathetic for me to live at home with my brother.”
She was driving and Travis relaxed in the seat, enjoying her company. “What time does the shop open in the morning?” he asked, looking at her, thinking just how beautiful she really was. “I’m in a bit of a hurry to get back on the road. My Ma is really sick and I really need to get home to her… I gave her my word.”
“I’m sorry about your Ma,” she said, flinching. “I know how hard that can be. Be glad you get to spend time with her before she goes. I didn’t get that opportunity. My folks died suddenly with no warning. As to the shop, I normally open the doors at seven in the morning. I suppose, I can see about coming in a half hour earlier… Depending on what the problem is, I don’t see why I can’t get you back on the road by the end of the day… The next day at the latest, unless I have to order in parts from out of state… Then, we’re at the mercy of the mail delivery service.”
“What about the mechanic?” he asked, sneaking a glance over at her. “Will he have issues coming in early?” She tensed up and he wondered what he’d said wrong. She gritted her teeth and shook her head. “I AM the mechanic. Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to make
assumptions? Just because I’m
a woman, doesn’t mean I’m not perfectly capable of fixing a car. Why, when I found this truck, it had to be towed in. I refurbished it and rebuilt the engine from the ground up. She runs like a top.”
“Sorry if I insulted you… I honestly didn’t know,” he said, feeling ashamed of himself. “I just figured you were the one who booked all the appointments and ordered the parts… Didn’t figure that would leave time for much else. That’s a lot to take on for any one person.”
“It is,” she agreed nodding her head, relaxing a little bit. “I run the place alone and believe me; my brothers are constantly getting on me about hiring help. I’m determined to show them that I’m perfectly capable of running my own life without their help.”
“Real protective, huh?” he asked, laughing. “I’m sure they’ll be not so very happy that you’ve invited a complete stranger to stay at your house with you.”
“Thankfully, my youngest brother is out of town for a few days and my older brother is so wrapped up with his wife and kids; he is too busy to notice. As long as we’re not seen out in public together, looking like we’re on a date, it won’t get back to him and I won’t be put in a position where I have to explain my decision to him… This time anyways.”
“With your folks gone, I can see where a big brother would feel the need to protect his little sister,” Travis said, leaning his head back against the head rest. “But I’m mighty thankful you’re willing to take the chance of putting me up. Knowing that there’s a possibility you could have to deal with your brothers coming down on you for doing so… it means a lot to me.”
“I’m a big girl,” she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder and turning on her turn signal. “I can handle my brothers. As a matter of fact, there’s not a whole lot I can’t handle.”
In that moment, he didn’t doubt that it was true. Not for a single second.
Chapter 3
The house came into view and Travis’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He hadn’t expected much, given what she’d said about having moved out of her brother’s house. He’d gotten the impression it hadn’t been that long ago, but this was a really nice house for someone just getting started in life.
“Nice place,” he said in appreciation. “Thanks. A friend of mine drew up the p lans according to my ideas for the place, and then my brothers came together to make my dream a reality. They aren’t very good at letting me spread my wings and fly. Overprotective obnoxiousness is just one of their flaws, but they’re good brothers none the less,” she added laughing.
Climbing out of the cab of the truck, she headed towards the front door and Travis followed her, looking at the sprawling ranch style house. It was huge; all one floor with a huge garage attached. He was a little surprised with the size of it that she didn’t just run her business out of her home instead of paying for the building in town, but he wasn’t about to ask her about it. He’d already stuck his foot in his mouth with her with the comment about the mechanic and his assumption that it was a man. There was no way he was going to do it again about her choice to spend money to run her business somewhere other than her house. It was her business and he was going to butt out.
“Why one story?” he asked instead of what he really wanted to know. “Why not two or three?” “Before my parents died, my Ma had bad knees and I was told that it was a hereditary problem that tended to run in females in our family. I didn’t want to take any chances down the road, so I just figured I’d start out with no steps. Less hassle fixing it later in life that way,” she answered, shrugging her shoulders as if it really didn’t matter.
“Do I want to know why with such a huge garage, you parked in the driveway?” he asked, following her into the darkened interior of the house.
She let out a deep husky, sexier than Hell laugh and his body hardened in response. “Honestly? The garage is full of tools… a lawn mower, weed whacker, trimmer, hedge clippers, shovels, rakes, engine puller, and all sorts of tools that I eventually want to find a way to get out to my shop… but I have to find room for them first. There’s a reason they’re here and not there. It’s storage more than anything. Someday, when I’ve made a little more money, I want to move to a bigger shop. Someplace with enough room to set up a full blown bay or two for complete rebuilds like I did on my truck as well as my regular two bays for every day fixes. I know I’d be able to muscle up more business if I had the ability to do that sort of thing around here.” “Wouldn’t you make more money in a bigger town?” he asked, sitting down at the table while she went to the fridge to see what she could come up with for dinner.
“Probably, but in order to understand why I don’t move, you’d have to know my brothers better. Unless I’m married and my husband just happens to live out of state, they’re never going to allow me to leave. Their need to protect me is too strong. Besides… this is my home. When you grow up in a small town, you know and love everyone and the idea of leaving breaks your heart. Even if I didn’t have my brothers and I wasn’t attached though, the townspeople would never accept my up and leaving… even for my eventual husband. They all believe that I need them as much as they need me, and who knows… maybe I do.”
“They must understand that you’d be better able to support yourself if you could make more money, which you’d definitely be able to do in a little bit bigger town…” he said, shaking his head, wondering how anyone could doubt for a moment that she was able to take care of herself, no matter what the situation was. He’d only known her for about an hour now, and he knew she was stronger than she looked.
“One would think,” she agreed, nodding her head as she pulled a bagged salad and a bottle of dressing out of the fridge. “Sadly, my brothers and everyone else in this town still see me as a little girl incapable of taking care of herself.”
Travis stood up and walked over to where she was pouring the salad into a couple of bowls and bravely settled a hand on the soft curve of her hip. “You’re definitely all woman,” he said gruffly. “Any man who can look at you and see anything less is a blind fool.”
She stiffened in shock and turned her head towards him, surprise evident in her eyes. “Most men can’t see past my job… I’m so much of a tom boy, everyone around here just sees me as one of the guys. That is, unless they’re drunk or desperate… so… which are you?”
His eyebrow lifted and he glided his hand upward and brushed it against the side of her breast. “I’m not drunk or desperate, and like I said before; anyone who can look at you and see anything less than a very desirable woman, is just plain stupid.”
Her eyes smoked over and she lifted her eyes to look into his. “You’re a very sweet man, Travis,” she said huskily. “Too damn gorgeous for your own good, but sweet.”
His mouth twitched and a tiny smile came across his lips, bringing out his dimples. “I’ve been called a lot of things by women… but sweet is rarely one of them. But I’m mighty relieved you find me gorgeous. It makes me feel much better about how drawn to you I feel. Would I get slapped if I gave in to the need to kiss you right now?”
When her tongue snuck out to lick her lower lip, he groaned and bent down and claimed her mouth in a kiss hot enough to set the whole house on fire. If her phone hadn’t rung at that very moment, Travis was sure that things would have spiraled into something a lot more intense than he’d considered when he’d first lowered his face to hers. In his years of sexual experience, he had been with his fair share of women, but none of them had ever sparked such an intense desire in him so quickly. In a blink of an eye, this woman had taken him from interested to needy, and he was dizzy from the speed of it. The men in this town were definitely out of their minds. That woman was hotter than a blue flame.
She sighed and slumped against the wall after answering the phone, sliding down to the floor. “Eric, lay off alright? I’m home. I didn’t work all night, and I’m taking care of myself. I’m not out on the town with some bad boy. Quit worrying about me so much; I’m fine. And before you freak out because
you can’t find him, Jeff stopped by the shop to tell me that he was heading out of town for a few days to go look at an animal he’s interested in buying. Now, go to your wife and kids and let me get back to my dinner.”
There was a short pause before she spoke again and Travis wondered what the man on the other end of the line was saying until she spoke again. “It’s fine, big brother… I forgive you. Just do me a favor and let me be. I need you to allow me to prove that I don’t need you and Jeff constantly leaning over my shoulder, taking care of every little thing for me.”
Travis sat in the chair and watched her expressive face as she listened to whatever he was saying on the other end, thinking she was even more beautiful when she was frustrated than she was when she was relaxed.
“Yes… my front door is locked. Honestly, Eric, what do you think is going to happen to me? There’s so little crime here in our town, the sheriff spends more time sleeping on the job than he does enforcing the law.”
“For cripes sake… I’ll give you my word. I’m in for the night, the door is locked and no one else is going to come in here. Now, will you PLEASE let me go eat? I had a really long day today and I’m starving.”
Sighing she stood up and hung it back on the hook, grumbling under her breath as she made her way back to the counter and carried the bowls over to the table; her hands shaking the whole way. He watched as she settled one of the bowls in front of him and then he reached for the dressing when she put it down in the middle of the table.
Recognizing her need to gather her nerves before talking, Travis silently began to eat his salad. When she was ready to deal with him again, he was sure she’d let him know. He could be patient for a while. He knew better than most how hard it was when a family member tried telling a person how they should be running their lives.
Texas Heat (Stubborn Texas Siblings Book 2) Page 2