Summer Fire
Page 20
Brant puzzled at his reaction to that. His gut had tightened. Apparently he didn’t like getting an image of another guy calling this girl anything. Once he realized that he would probably never see the beautiful girl with the terrible sense of direction again, he slowed the cart down as much as possible without raising suspicion.
When they reached the walk to the door of her villa, she turned toward him. Her hesitation made him wonder if she was just as reluctant to end the unlikely encounter.
Her smile was warm, but he couldn’t tell if it was a friendly smile or an ‘I’m interested’ smile. “Well. I guess this is me.”
“I guess so.”
“Thank you for the ride, Brant.”
“It was my pleasure, Garland. Whenever you get lost anywhere around vehicle maintenance, this chariot will be at your disposal.”
She grinned. “Flowery words for a vehicle maintenancer.”
“Maybe I’m not one-dimensional.”
She stared as if she was trying to read his mind. “Maybe you’re not.”
She got out and walked to the door knowing that he was watching her rear end under the pretense of seeing her safely home. She swiped the card key and opened the door then turned to smile and wave. In return she was rewarded with a macho chin jerk that made her smile even bigger.
Chapter Three
Brant set the torque wrench down, wiped his hands, grabbed his keys and pulled the bay door down. Like always, he waited until everyone else was gone so he could lock up. As he started his car, he turned his attention to what he might do with a Wednesday night. He could throw together some Hamburger Helper and watch the tube. He could grab a shower and stop by the Hawg Stop for a burger and a beer. Or two. Depending on who was there.
He was seven minutes from home, still running through options with no stand-out choice, when he saw a BMW pulled off the roadside with the driver side door open. Being a car guy, he noticed the car, but it would be pretty hard to ignore the shapely derriere that was bending over the seat.
As he slowed, he was thinking that a damsel in distress with a killer ass could be just the thing he needed to get Garland St. Germaine out of his head. As he pulled close to the Beemer’s bumper, the owner of the heart-shaped butt stood up and looked to see who was there.
“God’s balls,” he muttered to himself. How was he supposed to forget about Garland St. Germaine when she made a habit of turning up unexpectedly, wearing the juiciest look of vulnerability?
She looked a touch wary about the car that had stopped, until he opened the door and set one booted foot on the gravel. When she recognized him, her face broke out in a smile that put sunshine to shame. And his heart squeezed in his chest like it was caught in a vise grip.
“Brant Fornight! Just when you need a mechanic…”
He couldn’t help but return the smile, flattered that she’d cared to remember his name. “Trouble?”
“No. It’s Garland. Garland St. Germaine.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “So you say. But I’m thinkin’ I got it right.” Her grin revealed teeth so perfectly white and straight they could easily be featured in a toothpaste ad. “Man. You have beautiful teeth. I’m guessin’ you don’t chew.”
He intended it as a joke, but she looked confused. “Chew? Doesn’t everybody?”
He laughed. “Let’s see what’s goin’ on here.”
“I couldn’t figure out how to open the hood. Not that I’d know what to do after that.”
“Why’d you pull over?”
“The gearshift popped out of Drive and wouldn’t go back in.” She paused, seeing the look on his face. “That expression is telling me that this is not good.”
“No. It’s not.” Looking through the open car door he spotted a mobile phone. “You tried callin’ somebody?”
“Yeah. No luck.”
“Figured. It’s hard to get service through this stretch. Is this a rental?”
She looked down at the car. “No. It’s a loaner for while I’m here. Some business associate of my father’s.”
“Hmmm,” he said, like it was the most natural thing in the world to know people who loan practically new BMW sedans to the grown children of business associates. “Well, get your stuff and come on. I’ll get a tow truck to take it to a shop that specializes in Germans. They know me and won’t try to rip off your dad’s friend.”
“You’re going to give me a ride?”
“I’m not leavin’ you out here to walk.”
“That’s nice of you, Brant.”
As she smiled, he was thinking that maybe, if she knew what all he’d like to do to her, she wouldn’t think he was so ‘nice’.
When she pulled her purse out of the car, he said, “Were you running away?” Those little lines formed between her brows. He pointed at the bag. “That’s gotta be the biggest purse I ever saw.”
“It’s Sequoia Paris,” she said defensively.
He chuckled, but said, “Okay,” in a maddeningly placating way.
When she settled into his car, he realized that he liked the way she looked in the passenger seat way more than he should.
When she closed her door she realized that, in a vehicle without open-air sides, he was a really big guy who took up a lot of space and made proximity feel very, very close.
“What kind of car is this?”
“It’s a 1968 Camaro. Original everything.”
“I like the color. What do you call it? Slate?”
“No. I call it gunmetal gray.”
She nodded and threw his placating reaction back at him. “Okay.”
When he started the engine, Garland felt the vibration rumble through her body like a purr. Not a kitten’s purr. More like a panther that had flopped down next to her and proceeded to rub his big head into her lap like she was catnip.
“Wow.”
“Exactly.” He turned to grin at her and watched her throat as she swallowed. He hoped she wasn’t afraid, but truthfully he could just eat her up. As he pulled back onto the road he said, “So where were you goin’?”
“Oh. This woman at the pool told me I’d be missing out if I didn’t go to the Bee Caves Shaman while I was here and get a tarot reading.”
He laughed out loud. “New Age Hoodoo?”
She cut her eyes his direction and smiled slightly. “Maybe.”
“You still want to go?”
Garland’s big eyes widened. “You mean drop me off there?”
He glanced away from the road long enough to appreciate her surprised look. “Well, no. I’ll wait for you and take you back to the Yellow Rose.”
“You’d do that?”
“Conditionally.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What conditions?”
His lips twitched at the corners. “I have two. The second one is that I need to be fed first. It’s been a long time since lunch.”
“You’re going to make me ask you about the first, aren’t you?”
“No ma’am. I’ve had the pleasure of workin’ a full day without benefit of air-conditioning. I need to stop by my place and grab a quick shower.” He could feel her tense up without even turning his head to look, so he cautioned himself to soft pedal. With a slow smile he said, “I’m not a serial killer, Garland.”
“That’s what all the serial killers say, Brant. And death may not be the thing I’m most worried about.”
He slanted his eyes toward her while still wearing a smile. “You can wait in the car. Won’t take long. I promise.” She relaxed visibly. “Then I’ll take you out for the best Mexican food in the Great State of Texas.”
“Really?”
“No shit. And it’s just five minutes from the Shaman.”
“Oh. So you know where to find New Age Hoodoo?”
“All the locals know about Foss Carley. Comes from a family of famous musicians. Well, at least they’re famous in Texas.”
“Is Foss a guy?”
“Yeah. Went to high school with him.”
Brant almost guffawed. “Hardly.”
Brant’s house was on a bluff overlooking Bee Caves Road, ideally located halfway in between two ice houses frequented by the Sons of Sanctuary. That would be fifteen minutes to the Hawg Stop at Bee Cave and fifteen minutes to the Watering Hole at Dripping Springs. A nice easy ride either way, especially at sunset, when the warm air would rush around a biker like a ravishing lover. It was also just three miles from work at the Yellow Rose.
At the top of the hill, Brant turned onto a gravel and caliche drive. The house was small, but made entirely of local white river rock. It looked substantial enough to withstand a siege.
“The three little pigs might as well not bother,” Garland said.
Brant looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “What?”
“You know the story. Right?”
“I do know the story, but since I live here, you must think I’m the wolf who ate the pigs and claimed their house.” She laughed. “You sure you want to wait out here? It’s cool inside. I’m just gonna make a call about your car and shower quick.”
She hesitated, the wariness returning. But after another look in his eyes, she decided to go with her instincts. “Okay.” She opened the car door and got out before she could change her mind.
He entered first. “Well. Be it ever so humble… Come on in and cool off.”
When she stepped in, the cool air enveloped her in blessed relief.
There were ample windows, but it was dark inside.
“Do you always keep the shutters closed?”
“Just during the eight months when I’m trying to keep the cool air in and the hot air out.”
“Oh.”
Brant stood watching for her reaction to his casita. It was simple, but it was paid for and it had a coveted eastern view over the tops of trees that was valuable beyond price.
Garland took it all in. The house had two rooms, a large combined living with kitchen at the end away from the front door and, what Garland supposed was, a bed and bath down a short hallway.
The interior was a version of rustic chic. It had the requisite bachelor leather furniture, but the floors were distressed wide plank hardwood. His housekeeping was neater than she would have guessed. No clutter to speak of. No dishes in the sink. But the thing that made the biggest impression by far was the giant black shiny motorcycle sitting in the middle of the living room.
She pointed to it. “Is this an expressive art piece or does it have a practical application?”
He chuckled. “I guess both. I do ride it if that was the subtext of that question.” The look she gave him caused him to say, “What?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. Sometimes you just surprise me when you use words like ‘subtext’.”
He stiffened. “Because you expect me to have a vocabulary of one hundred words or less.”
“No. I…”
“Forget it. I’ll make the call and be out in five minutes.”
She listened to Brant tell his acquaintance where to find the car and where to drop it off. Then he made a second call to the guy who specialized in “Germans”.
He didn’t look back at her before making his way down the hallway. He hadn’t exactly stormed off, but he’d left little doubt she’d bruised his ego.
In his absence, there wasn’t much to do but look around. She walked around the bike and the sofa to get to the far wall where she’d spied the second most interesting thing in Brant’s house. Two well-stocked bookcases.
She expected to see titles about carburetors and lug nuts. Maybe sex how-to’s. She wasn’t prepared to find Heidegger, Kant, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, and Jean-Paul Sartre to name a few. He seemed to have a complete collection of the works of famous philosophers with some epic literature and even a few plays. The man was delightfully enigmatic.
She was so intent on reading titles that she didn’t hear him come into the room.
“You ready?”
His voice startled her, but not noticeably. She hoped. “Sure.” She waved her hand toward the books. “You’ve got eclectic taste.”
His smile was guarded and didn’t completely reach his eyes. “I know how to read, Garland.” Standing there with his hair wet, he looked fresh in clean jeans and a tee that couldn’t disguise the rugged outline of the physique underneath.
She canted her head to the side. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Brant.”
He gaped at her. “Hurt my… You didn’t hurt anything. Look, maybe…”
She knew that she needed to do some damage control if she wanted to have dinner with the sexiest man who’d ever crossed her path. So she cut him off before he could finish that sentence.
“I’m looking forward to the best Mexican food in Texas. And I’m holding you to the claim. How far is it?”
Brant looked like he was thrown off his game for a minute. “Uh… it’s only five minutes away. Just down the hill and to the right.”
She gave him her most dazzling smile. “Good. I’m starved.”
It only took Brant a second to decide whether he wanted to be indignant or happy.
“After you.” He motioned to the door and that time the smile did reach his eyes.
“Oh my God,” she gushed. “What do you call this again?”
He chuckled. “Chimichanga.”
She’d eaten an entire basket of chips and salsa before the real food ever arrived. And downed a large frozen Margarita. When Brant had learned that she’d never had Mexican food before, he’d ordered two different combination plates so that she could try some of everything. And everything got rave reviews.
“This place is a find,” she said with her mouth still full.
“Well, Chuy’s is not exactly a secret around here. Lots of people have already found it.”
“Smart, smart people,” she said seriously as she took a bite of a chile con queso stuffed hatch pepper. “Oh my God. This is the best thing yet.”
He laughed. “You’ve said that about everything you’ve tasted.”
“Here!” She held the rest of the pepper out to him. He obediently opened his mouth and let her feed him from her hand. He chewed with amusement, enjoying witnessing her rapture. “Well?!” He shrugged. “Oh come on. You know this is the best food anybody ever ate.”
“Glad you approve.”
“I’m having another Margarita.”
He made a face. “How can you stand it? Tequila tastes like shit.”
“There’s something wrong with you, Brant. It’s the best thing ever.”
“That’s what you said about the flauta.” He laughed at her. “You’re gonna have to make a choice. The Shaman closes at nine. So it’s either the Margarita or tea leaves and shit.”
She pouted. “I want both.”
He laughed. “I know you do. You strike me as the kind of girl who likes it her way. You want it all.”
“Well. Who doesn’t? So how about you? What do you want?”
“I haven’t given much thought to it.” She started laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“You read Kant and Heidegger, but you’ve never thought about what you want? You’re an unusual guy, Brant.”
“Unusual peculiar? Unusual creepy? Or unusual extraordinary?”
As Garland watched the playful expressions flit over his handsome face, her grin resolved into a smile. “Extraordinary. Definitely.”
For the second time in a couple of hours, he felt the squeeze in his chest. He wondered if Garland St. Germaine was merciful with the hearts she took captive.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“That I’ll bet you’ve left a trail of broken hearts.”
“Brant Fornight. You’re flirting with me.”
“Does it show?”
“Not enough,” she replied.
He laughed, a deep throaty rumbly laugh that reminded her of the Camaro’s purr.
“Next time I see you, let’s go
for a ride on my bike.”
Her expression went instantly serious. “I can’t.”
“Why?”
“I promised my father I would never get on one.”
“Why?”
“Too dangerous.”
He squinted, mulling that over. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-two.”
He gave a little nod and looked at his beer. “Garland, everything in life that’s fun or worth doing comes with risk.”
“That’s not Margarita talk. Too deep.” She looked over the railing, where they sat outside at a patio table. “I’ll think about it.”
“Whatever you decide. The choice should be yours. You’re grown up. Right?”
“Sometimes it’s not as simple as that.”
“Sure it is.” He grinned.
She giggled as if to prove, on cue, that she wasn’t grown up at all.
Garland chose a second frozen Margarita over a visit with High School Foss.
They laughed and talked about how different their lives were, but the more they talked the more they found that, improbable as it seemed, they agreed on important things.
One of the things they had in common was an attraction to each other that pulled like a magnastar.
At ten o’clock, Chuy’s shut down. One of the bus boys motioned to the patio gate.
“They’re kicking us out,” she reported to Brant.
“Looks like,” he replied.
When Brant pulled up in front of Garland’s summer residence, he handed her a note with information on where the BMW had been towed for repair and said, “I guess it would be presumptuous to ask if you want to see me again?”
At that, she surprised the hell out of him by leaning across the console and giving him what might as well have been his first kiss. She ran her fingers through his hair and gave a soft little moan of approval. He didn’t know if that moan meant that she liked the kiss, or his hair, or him, but he hoped it was all three.
When she pulled back and smiled, he tried not to look as breathless and discombobulated as a thirteen-year-old.
“I could manage to be free Saturday. How about you?” He nodded and tried to pull her back for another kiss, but she laughed and opened the passenger door. “Save it up for me. What time?”