by Karen Foley
“Do—do you know what’s wrong with the engine?” she asked, clearing her throat against the sudden restriction she felt there.
“Why don’t I show you?”
Climbing out of the car, he indicated she should precede him, and her nerves jumped when he placed a hand at the small of her back to guide her. Just that light touch of his fingers seemed to burn through the thin fabric of her cotton dress. A tiny shiver rippled through her. She felt strange, all fluttery and anxious, and her heartbeat pulsed loudly in her ears. She felt shivery, yet flushed with heat. And all because this man had touched her.
He leaned over her engine compartment and flicked his flashlight into its dark interior. He spoke, and she listened to the warm, rich tones of his voice even as she admired the fit of his jeans across his backside. She envisioned those leanly muscled orbs cupped in the palms of her hands.
The next moment she was appalled. What was wrong with her? She was acting like a moonstruck teenager. It wasn’t as if she’d never been this close to a gorgeous guy before. She’d had relationships. Okay, so she hadn’t been intimate with anyone on any level in several years, and she was probably more than a little sexually frustrated. But between her job and her mother’s nearly constant vigilance, she hadn’t had an opportunity to develop any relationships, meaningful or otherwise. But here she was, with nobody to tell her what she could or couldn’t do. While she didn’t think she’d reached the point where she would jump the first attractive stranger she encountered, it was a wonderful feeling to know that she could, provided the stranger was also willing.
With a start, she realized the stranger had stopped talking and was watching her, resting one hip against the frame of the car, arms crossed casually over his chest as he waited for her to return to earth.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “You were saying?”
He grinned then, slowly, as if he knew exactly what she had been thinking. “I was saying that it looks like you have an abrasion in the insulation of the wiring harness.”
“Oh.” Lacey looked at him blankly. “What does that mean?”
The indents in those lean cheeks deepened. “Well, when the wiring isn’t seated right, there’s too much friction and an abrasion can occur, resulting in a hot spot.” He eased himself away from the car and took a step toward Lacey. “When that happens,” he said slowly, his voice languid and dark, “the wiring can overheat, melting everything right back to the driveshaft.”
Lacey blinked. Her cheeks grew warm. “Really.” She slid her gaze away from the sudden heat in those translucent eyes. “A hot spot, huh?”
“Mm-hmm. You’re definitely going to need my services.”
Turning away, Lacey pressed a palm against her chest and forced herself to breathe normally. “Okay, then. It’s a rental car, so whatever’s wrong with it, they can fix it. I’ll call the rental agency and let them know where they can collect it.” She drew in a steadying breath before turning back to face him. “Should I pay you now, or let the rental agency pay you when they come to get the car?”
He shrugged. “Let them pay for it. Here, I’ll give you a business card.”
She watched as he strode over to the tow truck and began rummaging around inside the cab. He swore softly. “I know they’re in here somewhere. Aha!” He came back and handed her a small card. “Give this number to the rental agency.”
Lacey glanced at the card. There was the business name, Sully’s Towing Service, but not his first name. Pushing down her disappointment, she looked back up at him. “Thanks. If you’ll wait just a moment, I’ll get my things out of the car.”
She popped the trunk release and was hauling her presentation materials and the case that contained STAR out, when he leaned in through the driver’s door and across the seat. She paused for a moment, peeking around the trunk to admire his ass. When he finally straightened, she realized he was holding her lingerie and carry-on bag in one hand, and her little pocketbook in the other.
“You don’t want to forget these.”
The delicate satin panties looked ridiculously fragile in his large hand, and she had a sudden image of him sliding them slowly down over her hips. Her eyes flew to his. Those mesmerizing dimples were back again as he handed her belongings to her.
Taking the items wordlessly from him, she struggled to lift the heavy case out of the trunk when he reached in and took it easily from her hands. Then, lifting her presentation case in his other hand, he strode over to the tow truck and tossed them both into the cargo area behind the seats.
“What are you doing?”
He gave her a smile that sent her heart lurching. “I’m taking you home.”
Her voice, when she finally found it, came out as no more than a squeak. “You’re what?”
“Well, I wouldn’t feel right leaving you in a deserted parking lot,” he said, running a hand over his crop of short hair and managing to look endearingly concerned. “So unless somebody’s already on their way to pick you up, I’ll run you wherever you need to go.” He gave her a questioning look.
Logically, Lacey knew that what he said made sense. He couldn’t leave her here, without a way to get back to the motel. But his words still caused her imagination to surge.
“No,” she finally managed. “There’s nobody coming to get me. I’m only here for a few days.”
“Ah,” he said meaningfully. “Well then, why don’t you hop into the cab and I’ll hook the car up.”
Hesitating only briefly, Lacey did as he suggested, sliding past him as he held the door open and taking his proffered hand to hitch herself up onto the bench seat. His skin was warm, his fingers strong and sure as they closed over her own.
She watched him as he came around to the driver’s side and pulled himself up behind the wheel. Mere inches away from her, in the confined space of the cab his presence was overwhelming, the sheer maleness of him assailing her senses.
Suddenly, he turned toward her on the bench seat, one arm sliding along the seat back behind her shoulders as he craned to peer through the rear window and align the truck up with her car. Lacey’s nostrils flared. She could smell him. A clean scent of male sweat and soap. She realized she had only to turn her face and her lips would brush along the smooth bulge of his biceps where they rested on the back of the seat.
Rigid, Lacey clutched her overnight bag with both hands and forced herself to look straight ahead, but found herself staring at his thighs. They were lean and well-muscled beneath the close-fitting blue jeans. She swallowed. His hand on the steering wheel was strong, with long, tapered fingers and neat, clean nails. She noted he wore no rings and felt an unreasonable sense of relief. Sliding a sideways glance at him as he maneuvered the tow truck into position, she couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking about her.
* * *
COLE MACKINNON COULD scarcely believe his good fortune as he jumped down from the cab and began the process of hitching the car to the tow truck. He’d been back in Black Stone Gap for less than two days and had stopped by Sully’s garage that night on a whim. They’d been kicking back with a cold beer when the call had come in. Sully, his longtime buddy, had been on another line so Cole had automatically picked up the second phone when it began to ring off the hook. He’d helped Sully out before so it was no big deal when he’d offered to tow this one in. He actually enjoyed playing the Good Samaritan. But when the headlights of the truck had first swung over the car, he’d been nearly speechless at the sight of the woman who reclined in the driver’s seat.
She was pale and slim, with bare arms and legs, and ginger hair that fell as soft and straight as summer rain to skim her smooth shoulders. In the stifling heat of the Kentucky night, she looked as cool and refreshing as a tall glass of mint tea. When he’d reached under the dash to release the hood, he’d had to fight the urge to skate his palm along the silken length of her leg, fiercely reminding himself that he was there to help her. He had absolutely no intentions of seducing her. No way, not a one.
None.
/> He finished fastening the coupling on the hitch. As he straightened, he glanced through the rear window of the tow truck in time to see her scoop that silky hair up in both hands and pile it on top of her head, exposing the sweet, vulnerable curve of her neck.
Damn.
He stood transfixed, all his good intentions vanishing, scattering like so many fireflies into the heat of the night.
2
SHE WAS UNEASY. Cole glanced over at her as he eased the truck into gear and slowly maneuvered it out of the parking lot and onto the dark main road. Hell, she should be. If she’d even an inkling of the thoughts that were racing through his head, she’d be a whole lot more nervous. She tried to act casual, but he didn’t miss how she stole furtive glances at him, and continually smoothed her fingers over the skirt of her dress.
Everything about her, from her accent to her little designer purse, shouted Northerner. He was betting from somewhere in the Northeast. Which meant she was probably as frigid as a New York winter. She’d no doubt be shocked if she knew of the lustful imaginings he’d just had of her. She’d probably never had a fantasy in her entire life. His eyes slid to the overnight bag that rested on the seat between them. And he remembered what had been spilling out of that bag only moments before.
Scraps of satin and lace.
He felt a smile twitch the corners of his mouth. Okay, so perhaps she did harbor a fantasy or two. He’d give a lot to know what they were. Then do his damnedest to make them all come true.
He’d returned to Black Stone Gap just two days earlier, having been gone for more than five years. Not even Sully knew his real reason for coming back. He’d told his friend that he was looking for work in the coal mines, knowing the word would spread quickly in the small community. A good mining engineer was worth his weight in gold.
But what he hadn’t told Sully was that he didn’t really need the work; he was undercover for the Department of Labor, investigating an alarming spike in the number of accidents in Black River Mine No. 2, the biggest and most active coal mine in the region. He hadn’t wanted to come back; he’d been happy enough in Norfolk, working as a structural engineer for the state of Virginia. Until the night he’d received a call from a friend and former instructor at Virginia Tech.
Cole had studied mining engineering under Stu Zollweg, and had later participated as part of an inspection team led by Zollweg to identify safety issues in several West Virginia mines. He’d found the fieldwork both challenging and satisfying. After obtaining his Master’s degree, he’d returned to Black Stone Gap and been hired as an engineer in the Black River Mines. But less than six months into the job, he’d lost a good friend in a tunnel collapse. He’d been consumed with guilt and anger; he should have known about the weak tunnel structure. He should have been able to avert the accident.
Instead of sticking around to help uncover what had gone wrong, he’d bolted. He’d moved to Norfolk the day after his friend’s funeral and had gotten a job as a structural engineer, helping to build highway tunnels and bridges.
When Stu Zollweg had called out of the blue, Cole couldn’t have been more surprised. But the offer he made was even more surprising. Stu worked part-time for the Department of Labor as a mine safety inspector. The Bureau of Mines had sent safety inspectors into the Black River Mines on several occasions, but had failed to uncover any significant safety infractions. So they couldn’t understand why the accident rate in the Black River Mines was higher than other mines in the country. Now the feds wanted someone to go into those mines undercover and find out why the accident rate was climbing. Stu had recommended Cole for the job.
If he could gain access to the tunnels, he could provide evidence of what he had long suspected—that the mines were operating in direct violation of Federal safety codes. He just needed to prove it.
The air-conditioning in the cab was strong enough to softly stir the fabric of her dress, and even by the dim dashboard lights he could see goose bumps raised along her slim arms.
“Cold?” he asked. “I can turn down the air if you’d like.”
“No, thanks. It feels good.”
She started to say something more when the radio unit on the dash emitted a sudden, loud squawk and a disembodied, static voice filled the cab of the truck.
“Mac, you there? Over.”
Cole lifted a handheld mouthpiece from its cradle and pressed a button, speaking into the instrument. “Yeah, I’m here. I’m giving the client a lift home, and then I’ll bring the truck and car in. Over.”
“Do me a favor, Mac,” came the reply. “Can you bring the truck back first? I just got a call that Stu Barlow’s boy wrecked his truck out on the gap road and forced another car into the ravine. The kid’s fine, but his vehicle’s blocking the road. Bobby just headed over there with the other wrecker, so I’ll take yours and meet him there. Over.”
“Got it. See you in two. Over and out.” Cole replaced the mouthpiece and gave his passenger an apologetic smile. “Looks like I need to bring the truck back to Sully first, then I’ll give you that lift to wherever it is you’re staying.” When she didn’t immediately answer, he gave her a quick glance. “That is, if it’s okay with you.”
Her attention had sharpened on him. “You’re not Sully?”
Cole grinned. “No, ma’am.” Keeping one eye on the dark road, he extended a hand toward her. “Name’s Cole MacKinnon.”
After a moment, she took his hand. Her fingers were slender and cool. “I’m Lacey Delaney.”
Cole thought the name suited her. Soft. Feminine. It conjured up images of delicate lingerie, like the stuff she had in that bag. He slanted her a smile. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.” She made no move to withdraw her hand, and Cole’s grin broadened as he saw the turnoff to Sully’s garage come into view. “Uh, ma’am?” She gave him a questioning look and he dropped his gaze pointedly to their clasped hands. “I’ll have to shift in another minute, but in order to do that I’ll need—”
She snatched her fingers from his.
* * *
LACEY HAD BEEN so busy mooning at the man, she hadn’t even realized she was hanging on to his hand. Worse, he was completely aware of her reaction to him. She cleared her throat uncomfortably as the truck turned into a gravel parking lot. There was a large, multibay garage at the far end and she could see lights on in the small office there. A sign over it read Sully’s Garage—24 Hour Towing. At the other end of the building were two blue taxicabs, and a smaller sign that read Tara’s Taxi Service.
As Cole maneuvered the rental car into a nearby space, the door to the office opened and a huge bear of a man emerged. Sully, she presumed. He had a head of unruly dark hair and half of his face was obscured by a beard and moustache.
Cole glanced over at Lacey. “Wait here where it’s cool. I’ll unhitch the car first, and then get your things out of the back. No need for you to stand around in this heat.”
Without waiting for an answer, he opened his door and jumped down. Lacey watched as the other man approached him. She couldn’t hear their words, but she didn’t miss when Cole jerked his thumb in the direction of the truck. The bearded man turned his head toward her and Lacey barely resisted the urge to slide down lower in her seat. Sully grinned and said something, and slapped Cole on the back. Lacey heard him laughing as he strode back toward the office.
What had Cole said to him? And why did she suddenly feel like a cheap pickup? But when Cole turned and came alongside the truck to unhitch her car, she could see he wasn’t smiling. His face wore an expression of such annoyance that Lacey felt an unexpected rush of gratitude toward him. Clearly he wasn’t pleased with whatever conclusion Sully had drawn of his decision to drive her back to the motel.
But when he opened her door, his features were schooled into a mask of politeness. He extended a hand to help her down, and Lacey fumbled for a moment, trying to grasp both her overnight bag and purse. He reached in wordlessly and took the bag from her. As Lacey swung her legs around, her skirt sc
ooted halfway up her thighs, but with one hand firmly clutched around her purse and the other warmly encased in Cole’s, she had no chance to tug it down. She heard him suck in his breath, and when she glanced at his face, she saw the heat was back in those translucent eyes.
“C’mon,” he muttered. “Let’s get out of here before Sully decides to come back out.”
She waited as he reached into the back and withdrew her presentation case and STAR, hefting them both in a single grip. “Is he your boss?”
Cole gave a bark of surprised laughter. “Sully? No, he’s just a friend. I help him out once in a while, that’s all. He’s a good guy, but he doesn’t have much in the way of manners. Trust me when I say you’re better off not getting an introduction. It still amazes me that he actually managed to find himself a wife.” He nodded his head toward the opposite side of the parking lot. “This way.”
Lacey waited while Cole stowed her gear in an oversize toolbox secured in the bed of a large, black pickup truck. There was no lighting in this area of the lot, and with his dark jeans and T-shirt, the surrounding gloom all but swallowed him up. Lacey hung back, standing just outside the ring of darkness.
She considered herself to be an intelligent woman, but taking a ride from a complete stranger had to be the height of stupidity. It had seemed a perfectly reasonable solution when they were in the tow truck with her rental car hitched to the back. After all, she had been the customer, securing the services of a professional. But discovering he wasn’t even affiliated with the towing company, and then accepting a ride in his personal truck seemed somehow…well, personal. Intimate.
“Hey.” His voice was quiet, interrupting her thoughts. He had taken a step toward her and now stood watching her. “Having second thoughts?”
The man was perceptive. “No, of course not.”
He laughed softly and stepped closer. “Liar.”
Lacey barely resisted the urge to step backward as he advanced. His knowing look, combined with a smile that could only be called predatory, should have had her running full-tilt in the opposite direction. Instead, it caused a bolt of awareness to surge through her, rooting her where she stood.