goatee a few shades lighter. He’d entered without knocking—strike one…fixed his arrogant gaze on her rack—strike two…and when he shook her hand to introduce himself, his thumb brushed over her knuckles—strike three.
She instantly disliked the guy. In all her years of teaching the art of yoga, there were two kinds of guys that ever joined her class: the overweight, middle-aged men that mistakenly thought this class would be easier than hitting the weights, and the trollers. Pat was definitely the latter. How she wished she could bar admission to these assholes who thought yoga was nothing but an easy way to get a piece of ass.
Since non-admittance wasn’t an option, Olivia had worked the piss out of that class and nearly killed herself in the process. To her chagrin, Pat hadn’t dropped over dead, and left the class looking more energized than when he’d started. To her surprise, he hadn’t approached a single woman in there, although more than one had gone up to him. He’d kept the encounters short and sweet, clearly not interested. But unfortunately, someone had caught his attention—her. The guy hadn’t taken his eyes off Olivia throughout class. Trollers usually knew better than to try to fuck the instructor. Apparently this guy hadn’t gotten the memo.
With class over, she didn’t stay to chit-chat with the other women as she usually did. Instead, she grabbed her duffle bag from her office and beat feet to her car. Hopping in, she tossed her bag into the passenger seat, and turned the key in the ignition. Click…click…click…
Shit…seriously? Closing her eyes, she pinched the bridge of her nose, cursing her piss poor luck.
“Need a jump?”
She jumped in her seat, startled by the man’s voice.
“Sorry…” Pat chuckled, walking over to her. “I didn’t mean to spook ya.”
Too late…
He tapped her hood with his knuckles.“Pop the hood and I’ll take a look.”
She wanted to decline. The idea of accepting his help rankled her nerves, but there was no smooth way to refuse, and it wasn’t like she had a lot of options here. Lord…she just wanted to go home. Sighing in defeat, Olivia leaned forward and pulled the hood release. He pushed it up, blocking her view as he leaned over her engine.
“Did you leave your lights on?”
“No, they’re automatic.”
More digging… “Huh…”
“Huh what?” She climbed out of the car and joined him under the hood.
He glanced at her and shrugged. “Any reason someone would want you stranded here?”
A prickle of apprehension needled up her spine. “No, why?”
“Well…” Pat knelt on the ground and looked under her car. “I think your battery is dead, and you’re missing a couple spark plugs. Those things don’t just fall out and disappear.”
Her pulse quickened as Tate’s warning replayed through her mind.
Pat stood and brushed the dirt off the knees of his jeans. “I tell you what, I’ll give you a lift to the auto parts store and we’ll grab the plugs. It won’t take more than a few minutes to put them in, we’ll jump your car, and then you’ll be on your way.”
Aw hell…where was Tate when she needed him? She hesitated to accept his offer.
Pat arched his ginger brow expectantly, clearly waiting for her to say something. “What?” he teased. “You’re looking at me like you’re trying to decide if you’ve seen my picture on America’s Most Wanted or something.” He held up his hands and took a step back. “I promise you haven’t.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks in embarrassment. Perhaps she’d been too quick to judge him earlier. Maybe Tate was turning her into a paranoid nutcase, making her believe everyone was out to get her. “I’m sorry. It’s just…I haven’t had the best of luck with guys lately.”
He flashed her a disarming smile. “Hey, I totally understand. Who knows, your luck may just change.”
“Olivia…?”
She peeked around the hood. Well, well…speak of the angel. As
She instantly disliked the guy. In all her years of teaching the art of yoga, there were two kinds of guys that ever joined her class: the overweight, middle-aged men that mistakenly thought this class would be easier than hitting the weights, and the trollers. Pat was definitely the latter. How she wished she could bar admission to these assholes who thought yoga was nothing but an easy way to get a piece of ass.
Since non-admittance wasn’t an option, Olivia had worked the piss out of that class and nearly killed herself in the process. To her chagrin, Pat hadn’t dropped over dead, and left the class looking more energized than when he’d started. To her surprise, he hadn’t approached a single woman in there, although more than one had gone up to him. He’d kept the encounters short and sweet, clearly not interested. But unfortunately, someone had caught his attention—her. The guy hadn’t taken his eyes off Olivia throughout class. Trollers usually knew better than to try to fuck the instructor. Apparently this guy hadn’t gotten the memo.
With class over, she didn’t stay to chit-chat with the other women as she usually did. Instead, she grabbed her duffle bag from her office and beat feet to her car. Hopping in, she tossed her bag into the passenger seat, and turned the key in the ignition. Click…click…click…
Shit…seriously? Closing her eyes, she pinched the bridge of her nose, cursing her piss poor luck.
“Need a jump?”
She jumped in her seat, startled by the man’s voice.
“Sorry…” Pat chuckled, walking over to her. “I didn’t mean to spook ya.”
Too late…
He tapped her hood with his knuckles.“Pop the hood and I’ll take a look.”
She wanted to decline. The idea of accepting his help rankled her nerves, but there was no smooth way to refuse, and it wasn’t like she had a lot of options here. Lord…she just wanted to go home. Sighing in defeat, Olivia leaned forward and pulled the hood release. He pushed it up, blocking her view as he leaned over her engine.
“Did you leave your lights on?”
“No, they’re automatic.”
More digging… “Huh…”
“Huh what?” She climbed out of the car and joined him under the hood.
He glanced at her and shrugged. “Any reason someone would want you stranded here?”
A prickle of apprehension needled up her spine. “No, why?”
“Well…” Pat knelt on the ground and looked under her car. “I think your battery is dead, and you’re missing a couple spark plugs. Those things don’t just fall out and disappear.”
Her pulse quickened as Tate’s warning replayed through her mind.
Pat stood and brushed the dirt off the knees of his jeans. “I tell you what, I’ll give you a lift to the auto parts store and we’ll grab the plugs. It won’t take more than a few minutes to put them in, we’ll jump your car, and then you’ll be on your way.”
Aw hell…where was Tate when she needed him? She hesitated to accept his offer.
Pat arched his ginger brow expectantly, clearly waiting for her to say something. “What?” he teased. “You’re looking at me like you’re trying to decide if you’ve seen my picture on America’s Most Wanted or something.” He held up his hands and took a step back. “I promise you haven’t.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks in embarrassment. Perhaps she’d been too quick to judge him earlier. Maybe Tate was turning her into a paranoid nutcase, making her believe everyone was out to get her. “I’m sorry. It’s just…I haven’t had the best of luck with guys lately.”
He flashed her a disarming smile. “Hey, I totally understand. Who knows, your luck may just change.”
“Olivia…?”
She peeked around the hood. Well, well…speak of the angel. As
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