From the Water by Abby Wood Page A

smile pushed it toward the clerk.
    “How’s the newspaper column going?” Sam Clark took the bag and set it off to the side.
    “Great. Every week I get more letters asking for advice.” She ran her hand along the edge of the scale. “Pretty soon I won’t be able to write them all back personally.”
    “That’s great. I know my wife really enjoys reading those letters. She’s always saving the paper to read the funny ones to me during dinner.” Sam chuckled and handed over her receipt. “See you next week.”
    Bonnie hurried outside, turned left, and headed home. Excitement bubbled up inside her over the day she had planned. Working mornings at the newspaper allowed her to spend her afternoons doing the two things that she loved to do—drawing and relaxing around the water when the weather allowed it.
    She shoved her hand in her front pocket. Her fingers curled around the cool quartz rock she carried with her for peace of mind. She slowed down at the sudden rise in temperature coming from inside her hand. Bringing the rock out, she then spread open her fingers and watched the gem change from its rose color to red. Her brows shot up. That’d never happened before.
    “Son of a bitch!”
    She raised her head. Up ahead, two legs stuck out from under a car beside the curb. Her mouth dropped open, and she glanced down at the quartz again. Are you trying to warn me about something?
    “Dammit!” A groan was followed by more metal clanking. “Piece of shit!”
    It sounded as if the man was having a hard time fixing his car. The noise and cussing grew louder.
    She slipped the rock back into the pocket of her jeans and continued down the sidewalk, drawing closer to the guy lying underneath the engine of his car. With the thought of walking down to the water pushed to the back of her mind, she’d find out if he needed some help.
    Work boots attached to a pair of sexy legs gave her pause. Inhaling, she thoroughly inspected the size of the man’s thighs. She swallowed. No chicken legs there. He definitely filled out a pair of jeans.
    Letting her gaze wander farther up, she pulled back her head and giggled. Eureka! I found the mother lode.
    She raised her hand to her mouth and bit down on the tip of her fingernail. The man’s hips thrust in the air and rocked from one side to the other. Bonnie stared in utter fascination, imagining what it would be like to lie on top of him…naked.
    With a shake of her head, she squatted down beside his knees. “Hey mister, you need any help? Want me to call someone for you?” She patted his leg. “I live a block away. It won’t be any trouble.”
    “Yes. No! Hey…wait. Hand me that wrench, will ya?” A greasy hand came out from under the car, fingers extended. “I can’t let go.”
    “Um, sure…” She picked up a hammer and set it back down in the pile of tools on the ground. After deciding the big silver-handled tool must be the one he wanted, she picked the greasy gizmo up with two fingers.
    “Here you go.” She inched closer and placed it in his rather large hand.
    The tool disappeared, and more clatter came from under the car. “Yes!” The man scooted out from under the engine and sat up. “Thank you. I couldn’t let go of the part to pick up the tool without it falling off again.” He rubbed his hands on the backs of his thighs, raised his head, and his jaw dropped.
    “I’ll be damned.” He stepped up on the curb to walk all the way around Bonnie.
    She laughed and followed it with a wink. “No you won’t. I don’t have that kind of power, but I can make a mean club sandwich if you want to come home with me.”
    “Yeah, that would be great.” He shut the hood of his car. “I’m supposed to meet my brother today down at the coast. He rented us a fishing charter boat for tomorrow, but I’m already late. Another hour won’t matter.”
    “Great! I’m Bonnie, by the way.” She pointed down the block. “I live in the big white house with the hedges