Overheated by Shoshanna Evers Page A

might have done other than stop for her.
    “I’m Katie.” She stuck out her sweaty hand and grinned at him, grateful for the blast of air conditioning coming out of his truck’s vents. The guy laughed and shook his head.
    “I’m sorry, why is that funny?” she asked, pulling her hand back and wiping it on her denim cut-offs. “Did you have a crush on a girl in high school named Katie or something? I get that a lot.”
    He shook his head again and grinned at her. “I’m Joe. Nice to meet you.”
    Katie nodded noncommittally, but even just his deep voice had her excited, ready for action. “Can you do me a huge favor, turn this truck around and drop me off at the diner down the road? My car is stalled up there and I need someplace to wait for the tow truck.”
    “Sure,” he said, making the U-turn on the empty road.
    She glanced at his left hand on the steering wheel—no wedding band, and no white strip of skin that said he might have one there usually.
    “So,” he said, looking at her for a just a moment before putting his attention back to the empty highway, “car just up and died on ya , huh?”
    “Yeah. I had a feeling that would happen—but I hoped the damn car would make it fifty more miles to Houston first.”
    “What’s in Houston?”
    She shrugged, though he wasn’t looking at her. Why wouldn’t he look at her? She’d caught a glimpse of chocolate-brown eyes before, and she loved chocolate. More fate. It’s like the Universe wants me to get laid—well, either that or I’m a little horny. Just a bit.
    “You like to keep your eyes on the road, don’t you,” she asked, butterflies suddenly flittering in her stomach. Okay, it’s official. He is majorly hot.
    “And hands at ten and two,” he agreed, pulling off the highway at the sign for the diner. The diner looked like it’d been created out of an old double-wide trailer, with large, shiny metal sides.
    “Do you always follow the rules, Joe?” she asked, putting as much flirting power as she could into the words.
    And now he looked at her, a slow, lopsided grin making him look seriously sexy. “Nope, can’t say as I do.”
    “Good.” The butterflies started up again and she had to look away as they pulled into the parking lot.
    “Welcome to Shiny Diner,” he said.
    “The sign said it’s called Elaine’s Diner,” she corrected.
    He hopped out of the truck and came around to her side, opening the door with such nonchalance Katie almost forgot that guys never did that sort of thing anymore.
    “No one calls it that except the tourists,” he said, offering her a very large, calloused hand to hold as she stepped off the running board.
    She took his hand, reveling in the warmth and strength of his grasp. And damn, he was tall. She barely came up to his huge shoulders. Looking up into his face, she smiled.
    “Thanks,” she said. If only he didn’t help her keep her balance so well, so she’d have the opportunity to fall against his muscular chest.
    Eh, why not? You only live once. And this was a moment she refused to pass up.
    Katie stumbled over her own feet, crashing on Joe, who took a step forward, wrapping his arms around her to keep her upright.
    “Whoa there,” he said, sounding like he wanted to calm a frightened horse.
    Oh, this is nice. She pressed her body against his, crushing her breasts against his tall frame, willing him to kiss her right there in the parking lot of Shiny Diner.
    Tilting her head up toward his, she smiled innocently. “Sorry.”
    “No problem,” he said, his arms still wrapped around her waist. Tension like an electrical current flowed between them, so strong she could feel the magnetic pull of his body drawing her in even closer. He gave her a look as if he wondered what her intentions were and Katie smiled in a way she hoped left no doubt in his mind.
    “Maybe I could…thank you properly?” She gestured with her head toward the unisex bathroom on the side of the diner. Joe looked