She noted that the mall had turned from a beautiful fairy tale to a disturbing caricature. A cloak of eerie silence had replaced the chatter that normally filled the mall during the day. The center rotunda, where Nick had played Santa that morning, was quiet. The fountain was shut off, the red and green lights that had twinkled on the huge centerpiece tree no longer blinked. Even the eight delicate stuffed reindeer, which had appeared so cute earlier in the day, seemed to watch her. Abby shivered as unwanted apprehension goaded her.
Unnerved, she took the door that lead directly to the delivery exits.
Liberation soothed her when she left the mall and frigid air stung her cheeks. She hastened her step and held her keys at the ready. Wind battered her trench coat and swirled around her nylon clad legs with biting teeth. Abby glanced around the parking lot and saw no one else in the area. She’d almost made it to her car when she slipped on a patch of ice and went down hard on her side. Pain rocked up her arm and she gasped and cursed. Her keys flew out of her hand and landed under the car next to her.
Sitting up slowly, she inhaled sharply as pain lanced into her shoulder and her ribs.
“Hey, lady, you okay?”
Abby gasped again, startled, and looked up. The lanky man who had hibernated in the bookstore earlier stood directly over her, his hands on his hips and a leer on his thin lips. Panic hit her in the stomach, momentarily striking her speechless. Where the hell had he come from? She’d scanned the parking lot and there had been no one in sight.
Unless...unless he’d been crouched down behind a car.
Waiting for her.
No. That didn’t make sense. It was colder than hell out here and he didn’t know when she was leaving the store.
Mustering strength into her voice, she said, “I’m fine, thanks.”
“Hey, you’re that lady that works in the book store, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” Abby stood slowly, wincing as another hot twinge rolled through her shoulder and ribs. She brushed snow off her coat. “If you’ll excuse me—”
She took a step and the man grabbed her arm. Instinctively she jerked back and lost her footing. Abby fell flat on her butt with a stunning jolt that sent an ache through her tailbone.
“Abby!”
She heard the voice before she saw the man. But she’d know that smooth, deep, tone anywhere. Nick Claussen strode across the parking lot, his face determined and grim. Relief flooded her. Earlier that day she never would have suspected how good it would feel to see him again.
The lanky man took off at a trot across the parking lot, sliding as he went.
Nick made his way with sure footing. Abby smiled through the pain cascading into her arm. Of course Nick had been smart enough to wear boots with cleats. Her boots weren’t worth diddly squat on ice.
“Are you all right?” Nick’s deep frown creased his forehead as he arrived next to her. “Did he hurt you?”
“No. I’m fine. I mean...no he didn’t attack me, and yes, I’m fine.”
Nick knelt on one knee beside her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She nodded and rubbed her throbbing arm. “I slipped, and I guess he was just trying to help me.”
“I doubt he wanted to help.” Nick glared at the lanky man’s retreating figure. “He wouldn’t have run away when I showed up.”
A quiver danced over her skin. “I don’t know. He appeared out of nowhere. He was in the store earlier and Becca was worried about leaving me alone with him.”
Deep concern burned in his eyes. “He was bothering you in the store?”
“No. He just hung around for an eternity.” Abby rubbed her arm.
“What’s wrong with your arm?”
She stopped rubbing it and shifted to stand up again. “I banged it a little, that’s all. It’s nothing.” As she stood, Nick took her other arm. When Abby expected Nick to release her, he kept a gentle but firm hold on her upper arm.
Her tailbone protested, but she covered her wince with a nervous laugh. “I feel like a world championship klutz. I’m not usually so clumsy.”
Nick winked and smiled, and she felt so completely safe that the adrenaline that had raced through her seconds ago began to plummet and nausea rolled through her stomach. Add that to her throbbing arm, shoulder, and tailbone, and Abby felt pretty rotten.
She looked at the ground. “Damn, where are my keys?”
He glanced around, spied her keys under the tail end of a car, and retrieved them. The heavy ring held twelve keys, and they made noise in his hand. “Sure you didn’t steal these from the mall janitor?”
“Makes a good weapon.” When Nick handed the keys to Abby, their fingers brushed.
“You’re shaking,” he said softly.
“I’m just cold.”
His gaze assessed her thoroughly. “You shouldn’t have left the building without the security guard.”
Instantly, Nick’s condescending tone brought her to a mild boil. “I can take care of myself.”
“It isn’t safe for a woman. You don’t know what that guy had in mind.”
“I don’t know your motivations either, Mr. Claussen. What were you doing skulking about the mall at this time of night?”
“I wasn’t skulking. I had dinner at La Maison with Pete and his wife.”
“I see.” She swallowed hard, but she didn’t want to give him an inch. Something about this man wedged under her skin, and rattled her composure almost as much as the creep who had accosted her. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going home.”
“Are you okay to drive?”
Still trembling, Abby inhaled icy air and gathered perspective. She was okay. There was no need to quake like a scared rabbit.
“Thank you Mr. Claussen, but I’m fine.” She turned to go, picking her steps carefully.
“Nick.”
She looked back at him. “What?”
His wicked grin returned. “Call me Nick.”
How could she be angry with a man this charming and cheeky? “See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow morning.” With a wave he turned away.
Abby eased into her car with a groan and locked the door. She was just happy to be inside, away from the chill and mysterious men who materialized from shadows. Her heart still hammered in her chest and her butt hurt and her arm ached. While Abby knew why her rear hurt and her arm throbbed, she couldn’t be certain why her heart continued to beat a frantic tattoo. After all, that odd man hadn’t hurt her. So why couldn’t she stop shaking?
You’re acting like a ninny, Abby.
Her aunt’s voice flowed through her.
Abby is always overacting to things. We’ve tried to train her out of it, but she’s a hopeless case...far too sensitive.
Shrugging off the aggravating voice from the past, Abby put her key in the ignition. She wasn’t a little girl anymore. Taking a deep breath, she calmed her breathing and heart rate. Time to go home, crawl into bed with hot cocoa, an aspirin, and a book.
She turned the ignition. The engine squawked. She tried once, twice, three times. No doubt about it. The battery was dead.
“Great, just great,” she muttered. Abby slapped the steering wheel in frustration. She’d have to cross that parking lot again and go back into the mall to use the phone. Mark Foreman, the mechanic who worked on her car, might still be at his garage.
Without warning, a shadow loomed out of nowhere by her window.
3
Abby let out a startled squeak as the shadow formed into a man.
Nick tapped on her window. “Abby?”
Although her heart banged against her chest, annoyance motivated her reaction more than fear. She rolled down her window.
“Why are you still here?” she snapped.
His eyebrows went up at her harpy tone. “I was sitting in my car waiting for you to pull out of the parking lot.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to be sure you got out of here all right. I heard you trying to start your car. W
hat’s wrong?”
She sighed and thumped the steering wheel again. “The battery is dead, I think.”
“I’ve got jumper cables.”
“No. It’s all right. I’m going back into the mall to call a mechanic I know. He’ll help me.”
“It’s no trouble. I’ve got the cables right here. We can jump the car, then I’ll follow you to the garage or your home to make sure you get there safe.”
Abby’s mouth dropped open slightly. She wanted to trust him. So far he’d been more than chivalrous. But she couldn’t quite relax. “It’s no big deal, Nick. I’m perfectly fine. I can take care of myself.”
He leaned on the windowsill. “Did I say you couldn’t take care of yourself?”
“No.”
“I’m not leaving you out here alone to wait for some mechanic to show up. We don’t know if that guy is still hanging around.”
The thought of encountering the scraggly man again made her reconsider. A stubborn line appeared on Nick’s forehead.
Damn the man. He was right. “Okay.”
“Wait right here. I’ll get the cables.”
While Abby waited for Nick, she leaned her head back on the seat and closed her eyes. What a crazy evening this had metamorphosed into.
After Nick assisted her with the car, he followed Abby through town. She traversed the icy streets with caution. As she drove into the older part of the mountain town, she enjoyed the secure feeling of knowing Nick followed her. But why would he do all of this for her? Most men would have maybe jumped the battery, but to wait to see if she got out of the parking lot? To follow her to make certain she really arrived?
Abby continued to ponder his actions all the way to Foreman’s Garage. The garage didn’t close until late, and when Mark saw her car, he waved and came out immediately.
Glad the parking lot was free from ice, she climbed from the car. Nick pulled up behind her car, and Mark’s even features hardened.
“Haven’t seen you in quite a while, Abby.” Mark’s brown-eyed glance swept over her with admiration.
Tall, thin, with straight dark hair and a pleasant attitude and smile, Mark always made her feel at ease by not treating her as a woman who didn’t know squat about cars. True, she didn’t know much about automobile repair, but Mark always went out of his way to explain what he was doing to her car and why. Becca and Sam vouched for his mechanical expertise and the fact he didn’t cheat his customers.
Abby sighed. “I think my long suffering car needs a new battery.”Nick ambled up. “Mark, I’d like you to meet Nick Claussen. He helped me jump the battery.”
The men shook hands, and although Nick smiled, she could see the way Mark sized him up. She smiled. Big brother syndrome, no doubt.
After Abby drove the car into a bay in the garage, Mark examined the battery and confirmed it had taken its last breath. She asked how long it would take to fix the car.
“I’d love to do it tonight...” Mark looked uncertain.
“But you’re about ready to close shop. I don’t expect you to do it tonight,” she said.
“My mother is in town for the holidays, and I’d planned to take her to dinner.”
Nick put his hand on Abby’s shoulder, and she stiffened. “I can take Abby home, and she can pick the car up tomorrow.”
Without looking at Nick, she shifted out from under his hand. “I’ll take a cab.”
Mark glanced from Nick to Abby as he wiped his hands on a towel. “Hey, it’s no problem. I’ll just ring my mother and explain I’ll be a little late tonight.”
“But you had plans,” Abby said, concerned.
Mark winked. “It’s no big deal. Mom is visiting clear through the holidays. There'll be another time. You’re welcome to sit in the other room and wait.”
As Mark turned back to the car, Abby pivoted toward Nick. “I didn’t thank you for all your help. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime. Shall we go into the waiting room?”
“Oh,” she said, surprised. “But you don’t have to wait for me.”
Nick smiled and put his hand on her shoulder again. His touch sent a frisson of heat through her, and she didn’t know whether to enjoy the sensation or bat his hand away.
“But I want to wait with you,” he said.
A loud clang startled them both as Mark dropped something on the concrete floor. He pinned Nick with another hard look. “Abby, can I talk to you in private for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Nick gestured toward the side door. “I’ll be in there."
After the door closed behind Nick, Mark came over, his eyes filled with unease. “Hey, is this Claussen guy bothering you?”
“Oh, no. He’s actually been great.” She heard herself admitting his virtues and wondered why the confession slipped from her lips so easily. “He works with me at the mall and happened to be in the parking lot tonight when my car wouldn’t start.”
He nodded and wiped his hands on a rag once again. Leaning against the side of her car, he said, “I can take you home if you don’t want him knowing where you live.”
Chivalry seemed to be running amok tonight. Uncertain why she felt she needed to defend Nick when she’d known him but a few hours, she reassured herself as well as Mark. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine. I appreciate you staying late to put the new battery in.”
“Anything for you,” he said, and winked again.
Mark liked Abby. That was obvious. What bothered Nick, however, was wondering if Abby returned the admiration.
Nick paced the room idly. While not exactly hyperactive, no one would accuse him of being a snail. Eventually he removed a stack of frayed and torn magazines from a chair in the tiny waiting room, and settled down. The place was cluttered and smelled like a garage should: gasoline and oil mixed.
Minutes evaporated and Abby didn’t join him in the waiting room. Obviously she didn’t want his company. The idea nagged at him. Mystery surrounded her, and the longer he knew Abby, the more he wanted to know what lay beneath her composed veneer.
She’d been friendly enough when he’d first met her, but she’d grown distant. As if she didn’t trust him. Of course, it made sense for a woman to be wary of strangers. He couldn’t blame her for using caution. Something warm in her eyes drew Nick closer and made him want to touch her and look at her. The instant attraction worried him.
Recalling the ready smile Abby had offered the young mechanic, Nick realized that she didn’t seem the least defensive with Mark. So she trusted the mechanic. What, exactly, would it take to win Abby’s confidence? Why did he want her trust? So he could get the job? Nick certainly didn’t know. He didn’t need another job.
Get a grip, Claussen. You’ve never gone this crazy over a woman you’ve just met.
That wasn’t entirely true.
Deena.
A dull ache penetrated his chest. Grief sometimes took a while to wear down. He’d read enough about the grief process to realize he’d passed through all the predictable stages. He’d reached the end of the line, he’d thought. Maybe interest in another woman meant something. Sure, he’d dated Candace off and on, but it hadn’t progressed beyond a mutual need for companionship and sex. Candace understood that. She traveled frequently and they didn’t see each other often. This attraction he had for Abby hadn’t eased into his blood. It had slammed him like an avalanche.
The door to the car bay opened, and Abby came into the waiting area. She looked tired, but the weariness in her eyes couldn’t remove the sexy curve of her full lips, or the rose tint to her cheeks.
Nick smiled and the tension around her mouth eased. “Everything okay?”
She nodded and glanced around as if looking for a place to sit. It wasn’t easy to maneuver in the tight space with the amount of junk covering every surface. “He’s almost finished.”
He moved the magazines off the chair next to him and gestured. “Have a seat.”
“I think I’ll stand.”
“Why? I pro
mise I don’t bite. At least, not much, anyway.”
“I should hope not.”
To his surprise, Abby smiled. God, did she know how absolutely beautiful she was? Even now the artificial light sparked warm highlights off her dark brown bob. Her hair looked soft, silky. He wanted to touch it. What would it look like all mussed after a hot, incredible sex session?
“You ought to do that more often,” he said.
She shrugged off her coat and folded it over her arm. “What?”
“Smile. You’ve got a beautiful smile.”
Abby’s mouth opened, but not a word came out. She stared at Nick for a long moment before she came toward him and sat in the chair next to him. “Are you flirting with me, Nick?”
Surprised at her straightforward question, he took a moment to respond. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re an attractive woman and I like you.”
“Are you always this forward with women you barely know?”
“Just women I want to know better.”
“So you flirt with every woman you want to know?”
Her relentless questions had turned the tables and he wasn’t sure he liked the inquisition. “Of course not.”
“Hmm.”
He looked at her sharply. What was she trying to do? “Are you always this suspicious of men who flirt with you?”
“Men don’t—” Abby stopped, subsiding into her chair as if a weight pressed her down.
“Mark flirts with you.”
“He’s just a friend.”
The air felt thick, as if the conversation held more significance than he’d anticipated. “What’s that thing with his eye then? A nervous twitch?”
“Mark winks at baby girls and old ladies. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Nick leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs at his ankles. “You don’t like flirting.”
“I might be your employer.”
“Hopefully.”
Her steady gaze examined him. “Isn’t it a bit cocky of you to flirt with me when I might be your boss?”
All I Want for Christmas Page 3
