Tempting Sydney

by Corbett, Angela

  Red guided me as I pulled She-Ra into the garage and parked. I felt a little more deflated as I looked around and saw three employees, none of them with bright blue eyes or an attitude. The jerk. His work hour declaration had been a trick.

  I got out and opened the hood, showing Red the hose and damage.

  “It’s an easy fix. Shouldn’t take long.”

  “She could probably fix it herself,” a deep baritone voice that was so not chipmunk-like said from behind me. My stomach jumped and my legs felt like soup. Where in the world had he been hiding? I’d looked for him! I turned slowly, taking in his messy hair that peeked out from under his black ball cap, jeans, and tight black tee shirt with Red’s name and logo plastered in white and red on the front of his chest. I licked my lips, and wondered if it was normal to suddenly be jealous of a logo. My reaction wasn’t lost on him—one corner of his lips lifted as he continued, “When I rescued her on the side of the road, she told me she’s pretty good with,” he paused, his eyes glinting, “cars.” That particular discussion had also involved innuendo, but I saw no reason to clue Red into that.

  Red looked from Blue Eyes to me, a knowing expression passing over his face. “She is,” Red said, “and what she doesn’t know, she picks up on pretty fast. Her dad was a good teacher.”

  I smiled, thinking of him. “He didn’t let me leave the driveway with the car until I knew how everything under the hood worked, and could fix the basics on my own.”

  Blue Eyes tilted his head to one side. “Smart dad.”

  “I agree,” Red said. “Why don’t you take care of this, Jax. I’ve got some stuff to do in the office.”

  Jax? His name was Jax? Red had to be joking? My eyes darted around outside, searching for a Harley. I didn’t see one, but I really hoped he had it parked out back—and that he was channeling a Sons of Anarchy season two version of Jax Teller.

  Red stopped before going through the door connecting the waiting area to the garage. “You can stay out here and watch Jax if you want to learn how to fix it, Syd. It would be good to know in case it happens again.”

  “Thanks.” The word came out slowly, like it was stuck in my throat. My voice felt as hesitant as my feet. I wasn’t sure what the best plan of flirt action was here. I’d shown up when Jax had told me he’d be working, so he already knew there was some level of interest on my part. If I stayed, would that make me seem even more desperate? Ugh. The analyzing had to end. I inwardly shook myself out of it. I needed to stop planning every possible situation, and just act. Now.

  Jax pulled a piece of candy from his pocket, unwrapping it as he watched me, like he was waiting for my next move and totally amused by the internal struggle I seemed to be having. He put the candy in his mouth, rolling it against the inside of his cheek, then cocked a brow. “Hey, sixty-nine. Want a piece?”

  I shook my head, candy the very last thing on my mind.

  “Want a piece of candy, then?”

  I froze, totally unprepared for the brazen flirting. My heart was sprinting in my chest, and with my blood currently occupied in so many other places, the best I could come up with in response was, “Funny.”

  A smile tugged at his lips. I brushed it off and squared my shoulders, pushing up my sleeves. “So, what’s first?”

  He eyed me, his lips widening into a grin as he walked over to a large, silver tool chest and moved it next to the car. I was standing close enough to smell the strawberry candy in his mouth, and he kept moving it around like he was massaging it with his tongue. It was distracting. “It’s pretty simple. I just take off the old container, attach the new one, and put on the new hose.”

  “Your name is Jax?” I asked, watching him unbolt the container. “You didn’t tell me that before.”

  “You didn’t ask.”

  “What’s your last name?”

  He rolled the candy around some more. “West. Jackson West.”

  Jackson West? It sounded like he should be in a John Wayne movie. “So, do you ride a Harley, Jax?”

  He looked up at me, sucking the candy between his teeth. “Yeah. I also have an insane mother, and kill people. That’s why I’m here. I pissed off the gun runners and had to find an unassuming place to stay until the heat dies down.”

  “Sarcasm. Nice. You get points for watching the show at least.”

  “Is that all it takes to get points with you?” he asked, throwing the old overflow in the trash.

  “You also get points for carrying on an actual conversation—which means you now have two more points than the last time we talked.”

  He looked up, his dark hair falling over his forehead as he bolted the new container to the side of the car. “Is that all?”

  I took a breath, wondering if I could really do this. Flirt with a guy who felt a hundred miles out of my league. I went for it. “You also got points for—other things.”

  “Other things?” he asked, eyes wide with interest. “Like what?”

  I shrugged, letting my gaze trail over his arms and chest before coming back to rest on his face again. The corner of his mouth hitched. “Point taken,” he said, attaching the new hose. “I thought you had a boyfriend?”

  I leaned against the car. “No, you assumed I had one, and I didn’t correct you.”

  He cocked a brow, intrigued. “Girlfriend?”

  I could see the wheels turning in his head at the thought. “No,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “I’m just too busy for boys.”

  He looked up at me from under the hood, his eyes holding a distinct glint, like my statement had been some sort of challenge. My stomach fluttered immediately in response.

  Jax stood, wiping his hands off. “She’s all done.”

  It really was simple. The whole process took less than ten minutes. I could have done it myself if I’d had all the tools—and knew what I was doing. “Thanks for fixing She-Ra for me,” I said, flashing him my sweetest smile. “And for teaching me how to fix it so I can take care of the problem next time.”

  “She-Ra?” he asked, incredulous. “Shouldn’t you have at least named it after She-Ra’s horse?”

  I gave him a disgusted look. “It’s a Camaro, not a Mustang.”

  He put the hood down, gently dropping it in place. “Horsepower applies to all engines, not just the ones built by Ford. You don’t know much about cars if you don’t know that.”

  I glared, annoyed. “I know plenty about cars. And She-Ra’s unicorn’s name would have sounded silly.”

  He leaned against the side of the car, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t know. I think Swift Wind and She-Ra are mutually ridiculous.”

  I was pretty stunned he was so well informed about He-Man trivia. That gave him another point, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. “She-Ra is super strong and super fast. Just like my car. It’s the perfect name. Don’t mock me.”

  His lips lifted slightly. “I’ll do my best. Not to, I mean.”

  I eyed him. “For some reason, I don’t believe you.”

  He grinned. “Probably for the best.” He stepped away from the car. “You’re ready to go.”

  “Thanks.”

  He walked past me to the bay door and opened it while I went inside and paid Red. He gave me his frequent customer discount—even though I was pretty sure no one else got the same deal. I waved goodbye to him and met Jax outside the shop. He pushed off from the side of She-Ra, and opened my door for me. “You shouldn’t have any other problems with it.”

  “‘Shouldn’t’ being the operative word. I’m sure I’ll be back in here next week—if not sooner.”

  His azure gaze flashed with interest. “I’ll look forward to it.”

  Brynn came through the house like a storm, dropping her bag on the floor, keys in the wood tray next to the door, and kicking off her shoes in the middle of the dark, hand-scraped distressed hardwood living room floor as she made her way to the kitchen—it was her usual entrance. She came back with her custom water mix of lemons and limes. She
drank it all day, every day. She said it was good for detoxing. She made me drink it sometimes, too…against my will.

  Two hours ago, I’d finished a batch of cookie dough, and sat down in the living room to relax for a minute. I’d switched on the TV and landed on House Hunters. I was now on my fourth episode. I couldn’t stop watching. So far, I’d argued with a woman who wanted the paint color changed before she’d agree to put an offer on a house, a man who refused to go in a house because his spirit guide told him not to enter, and a couple whose deal breaker was ghosts. I could start a drinking game for every time someone used the word ‘character.’ The show was like crack. As soon as a new episode started, I was immediately invested and couldn’t look away. I was alternating between snacking on Reese’s Pieces, and nuts—because that’s how I justify copious amounts of candy, by adding a little protein—when Brynn got home.

  She plopped down next to me on the grey, suede couch, leaned against the teal throw pillows, and crossed one leg underneath her. “I’ve seen this one,” she said, nodding toward the TV. “The couple picks the house with the most space for a sex room.”

  I’d seen the preview and watched with a combination of interest and shock. They were on national TV, totally comfortable with everyone in the world knowing about their sexual preferences. I could barely admit those things to myself. “I can’t believe they’re so open about it.”

  Brynn shrugged. “They have good communication skills.” She took another drink. “I like watching the relationship interactions between people on the show. Their personality traits, and the way they deal with conflicts and compromises are really interesting case studies.”

  I agreed. Though Brynn’s potential career in psychology made it even more interesting to her. I popped a couple of pieces of candy in my mouth. Brynn frowned at the sugar—she wouldn’t even have it in the house if she had her way—and she took a small handful of nuts instead. “My textbooks just cost me as much as our rent,” she said. “My professors can suck it. I’m not looking forward to starting school next week. What have you been up to lately?”

  I muted the TV. “I finished my law school prep class a few days ago, so I was just working hard on that. Oh, and I got the radiator hose on my car fixed.”

  Her brows went up as she swallowed a chug of sour citric water. She didn’t even wince. That had to be some sort of super power. “How did that go?”

  “Good,” I said, replaying the highlights in my head—for the fiftieth time.

  “And?” she prompted, rotating her free hand in circles to encourage me to go on—now. “Was Blue Eyes there?”

  I nodded. “He showed me how to fix it in case it happens again.”

  Brynn snorted. “Why would you want to know that when you can just take it back to him and watch his ass as he bends over and fixes it for you?”

  Yes…I’d had a similar thought. The view was well worth the money. Now that I knew how to fix the hose and overflow, I could easily dismantle it—or something else on the car—and go back for more maintenance. “I spend almost as much time at Red’s getting my car fixed as I do at school or home. I’m sure I’ll be in there for something else soon.”

  She nodded. “That’s true. And you can look at his ass again when you go back.”

  I shifted my leg underneath me as I laughed. “And everything else. His name is Jax.”

  She choked on a nut—something she’d probably done before, only this one was actually edible. She took a drink to wash it down. “You’ve got to be kidding,” she said, her voice still a little raw.

  I shook my head. “Nope. And when I made a reference to Sons of Anarchy, he totally got it. So he gets points for that.”

  “Hell, with that ass and face, he didn’t need more points, but good for you. You need to get on that. And by ‘get on,’ I mean get on him and ride him like a horse before someone else does.”

  I worried my bottom lip. I had no doubt Jax had a lot of experience in the riding arena. It made me nervous, and a little excited, too. “Maybe,” I said, relenting a bit. I’d already told her about my plan to try to have a little more fun. She was highly supportive. “We’ll see where it goes.”

  “What are you talking about?” she asked, her face lined with disbelief. “Stop wasting time and just do it!”

  I lifted my leg, resting it on the white coffee table stacked with magazines, and decorated with teal and black candles. My parents had insisted on buying all of our furniture and decor. I’d argued at first, but no child has a chance against the resolve of their mother. My parents had insisted they wanted to do it, and I’d let them because I knew my mom’s reasons went deeper than just a parent wanting to spoil her child. “I’m not like you, Brynn,” I sighed. “I can’t just hop into bed with a guy. I think it’s risky, and I need an emotional connection. I have to feel something more than attraction—I need to really know him. I have to feel like there’s the potential for something more than a meaningless hook-up—even if I’m so not ready for a relationship yet.”

  Brynn stood and grabbed her now empty cup. She could throw back water like a frat boy throws back bad beer. “Sometimes there’s not more, Syd. Sometimes it’s just fun, and that’s all it is. Do yourself a favor and have some. Blue Eyes looks like he’d be a blast.”

  “You know his name is Jax.”

  She grinned as she walked away. “He’ll always be Blue Eyes to me.”

  I laughed, and glanced at my watch. Brynn and I volunteered at CARE—a lodging facility for families from out of town with loved ones in hospitals. We went in a few times a month. CARE tried to handle everything for the families so they could concentrate on helping their loved ones get better. Tonight was our night to serve dinner. I grabbed the candy and nuts off the coffee table and walked into the kitchen to put them away. “Are you almost ready?” I yelled to Brynn. “We need to leave soon.”

  “Yep, I just need to change,” she yelled back from her room down the hall. “Be there in a minute.”

  I opened the fridge and grabbed the cookie dough I’d made earlier.

  I really enjoyed volunteering at CARE. It was a cause close to my heart. Being with the families was such a humbling experience, and the people were truly grateful. Hearing their stories inspired me to want to make the world a better place, and help as many people as possible. I wasn’t sure how I’d do that yet, but it was one of my many goals. I knew that after I got my law degree, I wanted to keep working with CARE in some capacity.

  CARE housed everyone from parents of patients to extended family members. After we’d finished serving dinner, a bunch of the kids helped me roll the peanut butter cookie dough into balls. When the cookies were done, I had several eager assistants help unwrap Hershey’s kisses and press them into the warm cookies.

  After we’d cleaned everything up, Brynn and I sat down and chatted with some of the residents, and read books to a few of the kids.

  “Read it again!” Macy cried when I’d finished Rapunzel for the second time. She was four years old, with strawberry blonde colored curls, and she was adorable. Her brother was in the hospital being treated for spinal injuries he’d suffered after a car accident.

  “Again? Don’t you want a different story?”

  She shook her long, bright locks. It was pretty obvious why she liked this story so much. “This one!”

  I tugged her hair. “I bet your hair is long enough to climb up. Wanna try?”

  She giggled, shaking her head. “You’re so silly, Syd.” She picked up the oversized book and turned it page-by-page back to the beginning, careful not to drop the cookie she was holding in her left hand. I wasn’t sure how many she’d eaten, but it was probably more than her mom had authorized. I knew the peanut butter kiss cookies were her favorite, so I tried to make them a lot. I started the story over again, reading until her mom came to take her to bed.

  “She’s had some cookies,” I warned. Her mom, Patti, laughed and nodded as she walked away.

  I stood, rubbing my eyes
. The end of my law school prep class had kicked my butt, hard. It had been a long week, and I was looking forward to my bed. “You’re good with her,” Charlie said. Charlie had been with CARE for a long time. He’d come here originally for help while his wife was going through chemo. Charlie had been so moved by the love and support of the people at CARE during his stay that he’d started working with the organization, and had been their executive director for the past five years. I admired him, and his strength. Working at a place like CARE was an emotional rollercoaster. One day you’d get to celebrate a triumph, and the next, mourn a tragedy.

  I stretched my arms above me, letting my muscles loosen. “She’s easy to entertain.”

  “Well, we appreciate all you do to help out.”

  I looked around at the toys, couches, and TV. The home-away-from home for everyone CARE helped. “It means a lot to me.”

  He patted me on the back. “I know.”

  “The construction seems to be going well.” CARE was adding on to the house so they could accommodate more temporary residents.

  Charlie nodded, looking toward the back of the house where the construction was taking place. “It should be done in the next couple of months.”

  “I’m glad you’ll be able to help more people with the addition.”

  “Me, too.”

  Brynn came up to me, her purse hanging from her shoulder. “The cookies are gone and the kids probably won’t sleep tonight. Our job is done.”

  Charlie laughed. “We’ll see you girls soon.”

  “Have a good night,” I said.

  “You, too.”

  Brynn and I walked out to the car and I went home to fall into bed, and hopefully some dreams starring a sexy mechanic.

  Few things were more annoying than car problems. With a car like She-Ra, I was used to the unexpected. But a car problem that required me to change my tire at seven in the morning in heels before my first class on my first day of law school was even more annoying than my usual car issues. My hands were covered in mud and dirt by the time I was done, but my jeans, button-up lilac colored shirt, and black blazer were fine. I said a silent thanks to my dad for teaching me how to change a tire in less than ten minutes, and rushed out the door to my class. I was frazzled, but made it through the first day without getting an ulcer—at least, as far as I could tell. Part of that was because of my friend, Cade. He’d been in my law school prep class over the summer, and we’d helped each other on a few assignments. When I got to school this morning, I was happy to see we had some classes together. We’d made plans to get together and study later in the week.