by Anya Nowlan
“You mean I’m stuck here?” Sara asked, incredulous, her expression falling.
“Oh, it’s not such a bad place to be stuck in, is it?” Everett countered.
Sara looked at him closely, eyes narrowing.
“I guess not,” she finally said.
Everett had to admit, he was secretly glad Sara’s truck was in such bad shape. This woman was somehow both an open book and a mystery. It seemed he had been given an opportunity to unravel her.
Or, more like, he was actually interested in unraveling that mystery – something that never happened when it came to Everett Grimpaw.
In the last couple of months, Everett had all but given up on the thought of finding that special someone. Seeing how happy his brothers were with their mates had pushed him to get into dating more.
What a joke that was.
His brother Evan had found love through a dating site, so Everett gave that a go. The results could have been described as disastrous. No chemistry, dull conversations, nothing in common – you name it.
Everett tried going the old-fashioned route as well, talking more to the women he ran into around town. It worked for his oldest brother, Ethan, whose mate practically fell into his lap. It only took a couple of extremely awkward exchanges for Everett to abandon that plan, going back to his tried and true silence.
The whole experience left Everett defeated. Shifters had one fated mate, the one who would complete them. Both his brothers had found theirs with such ease, so what was wrong with him?
I’m not ready to settle down, anyway, he had concluded, finding comfort in the thought.
And now, this gorgeous, interesting woman happened onto his path, only to leave once he fixes her truck. Should he even attempt to get to know her or would it be better to let it go before things have a chance to develop and feelings could possibly get hurt?
Everett’s bear growled, beating down his hesitations.
What kind of a man would he be if he let fear control him? It was time to take a chance.
“I could show you around town, if you’d like. You’ll probably need somewhere to stay, I can recommend a couple of places,” he said, running his hand through his hair nervously.
He didn’t get nervous often.
Scratch that. He never got nervous.
Everett practically held his breath as Sara contemplated her answer.
Three
Sara
Sara was in way over her head.
Everett stood in front of her, tall and lean, his t-shirt still damp with sweat and clinging to his body, outlining his muscular frame. He was waiting for an answer. Looking at him, how could she say anything but yes?
Sara had always been proud of her independence. She didn’t need other people to feel complete, especially not a man. But stuck in a strange town, wouldn’t it have been foolish to turn down his helpful offer due to pride?
Who was she kidding, the decision had been made as soon as the question left Everett’s full, sensual lips.
“That would be great,” she finally said with a smile, feeling butterflies in the pit of her stomach.
“Let me just get changed real quick and then we can go,” Everett said, gesturing to his oil-stained jeans.
“Umm, not to be rude, but don’t you have work to do?” Sara asked, looking around the shop and specifically gazing at her trusty truck.
“Perks of being the owner,” Everett said with a sly smile and shouted, “Noah!”
A man in his early forties appeared like an apparition from under a nearby car.
“Can you run a diagnostic of the lady’s truck here and order all the parts we’ll need?” Everett asked.
“Sure thing, boss,” Noah nodded.
He runs a tight ship, Sara mused.
Everett disappeared into some back room for a while, returning with a fresh pair of dark blue jeans and a pale blue button-up. The color brought out the green flecks in his hazel eyes, Sara noticed.
Everett led the way to a Ford truck parked out front.
“The F-150?” Sara asked, walking around the pickup appreciatively.
“Yup,” Everett said. “I’d let you drive, but you wouldn’t know where to go,” he added cheekily.
Sara smiled, liking the vote of confidence. She had grown tired of the “women are bad drivers” joke long ago.
“So, what’s a girl like you prefer? Comfort, good price, location?” Everett asked, making his way to the driver side door. The fact that he didn’t hold the passenger door open for her this time did not escape Sara’s attention.
Quick study, she thought, amused.
“Price probably wins out. And anything is more comfortable than sleeping in my truck. My standards aren’t very high,” Sara said, a bit self-deprecatingly.
“Good to know,” Everett laughed.
“You know what I mean,” Sara snorted with a mock sigh and a wry smile.
“There’s a motel near the way into town, it’s not fancy but it’s cheap and clean,” Everett said, starting the car.
Everett took the long way to the motel, pointing out stores and diners Sara might want to visit later. When they arrived, Sara hesitated for a moment before getting out of the car and Everett leapt at the chance.
“Hey, how about we have dinner later, I might have an update on your truck,” he offered, shifting in his seat to face Sara.
The possibility of seeing him again so soon was almost ridiculously inviting.
“All business, then?” Sara asked, tilting her head to the side. Everett’s eyes followed the movement, sliding along the curve of her exposed neck. It felt as real as a touch, exciting something deep within Sara.
“Doesn’t have to be,” Everett responded, his voice a bit hoarse.
“Why don’t we skip dinner and just grab drinks somewhere. Less pressure,” Sara proposed, opening the car door.
“I’ll pick you up at eight?” Everett called after her as she made her way to the reception area. Sara gave him a nod and a wave.
* * *
Sara’s motel room was like any other – bland and uninviting. But it was neat, well-kept and the bed seemed comfortable enough. Sara took a shower to wash the day’s heat off before calling her boss, dreading the conversation ahead of time. While her boss was great, she hated letting him down.
She explained her mechanical troubles and how she was stuck in Sweetwater for an unknown number of days. Sara had the good fortune of being one of the trucking company’s most cherished drivers. Never sick, always on time, no complaints. Her boss said they’d compensate her stay and to keep them updated.
That went better than expected.
Sara had grabbed a backpack full on essentials from her truck and now hoped her stay wouldn’t drag on or she’d run out of clean clothes. She changed from a towel into a t-shirt and high-wasted shorts before heading towards town, thoughts of the hunky mechanic filling her head.
Sara strolled lazily through the smoldering streets of Sweetwater, towards the diner Everett had pointed out earlier. She chose a booth in the back, ordered a burger and a milkshake and settled in.
Sara loved people-watching, making up stories about their lives, trying to guess what they were thinking. Seeing as she was on her own most of the time, she’d gotten exceedingly good at it, too. She spotted someone familiar looking sitting at the counter. He noticed her, as well, and made his way over, breaking her little observation session.
“Sara, was it? Decided to stick around?” Keith said, plunking down in the seat opposite her with a friendly smile that Sara didn’t quite buy.
“Hey, Keith. Actually, my truck kind of decided for me. Seems ya’ll are stuck with me until I get it fixed,” Sara responded, finding Keith’s company unobtrusive enough to keep the conversation going, though there was something in the back of her mind that kept telling her to be careful with this one.
“Lucky us,” Keith said, leaning forward. His smile grew predatory, prompting Sara to inch backwards in her seat.
“Actually, I think you know the guy who’s fixing it, Everett Grimpaw,” Sara commented, trying to change the subject.
A shadow flicked across Keith’s face, if only for a second.
“Sure, good old Everett. Quite the businessman. Don’t let him rob you, though. Make sure you get a second opinion. Just a friendly suggestion,” he said with a wink.
“What exactly do you mean?” Sara huffed, crossing her arms and frowning.
“Oh, nothing, nothing, probably just rumors,” he dismissed it with a wave. “So, what are your plans for tonight? Such a pretty lady shouldn’t be eating all alone,” Keith continued, spreading his hands towards Sara’s mostly empty plate.
“I’m used to being alone. Besides, I’m meeting Everett for drinks later,” Sara said, quickly growing tired of Keith’s flirting and also unsure of what to think about his hints that Everett had an unsavory reputation.
If there was anyone in Sweetwater that struck Sara as untrustworthy, it was definitely not Everett.
“He doesn’t waste any time, does he?” Keith laughed. “I guess when you’ve dated all the girls in Sweetwater already…” he trailed off suggestively.
“It’s just drinks,” Sara shot, feeling defensive.
So he’s a ladies man, so what. It’s not like we’re running off to get married, Sara thought, fighting a twinge of disappointment.
“Of course,” Keith said, his tone placating. “Tell me, how did a woman like yourself get into trucking anyway?” he continued.
“I like big machines, I like the road, seemed like a perfect match,” Sara answered without missing a beat. She had gotten this sort of question more than once.
“And you don’t have a man back home to take care of you? You should be treated like a princess, a gorgeous girl like you shouldn’t have to spend her time on dusty highways,” Keith said, his smile sparkling.
He probably thought he was being charming, but he was starting to annoy Sara. Something about his presence was simply… grating.
“Not much for princesses, always did prefer playing with toy soldiers,” Sara retorted coldly, looking at Keith with silent challenge in her eyes.
“Well, I’ll leave you to your lunch. Maybe I’ll see you around town, soldier,” Keith said, a bit flustered before getting up.
“Maybe. Nice to see you again,” Sara replied, trying to sound sincere and failing fabulously.
Sara finished off her milkshake, thinking back on her conversation with Keith. Everett definitely didn’t seem like a scammer, but then again, she barely knew him.
Sara grew anxious as she thought about seeing Everett again. She wondered if it was her gut telling her he shouldn’t be trusted.
I’m almost never wrong about these things.
Four
Everett
Everett picked Sara up at the motel and drove them to his favorite little pub. It was a cozy hole-in-the-wall type of joint with cheap beer and a rustic vibe.
“Wow,” Sara said, looking around after they had grabbed a table and their first pints.
“Good ‘wow’ or bad ‘wow’?” Everett asked, suddenly unsure about his choice of venue, studying it with a frown.
“I love it!” Sara exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. “Hey, does that thing work? I think there’s a basketball game on,” she continued, gesturing to the small TV above the bar.
“I think the last time that thing worked, my interests included finger painting and Hot Wheels,” Everett said with a chuckle. “Besides, no one can stand up to the Cavaliers with LeBron on the team,” he continued.
“Golden State has Stephen Curry. I don’t recall LeBron being the NBA’s first unanimous MVP,” Sara countered, arching a brow.
“I love a girl who can put me in my place,” Everett smiled, while his bear let out a low, content growl.
Sara hesitated a second before speaking again. Her face scrunched up in the cutest way when she was unsure of herself – something that didn’t seem to happen very often.
“So, how’s the truck coming along?” she finally said, twirling her glass on the table and looking a bit tense.
“Quite a few pieces need to be replaced. Noah already put in an order. Now we just have to wait,” Everett replied, shrugging his shoulders.
The notion of her being in a hurry to get away from him stung a bit too painfully.
“I need to get an estimate to my boss, and he’s a real stickler about these kinds of things. He’ll probably want a second opinion,” Sara said, studying Everett’s face.
“Most of the shops around here aren’t qualified to have an opinion when it comes to rigs like yours, but I’m sure we can figure something out. I can call some contacts from the town over,” Everett said, sipping his beer.
Sara seemed to relax at that answer, settling into her chair with a small exhale.
Guess her boss is a real hard-ass, Everett thought to himself.
The night unfurled slowly and comfortably, the conversation flowing as freely as the beer. Sara’s carefree laugh bubbled in the air around them, filling Everett with a calm he had never experienced before. There was something about her that just set him at ease immediately, and he couldn’t put his finger on it. Hell, even his bear liked her and that had certainly never happened before.
“Last call,” the bartender bellowed, rousing Everett and Sara from their happy little bubble.
Sara’s eyes darted to the clock above the bar.
“It’s two o’clock already?” she asked, eyes widening in surprise.
“I guess it is,” Everett concurred, not taking his eyes off her. He reached across the table to take her hand in his, not caring if it was too forward.
A familiar charge surged through his skin, exciting and a little scary. Sara gave a little start but didn’t pull away, indicating she felt the same.
They sat there in silence for a while. Everett’s thumb smoothed circles into Sara’s skin as he edged closer, until their knees touched under the table.
Sara bit her lip, making waves of desire swirl inside Everett. He could feel Sara’s pulse quicken as she looked away.
“I don’t think you’re okay to drive,” Sara said, glancing at the empty glasses littering their table.
“But I’m okay to walk you home,” Everett responded, not wanting the night to end.
They made their way towards the door, hand in hand. He wasn’t willing to let go of her and she didn’t seem keen on it either.
From the corner of his eye, Everett noticed one of the patrons staring at him from under a cowboy hat. He squinted, trying to make out the man’s face.
Sara noticed, raising a brow.
“What was that about?” she asked as they stepped outside, the door swinging shut behind them.
“Thought I saw someone familiar,” Everett said, trying to sound nonchalant.
“I think I’ve seen him before, too,” Sara confirmed, her brow furrowing. “Oh, he’s one of Keith’s friends! Helped him unload the truck,” she exclaimed, pointing a finger in the air like she had just made a huge discovery.
Can’t even have a drink in this town anymore without stumbling on a mutt or two, Everett thought bitterly.
Sara giggled, leaning into his side, blissfully unaware of the shadow that had fallen over his expression.
“I think I’m drunker than I thought. Is that a word? ‘Drunker’?” she asked.
“It is if you want it to be,” Everett chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist, enjoying her closeness.
Nothing like a bit of fresh air to make the booze hit you all at once.
They made it to the motel faster than Everett would have liked. He’s bear rumbled in protest as he disentangled himself from Sara.
“I’d invite you in for a drink, but we’ve already had too many,” Sara said with a lopsided smile.
“You can still invite me in,” Everett retorted, caressing Sara’s body with his slow, deliberate gaze.
He wasn’t entirely sure where that came fro
m. She wasn’t wrong about both of them having had a few too many and he would never have taken advantage of her in that state, but he hated the idea of parting ways with her. The words had come out of his mouth before he’d really had a chance to process them.
Sara seemed to consider it for a moment before stepping towards him and throwing her arms around his neck. Her supple body pressed against his, filling him with raw hunger. His arms wrapped around her waist instinctively.
She brought her lips to his ear.
“I’m not going to be another one of your conquests,” she whispered, her breath sending chills down Everett’s spine.
“I think you have it backwards,” Everett said as Sara pulled back to face him. “You’re the one that’s put a spell on me,” he continued, squeezing her a little bit tighter.
It was true. No other woman had ever had the effect on him that Sara had. Why would she ever think she was a conquest to him? Was that the impression he made?
He didn’t like that thought one bit, but there were more pressing matters to deal with.
Sara’s breath hitched as her eyes focused on Everett’s lips. It was all the invitation he needed.
Everett pulled her into a wild, demanding kiss, exploring her mouth with a burning need. Sara’s hands roamed across his shoulders and back, pressing away from him and pulling him closer all in one move.
Sara deepened the kiss, sucking on his tongue before finally pulling away. Her breathing was ragged and heavy.
“That’s enough for a first date, don’t you think?” she said with a wicked smile, her brown eyes ablaze.
Everett’s cock throbbed against the thick material of his jeans.
Not nearly enough, he thought.
But he decided against pulling her back into his arms and kissing her until her knees gave out.
Even though he really wanted to.
“Whatever the lady thinks is best,” he purred, licking his lips.
“I’ll come by the shop tomorrow to get an estimate,” Sara added before blowing him a kiss and turning towards the motel.
