“Does this belong to you?” He held out his hand. The ends of the ribbon curled around his wrist like a secret caress.
He had gorgeous olive skin and refined features, with thick, almost black hair that grazed his shoulders. It curled up slightly on the ends in a sexy, haphazard way. His almond-shaped eyes were so clear, so full of light that it was impossible to tell exactly what color they were. Blue, green, and brown flecks set adrift in a sea of gold.
I reached out, taking the ribbon from him, my fingers lingering on his. I waited for the usual wave of repulsion to hit me, but instead my pulse quickened as if I were standing on the edge of a precipice. A dizzying flash of heat rushed to my cheeks. This was something new.
Whatever was happening must be a physical malfunction of sleep deprivation or some kind of residual conduit feeling. Still, the urge to feel more of his skin overwhelmed me.
“Do I know you?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe from a fashion magazine or something?”
At first I thought he was trying to be slick, but there was something distinctly genuine about him.
“You read a lot of fashion magazines?” I asked as I tied my hair back with the ribbon.
“No, I guess not,” he said.
He started to step away from me; I actually prayed to any god that would listen to make him stay. I’d never felt such a strong physical attraction to anyone.
Even if it was just for a fleeting moment, he seemed to make all my problems disappear. I wanted to bottle that feeling and carry it around in my pocket. The thought of kidnapping him crossed my mind.
He smiled back at me. “Are you looking for something . . . a particular part?” He had an amazing mouth. Perfect lips with a tiny dimple on the right side of his cheek.
“Not exactly.” I flashed a grin as I walked through a labyrinth of stacked tires.
He joined me. “Are you just passing through, then?”
“You could say that.” I stole another glance at him as I pretended to inspect the treads.
He cocked his head to the side, studying me. “This place is pretty far off the beaten path. Are you lost?”
“I don’t think so.”
He bit down gently on his bottom lip. I could tell he wasn’t completely satisfied with my answer. I followed his gaze to my attire. I must’ve looked pretty psycho in my school uniform skirt, dusty motorcycle boots, and bloodstained blouse.
“Oh, it’s not my blood,” I said with a nervous laugh.
He looked at me quizzically.
I was giggling at blood. What the hell was wrong with me?
“There was a deer,” I tried to explain, but I was only making things worse. “The deer’s fine. I mean, he got right up and hopped off into the woods . . . happy as a clam.”
Oh my God, Ash, shut up.
“So, I guess you know a lot about cars?” I asked, desperately trying to change the subject.
“A little.” I swore I saw him blush. “Just from the manuals.”
“You don’t look like the typical junkyard-worker type.”
“I guess I left my undershirt and overalls at home today. That’s what you were expecting?”
“No,” I replied sheepishly as I registered his worn linen shirt and pants. “But I didn’t expect you to have all your teeth.”
He let out a warm unself-conscious laugh.
Standing just a handful of inches above me—at about six feet—he had surprisingly good posture, which made him seem taller. It was clear even through his clothes that he had a well-toned body. Not overly muscular, but athletic, maybe soccer or swimming—a sport that demanded a strong core. Everything seemed effortless for him—the way he moved, the way he spoke.
“It’s too bad you can’t stick around. I could show you the sights,” he said, stepping closer.
“There are sights?” I teased as I turned down a narrow pathway lined with orphaned fenders.
“Sure.” He smiled broadly as he followed close behind. “The sunflower field at sunset, maybe we could split a bottle of dandelion wine.”
I looked down at the ground, attempting to hide my idiotic grin.
“Then I would take you to Windy Point to watch for shooting stars.”
“Would we make a wish?” I glanced at him over my shoulder.
“You can if you like, but I don’t need to.” He offered that smile again with the tiny dimple.
“Sounds like you’ve thought this through.”
“It’s not over yet.” He grabbed my waist, stopping me in my tracks. My pulse pounded beneath his touch. He dragged his thumb across the top of my hip bone, and my stomach lurched as if the ground were caving in, sending me into a free fall. “At dawn, we could take a swim at Crystal Pond.”
“And then what?” I managed to ask.
He pulled me close, whispering in my ear. “You’d never want to leave.”
I felt giddy.
He removed my sunglasses. I thought he was going to kiss me when he suddenly dropped his hands.
“What’s your name?” he asked as he took a deliberate step away from me, his eyes narrowing into slits.
“Ash-Ashlyn—”