She turned the car off yet again and sighed deeply. It was over. She had to admit that her silly little plan had failed before it had even really started. She would wait a few hours until the sun rose, flag down a passing car and soon be headed back to Boston and all of the ugliness that came with it.
A sense of dread filled her stomach. She opened the car door and stepped out, walking hunched over to the grass of the shoulder and was violently sick.
It occurred to her that she’d rather be dead than go back.
She would never go back. Never.
A beam of light struck her eyes, and she squinted, as yet another pair of headlights climbed the rise and aimed for her. Once more, her heart started pounding as the headlights approached.
It wasn’t a truck this time, but an SUV, heading her way at an alarming speed.
For some reason, this time she actually wanted the car to stop. Well, that wasn’t quite true. She wanted it to stop, but she was also terribly frightened. Maybe she would luck out and it would be a nice older couple inside. Someone visibly safe and nonthreatening.
Or perhaps this SUV would pass by without a second glance, much the same way the trucker had gone by not long ago.
At first, it seemed that that was exactly what was about to happen. But then, surprisingly, just a yard or two beyond her car, the black SUV slowed down, break lights flashing and staying on. And then it pulled off the shoulder and stopped.
Caelyn walked forward a few steps. She was far enough away to make a run for it if need be. She wasn’t sure how far she would get, but she’d try. She took out her non-working cell phone and pretended to be in the midst of making a call.
The front door of the car opened and then he stepped out.
Her stomach flipped and dropped, as the stranger stepped directly into the light from her car’s headlights. The headlights illuminated him, briefly outlining a man who was probably around her age, perhaps a year or two older—standing a little over six feet tall, wearing dark track pants and a black t-shirt. His face was like one of those teen idols from the vampire films that all the girls loved. Dark, strong features, dark hair tousled exactly the right way.
“Car trouble?” he asked, still at a distance. His voice was strong, confident and clear. It sent shivers down her spine.
Caelyn gripped her cell phone tightly, tried to breathe. Why was she scared of him? Was he bad, did he have evil intentions—or was it something else?
“My car’s making a lot of noise,” she said, finally. Her voice sounded less scared than she felt. But her legs were shaking.
The man walked to the door of her car, and now he was bathed in shadow, but closer. He moved with an easy, relaxed gait that indicated a familiarity with women—
which made sense, given his good looks. As traumatized as Caelyn was, it was impossible not to appreciate how gorgeous he was.
“Mind if I check it out?” the stranger asked.
“Sure,” she said. She liked that he wasn’t coming closer. He opened the driver side door all the way and slid inside. A moment later, the engine was revving and the sounds were back in all their glory. From outside, it was somehow even worse. She knew that whatever it was, her car was in very, very bad shape.
The stranger got out a few seconds later, leaving the car running. “I’m just going to have a look under the hood,” he explained. He had a small flashlight, she saw, and then the hood was up and he was examining something.
Caelyn was curious, but hung back, still ready to run. Her senses were on high alert and she didn’t trust this guy with his eerie, relaxed vibe and charming way. She knew now how little any of that stuff meant.
This guy could just be waiting for her to let down her guard and then he’d pounce.
How could she possibly trust him? What reason did he have for being out here this time of night?
He couldn’t have been under the hood more than a few minutes before he’d shut it and then gone back inside the driver’s side. The engine shut off with a trailing, snarling rattle.
When the stranger got out of the car this time, he did take a step in Caelyn’s direction. She took a step back, tensing her whole body, ready to flee.
He smiled from the shadows. “Relax,” he said. “I was just going to give you your keys back.” He held up his hands, showing the dangling key chain.
Caelyn folded her arms. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Can’t be sure, but I think your transmission’s shot,” he said.
“Great. I assume that’s pretty bad news.”
“It’s not good.”
“Well, thanks for trying,” she told him. She pretended to dial her phone, just to show him that she had the option to call for help if she chose.
He looked at her. “I think reception’s pretty much nonexistent out here.” She could swear the corners of his lips twitched as if to smile at her silly ruse. His eyes moved up her body, taking in her skirt, her ruined shirt, the high heels that had seemed a good idea earlier in the night.