When Aaron popped the hood, Belmont shook his head. 揌e has no idea what to look for, but I抦 going to give him a minute to try.?
Peggy popped a stick of gum into her mouth. 揇idn抰 he negotiate his way out of shop class in high school??
揘o, that was Ethics,?Rita said. She held up her phone, trying to map their location, but was thwarted by the lack of a signal. 揔ind of gives him plausible deniability as a politician.?
Belmont sighed when Aaron started to pace, holding his cell phone up in the air much the way Rita was doing. He shoved open the door and went to join his brother outside the car, followed a moment later by Peggy and Rita. When the sun hit Rita, she cowered back into the Suburban抯 shade. Sunshine was not her thing. Really, being outside at all went against her entire life philosophy. Inside good. Nature bad. Trips to the farmers?market for cooking ingredients was the typical extent of her excursions, and even then she rushed through the process as if she had a sun allergy. Those trips to purchase vegetables were over now, though, weren抰 they? Experiencing a rush of buoyancy at the thought, Rita peeked around the lifted hood into the steaming engine, where Belmont was busy waving smoke aside to inspect the damage.
揥hat抯 the verdict??
揘ot good.?In a familiar gesture, Belmont rubbed his thumb along the crease in his chin. 揟here was a town about three miles back. Small. But probably has a garage. I抣l go.?
Aaron walked up between them. 揜emind me again why you don抰 fly, Rita??
揃ecause of crashes. Don抰 turn this on me.?
揑 won抰。？Her younger brother held up both hands. 揑 won抰 point out that we could have been in New York in under six hours.?
揧ou抮e acting extra dickish because that stupid video went viral, huh??Rita said, kicking the front left tire of the Suburban and swearing she heard it groan. 揝o what厀e should all have to live like Tibetan monks because you decided to become a politician??
揧ou went after someone with a knife on national television.?Aaron finally lost his closely cradled cool, raking frustrated hands through his styled dark blond hair. 揇o you have any idea how much shit I had to eat over that at work??
揙h, stop. You eat shit for a living. It抯 your job.?Rita stomped away, circled back. 揂nd that cheese souffl?was perfect. You have no idea.?
Peggy edged close to the group. 揂aron, don抰 do it.?
Ignoring his sister, Aaron straightened his sleeve. 揟he souffl?looked decent, but it certainly wasn抰 knife-attack worthy.?
揇ecent??Rita forced out the word through a throat that felt rubbed raw by a sandstorm. The blinding sunlight turned her vision white, her siblings winking in and out of sight. Anxiety that had been building up since her disgraced departure from In the Heat of the Bite exploded from her nerve endings, and she launched herself at Aaron. Belmont caught her at the last minute, throwing her over his shoulder with little effort and stomping toward the rear of the Suburban.
揧ou抮e letting him get to you,?Belmont said, setting her down and nudging her into a sitting position on the bumper. 揇on抰。？
揥hat were we thinking??She let her head fall back against the rear gate. 揥e抣l never make it to New York without a murder being committed.?
揑 heard that,?Aaron called from the car抯 front. 揝hould we check your luggage for knives??
揂aron,?Peggy whined. 揘ot cool.?
Rita launched herself off the bumper, only to be wrangled by Belmont once again, who gave a weary sigh.
That抯 when the motorcycle pulled up.
*
Good Lord. I should probably just keep on my way.
But Jasper Ellis had been raised with better manners than to leave folks stranded by the roadside, so he slowed his Harley to a stop, parking across the two-lane highway from the motley crew just to be safe. He might be disinclined to leave four obvious city dwellers to their respective fates, but he also valued his hide. And the dark-haired girl glowering on the bumper梥eemingly against her will條ooked hell bent for leather. In his thirty-three years, he抎 learned better than to provoke a female when her eyes said Bring it on.
Unless they were in bed. Then all bets were off.
Jasper removed his helmet and slung it over the left handlebar of his bike. 揧抋ll in need of some assistance??
The two people at the busted Suburban抯 front end traded a look, as if he抎 just spoken in a different language. Yup, these were city folk, sure as he was standing there. Dude was dressed for a Sunday sermon, even though it was a weekday morning. The girl at his shoulder was dressed for the opposite of church in ripped jean shorts and a crop top. She knew how to have a good time, that one. Jasper had a lot of experience with her type and could admire the displayed skin without feeling that spark of attraction he used to get in his belly. Now, the Jasper of Party Girls Past would have already gotten her number.
Instead, he found his gaze drawn to the midnight-haired she devil spitting fire from the car抯 significant shadow. He could barely make out her features, but the suspicion radiating from her gave Jasper the odd urge to inspire trust instead. A weird reaction, to be sure, since she appeared to be spoken for. The dark-haired man抯 hulking arm was thrown around her slim waist as if restraining her from attacking, and Jasper couldn抰 help but chuckle at the suspended animation of the scene. What the hell had he stumbled on here?
Finally, Sunday Sermon spoke up, the whiteness of his teeth noticeable from across the highway. 揧es, actually. It抯 our fan belt. We need to call a tow truck and there抯 no cell reception.?
揅ell reception??Jasper asked with a perplexed look, just to fuck with him. City people were too easy. 揑 don抰 follow.?
Jasper swore the guy turned pale as cotton. 揑s there a garage nearby??
揝ure.?He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. 揃ack the way I came. I can take one of you to bring back the tow truck.?Hulk released She Devil and Jasper frowned over the unexpected loosening of his chest. 揌ow about you? Want a ride??
She Devil抯 mouth fell open and she scoffed, 揑抎 actually rather get back in the car with my brother. And that抯 saying something.?
He liked her voice. Kind of scratchy, like she抎 been holding in a scream too long. What kind of things set it loose? 揥hich one is your brother??
She combed fingers through her midnight hair, leaving it askew in places, but damn if the wayward pieces weren抰 cute. 揥hy??
For once, Jasper didn抰 have a ready answer. 揧ou抮e the only one dressed for a bike except for the big guy, and I doubt he抎 fit.?His hearty laugh sounded amplified in the dusty quiet of the road. 揝orry, I was just picturing him on the back with his arms around my waist. Go on and think about that. It抯 quite a picture.?
Party Girl giggled, but Jasper couldn抰 take his eyes off She Devil, wanting to watch her as she took his measure. What are you seein? beautiful? Mind telling me when you see it?
A nudge of discomfort had Jasper turning back for his bike. 揕isten up, I抦 late for an appointment. If I抦 late, I抣l catch hell.?He slid his helmet on top of his head. 揑抦 going to need an answer pretty quick.?
She Devil stepped into the sunlight with a wince, telling Jasper she wasn抰 the outdoorsy type, an opinion only heightened by her attire. The fitted black shirt had small openings in the sleeves where her thumbs poked out. Her jeans and boots were worn-in and comfortable, holes decorating both. If Jasper were forced to peg her, he would say She Devil was probably the type to sleep in on weekends. The kind who enjoyed rainstorms. Once upon a time, he would have speculated how she抎 be in between the sheets before anything else about her registered, but he抎 learned to keep that part of himself penned.