Chapter 2
Cassie
“You sorry excuse of junk!” I yelled out into the night.
This was the twelfth time this car had died on me.
I didn’t get what the problem was.
It had three new batteries.
Two new alternators.
A new starter.
A recent oil change.
A tune-up.
So, what was this car’s freaking deal?
I sighed as I pulled up my phone and then shook my head.
Because there was no one I could call.
Ever feel like the entire world was against you?
Wasn’t the middle of September supposed to be the start of the best time of the year?
Well... it wasn’t.
It totally wasn’t.
Just then, I felt it.
Little white droplets were hitting my cheeks.
I sighed and then thought about what I could do.
I couldn’t call a wrecker because I didn’t have the money for it.
And like I said, I didn’t have anyone to call.
Fucking. Great.
Knowing there was nothing I could do, I then remembered that I had two miles left to get to my new destination.
I was starting a new job in two weeks.
Two. Weeks.
At Fusion. A massage parlor.
And I couldn’t wait.
But... I needed to get to town.
Therefore, I locked my piece of shit car and started walking.
However, what I never expected was for a truck to pull over in front of me, and a man who was at least a foot taller than I to climb out.
“You okay?” the man asked with a rasp.
I’d heard about it.
But never experienced it.
The way a voice sounded and managed to melt your panties.
I’d just experienced it.
“My car died on me,” I said.
He nodded, “Want me to take a look?”
I shook my head, “No, but thank you. It’s done this before. And it’s snowing.”
He shrugged, “Don’t mind.”
I shook my head.
He nodded, then he looked back to the way he was headed, then to me, walked closer to me, and the moment he made it to me, he said, “As you mentioned, it’s snowing. Don’t like the idea of you walking in this. I’m Alec Griggs. I live in Whispering Falls. Want me to give you a lift?”
I tilted my head, “Do you happen to know Harlee Griggs?” I asked.
His eyes widened, then they narrowed, “Yeah. She’s my sister-in-law. How do you know her?”
I smiled, I got it, he was protective, “I’m Cassie Skye. I’m starting at Fusion in two weeks.”
His eyes smiled then, and he winked, “Gotcha. Well, since you know Harlee, and she would beat the hell out of me if I didn’t help you out, want me to give you a lift?”
I thought about it.
And then I pulled out my phone and texted Harlee.
Me – Hey, umm, my car died. A man named Alec Griggs stopped, offered me a ride. Is he a good person?
She texted back not even a few minutes later, and I was confused.
Harlee – Do I know you?
Me – Umm. Yes. You hired me. We talked earlier. Are you okay?
Harlee calling.
I was definitely confused.
Had I been played?
What the hell?
Hesitantly, I answered it. “Umm, hello?”
Just then, a man’s voice came over the line, “Sorry about that. Harlee is taking a bath. Cassie. Right?”
“Umm, yeah,” I said.
“I’m Carter. Harlee’s husband. And Alec is my brother. You don’t have to worry. He’ll get you where you need to go. Promise.”
I looked at Alec and then mentally said, fuck it.
This day, hell, this month was already negative twenty on my happy scale.
So, I nodded.
Alec
Never before had I been knocked on my ass by a woman.
Sure, my mother had tried to knock some sense into me.
Talia, my sister, tried.
Harlee, Carter’s wife, tried.
But it wasn’t until Tatum, my brother Garrick’s woman, had gone through what she had that it finally happened.
I stopped playing the field. Just like that.
And for the past three years, I’d been celibate.
Working on myself.
So... back to what I was saying, about being knocked on my ass.
This woman in front of me... whose head barely came to my collarbone, she did it.
I’m not going to stand here and describe her, not with the weather dropping and snow falling.
Plus... I didn’t want to get in a wreck taking her wherever she had to go.
But just know, she was something special.
And I wouldn’t know it.
Not until a few days later, the moment I had stepped out of my truck and saw her for the first time, had I finally seen my one.
Cassie
“Grab whatever you need for the night and into the morning. My brother owns a garage, and they have a wrecker. He’ll send someone to come and get it.” Alec said.
I nodded, then turned, and was thanking my lucky stars that I had learned to keep my essentials in a backpack.
I grabbed it, then locked the car, not like it would do any good, but habits never change.
He eyed the bag I had grabbed, then looked into the full car, then he gave me a once-over, and before I could ask him what his problem was, he lifted a brow, “That's all you need for the night?”
I looked at the bag, then up at him, “Yeah. Is that a problem?”
He shook his head, “Nope. Just amazed is all.”
Now it was my turn to lift a brow, “And how is that?”
He chuckled, “My mother goes anywhere for a night, she’s gotta have a duffle bag, and another bag. My little sister Talia has to have a rolling suitcase. I could go on with the women in my family, but the temps are starting to drop. Just saying, but that’s cool of you.”
I nodded, then as he gestured for me to follow him, I did.
I was rounding the side of his truck when I heard him following me.
I stopped, which caused him to stop, as I twisted my neck to look up at him, “Can I help you?”
He smirked, “My mama would skin me alive if I didn’t open a woman’s door for her.”
I felt my cheeks start to tint a shade of pink, “Sorry. And thank you.”
He winked, then jerked his chin for me to get going.
Once I made it to the passenger side door, he reached around me and opened it.
I grabbed onto the OS handle, put one foot on his step board, and then hoisted myself in.
I heard muttered, “Fuck me,” before he closed the door.
Then I forgot about the moment entirely because of the smell that filled the cab.
Man, musk, leather, and what was that?
And yes, I was sniffing the air like an airhead as he climbed into the truck.
He looked at me funny, and since this day, hell, this month had been a crap shoot, I said, “I’m sniffing. What is that smell?”
He lifted a brow as he buckled his seatbelt.
I did the same, as he asked, “Why?”
I sniffed again, “It smells really good.”
He chuckled, “Ah. It’s called The Brave For Men by Diesel.”
I nodded and stored that away for later.
Then he winked, “Okay, where am I taking you?”
“I get my keys to my new place tomorrow morning, but I have a reservation at Whispering Inn.”
He nodded, “Got it.”
Then he checked his mirrors and slowly eased back onto the road.
“You good?” he asked as he lifted his chin to the thermostat panel.
I nodded, “Yeah. Thank you.”
He winked, “So, tell me, Cassie, haven’t heard an accent like yours. Where are you from?”
I smiled, “Kentucky. And I don’t have an accent. You have an accent.”
He chuckled, “Oh, here we go. We need to make a video and say words that sound hilarious in different accents.”
I chuckled at that. Now that would be funny.
Just then, an old song came on and I bobbed my head to it.
I felt him watching me from the corner of his eye, “You know this song?”
I nodded, “Yeah, it’s one of my favorites.”
“Travis was a legend.” He said.
I shook my head, “Hush. Don’t tempt fate.”
He chuckled.
Then he flipped his turn signal and pulled into a parking lot.
I watched as his eyes scanned the parking lot, then he asked, “Sure you have a reservation?”
I took in all the cars, bit my lip, and nodded.
He looked at me and said, “Okay. Well, fuck it. I’m going in with you. Have a feeling.”
I sighed, because I had the same feeling.
I went to open my door, but Alec said, “Another thing. Women never open their own doors. Hang on, okay?”
At my nod, he winked, then he got out of the truck.
And honey, hush.
The power of a wink.
I watched him as he rounded the hood, and then he was there opening my door.
“Thank you,” I said as I climbed down.
He nodded, then he offered me his hand, “Come on.”
And like a cool person, I placed my hand in his.
The moment his long fingers wrapped around mine, he gave a light squeeze as he guided me through the parking lot, and up to the front steps.
He shook his head, “Why the fuck didn’t George throw salt on these?”
He stepped carefully, then held my hand in such a way that he was prepared to keep me from falling or slipping.
The snow was coming down now, not hard, but decent enough.
Alec opened the door and then gestured for me to go in front of him, and then he closed it.
I was shaking the snow from my hair, as Alec was dusting off his shoulders, then he jerked his chin to the front counter.
I headed to it, and a man sat behind the desk with white hair that was combed over to make it look like he had more hair than he actually did.
He had on a blue flannel and a white shirt underneath.
He looked at Alec first and said, “Well, hey there, Alec. Been a while. Don’t have your usual room available.”
I frowned.
Then I looked up at Alec, whose cheeks were a light color of pink, then he coughed, “Been three years, George. And this isn’t about me.”
Then he looked down at me and mouthed, “Sorry about that.”
I eyed him up and down and said, “I’d do you.”
It was comical as his mouth dropped open.
I giggled, then he narrowed his eyes, “Trouble.”
Then I looked at George and said, “Hi, I’m Cassie Skye. I made a reservation about a week ago.”
He nodded, then moved to check his computer, and then I watched as he winced.
“Sorry about this little darlin’. But I had to give your room to a family of four. They had two little ones who were in desperate need of a good night’s rest. The only other available room I have is number fourteen.”
Alec snapped, “You can’t put her in there. It’s like a fucking shoebox.”
I gasped, “Honestly, it’s fine. After the day I had, I’ll probably just go right to sleep.”
Alec shook his head, “No. You can’t. The bed in that room is like lying down on a bundle of poles.” Then he looked at George, “Have you fixed that yet?”
“Now, Alec.” George started.
Alec lifted a brow, “You haven’t, have you?”
George slapped the counter, “You know they don’t make beds small enough for that room.”
At his words, it was my turn to lift a brow, and he caught it.
Then he sighed, as he clicked around on his screen, “I refunded your reservation deposit. Sorry about that.”
Alec shook his head, “That was the least you could do.”
Then he looked down at me, “Care to take a chance?”
I lifted a brow, “Would there be a bed?”
He nodded.
“A hot shower?”
He nodded.
“Heat?”
He smirked, then he nodded.
Therefore, I nodded, “Let’s roll.”
He winked, then took my hand and led me out to his truck.
The snow was coming down in sheets now.
I smiled up at it as I climbed in.
He winked, then closed my door, and rounded the truck, then he got in too.
Within ten minutes, he turned right, and then he turned left into a parking lot.
Then I gasped, “No way.”
He looked at me as he parked in front of a little duplex.
“Problem?”
“Would you believe me if I said I was picking up the keys to unit 404 tomorrow morning?”
His mouth dropped open, “You're shitting me.”
I shook my head, giggled, then said, “Nope.”
Then he pointed at unit 403, “That’s me.”
I winked, then held out my hand, “Hi, neighbor.”
He shook his head, then shook my hand, “Howdy.”