The Past
MOLLY
EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD
“Ugh… You’ve got to be kidding me.” I scowl at the stupid flat tire.
Just my freaking luck.
I should’ve kept a spare one. Now, I’m stuck on the highway, no one around for miles. As far as I can see, there’s barren land and the sun glaring down at me.
Pulling out my phone to call a tow truck, I curse when there’s no signal. “Shit.”
Raising the phone high, I walk away from the car, hoping for a signal. I twirl in every direction, but find no luck. This isn’t how I imagined moving to Sun Valley.
A faint humming noise tugs my attention over my shoulder.
In the distance, I see a car racing in my direction.
“Thank God!” I wave my hand at them as they come closer. With a yelp, I jump back when they zoom right past me, almost breaking my wrist in the process. “The fuck!”
I give them my middle finger.
I check my phone again and notice how the battery is low.
Strutting to my car, I sit behind the wheel, turning on the air conditioning. I’m boiling like a frying pan. Unbuttoning my shirt, I shrug it off until I’m in my tank top. I turn my ponytail into a bun on the top of my head, so the air can caress my neck.
I swear I hate summers. I would rather stay cozied up in a blanket on a cold wintery night.
“What am I going to do?” I mumble to myself. “What if I’m stuck here until night? Nobody will know where to find me. My mom doesn’t even know I’m coming a day early.”
Suddenly, a second vehicle flashes in the distance.
As if my prayers were heard.
Not wanting the stranger to fly past, I hastily step out of the car. I wave both my arms back and forth. “Please, stop. Please. Please.”
The black Chevrolet Tahoe slows down and pulls up on the side of the road in front of my car. I can’t peer inside because of the direct sunlight hitting my face.
I lower my arms just as the door opens.
A black boot steps onto the road, followed by another. Warding off the sunlight with a palm over my forehead, I trail my gaze upward and swallow hard at the wide set of shoulders peeking from behind the door to the man’s sinfully gorgeous face.
Sidestepping, he frowns in concern as he takes me in from head to toe.
I’m speechless, instead of letting him know about my predicament.
As he comes closer, his dark blond hair shining sexily, I can make out his face properly.
Each feature is carved from stone. Piercing blue eyes.
Strong nose. Chiseled cheekbones. Square jaw dusted with stubble and a set of full lips made for kissing.
Christ! He’s handsome.
And tall.
And older. I’d say in his mid-thirties.
Stopping a respectable distance from me, he towers over me. The brown plaid button-down shirt molds to his broad chest and muscular biceps—as thick as my thigh. His upper body tapers into a lean waist, while his legs are encased in dark and frayed denim.
“Are you all right?”
His rough and husky voice is a perfect combination of masculine and mesmerizing. My tongue thickens inside my mouth as I try to form a reply.
Glancing at my car, he finds the answer for himself. When he fixes those blue orbs on mine, I suppress a shiver. He notices, though, dragging his gaze down my body. His jaw clenches, nostrils flaring before he locks in his expression.
I follow his stare.
Heat zaps to my cheeks at the state of my white tank top clinging indecently to my breasts and stomach. It has ridden up, leaving my midriff exposed.
Shifting nervously on my feet, I peek at my rugged savior’s face. It’s molten with unbidden lust, which he quickly masks. Almost appearing angry.
Wait… Is he finding me as attractive as I find him?
My core clenches.
Since when did quiet older men become my type?
He clears his throat. “Don’t have a spare tire?”
I shake my head.
“Would you like me to call you a tow truck…”
“M-Molly.”
“Molly,” he repeats, like he’s trying to decipher how it tastes on his tongue. “How long have you been stranded here?”
“Not long…”
“Alexander.”
Holy moly.
Of course he has a panty-melting name.
“Thank you for stopping,” I rasp, absently pressing a hand to my belly. “Yes, please. I’d appreciate it if you could call a tow truck. I couldn’t get a signal on my phone.”
Nodding, he takes out his phone and presses it to his ear after dialing the number. Even his profile is drool-worthy as he looks the other way. I barely pay attention to his conversation until he sighs in dejection and hangs up.
“They’re short-staffed and won’t be able to come for at least a couple of hours,” he informs me.
“Crap.” Tucking a strand behind my ear, I reply, “Well… thanks for trying. I’ll let you be on your way.”
“I’m not leaving you here.”
“You’re n-not?”
“No, Molly.” He sounds almost offended that I would even ask that. Pocketing his phone, he probes, “Where are you off to?”
“Sun Valley.”
His gaze flashes, looking pleased. “I can give you a lift.”
“No, that’s okay…”
“I live there and won’t be going out of my way.”
Butterflies dance in my stomach at the thought of us living in the same town. Does this mean we’ll keep running into each other? Jeez. Now I’m the one looking pleased.
It’s silly. I don’t date older men. For all I know, he’s married and has kids, even though I don’t see a wedding band on his finger.
Nevertheless, there’s no way this sexy man is single.
“What about my car?” I ask, shaking off the other thoughts. “I can’t just leave it here.”
“Don’t worry about it. The highway isn’t busy. It’ll be safe until somebody comes to pick it up. I give you my word.”
I contemplate my options. Going home or staying here in this heat? Yeah, I don’t think so. “Okay. I’ll come with you.”
“Would you like to call somebody?” he softly says. “You can let them know my plate number so you feel safe.”
“Thank you.” Our hands brush as he passes me his phone. An electric jolt laces my body. Ignoring the visceral reaction, I dial my mom’s number while he gives me privacy. Though I feel his eyes watching me.
“Hey, Mom,” I say once she picks up.
“Hi, sweetheart,” she replies gleefully. “Are you packed? I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”
“About that…” I share everything and let her know I’ll be at our new home soon. Afterward, I join Alexander. “I’ll just grab my luggage. That okay?”
“Of course,” he drawls. “I’ll help.”
“Oh, no need. I can…”
“Here. Sit in the car,” he orders sternly, passing me the keys. “Are the bags in the trunk?”
“Yeah,” I murmur, caught in his spell.
As he strolls to my car, I walk to his and sit in the passenger seat. I’m attacked by his spicy cologne from every corner of the interior of the car, dizzying me. I watch him grab my two suitcases and lock up my car. The breeze blows his hair onto his forehead as he returns.
My thighs squeeze together when our eyes lock briefly.
I resist the urge to fidget when he gets behind the wheel a few seconds later. We’re locked inside, making my breath go shallow. His biceps bulge when he ties the seat belt and turns on the ignition. The silence is thick with tension as he pulls onto the road.
Or maybe I’m imagining it.
“Are you thirsty? There’s a water bottle in the back.”
“Thanks.” I lean over to grab it from the middle console. The movement squishes my breasts together. Yet I don’t have the urge to hide my cleavage. As I straighten, I catch him tearing his gaze away. His jaw is locked tight as he stares forward.
It’s like he’s balancing the fine line between being respectful and lusting.
Taking mercy on us both, I uncap the bottle and raise it to my lips. Out of nowhere, a speed bump comes, shaking my grip. The water pours down my front, drenching my top.
My white top.
In seconds, it becomes transparent. Since I’m wearing a matching white bra, the outline of my breasts become visible. The air conditioning hardens my nipples. As if they weren’t the instant he looked at me.
Gosh! He’s going to think I’m a clumsy idiot.
I attempt to cover myself up and apologize when a sharp inhale snaps my attention toward him. He looks lethal.
“I-I’m so s-sorry,” I mumble, bringing my hair forward. It cuts through his lustful haze. “Could you… umm… please pull over? I need to… to…”
“Yeah, sure,” he utters hoarsely, sparing me the mortification.
He stops the car on the side of the road. We both step out and walk to the back. He opens the trunk, revealing my suitcases. I keep my chest covered as I unzip one and grab the first shirt I see.
“I’ll wait here,” he says, his gaze not straying from my eyes.
I rush into the back seat. In the midst of removing my clothes, I realize I forgot to grab a bra. My breasts aren’t exactly small, leaving me in a pickle. Too embarrassed to ask him to pick one for me, I put on the black V-neck tee. Thank fuck, it’s loose.
Stepping out, I tell him, “All done, Alexander.”
He straightens from his perch at the back wheel. Once we’re back on the road, I diffuse the tension by asking, “How long have you lived in Sun Valley?”
“Born and brought up there.”
“Oh, wow. Must be one hell of a town if you never moved away.”
His gaze softens. “Something like that. What about you? What has brought you here?”
“My mother.” He eyes me curiously. “I’ve never wanted to live apart from her, so I applied to the community college.”
“What are you majoring in?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Either zoology or environmental science.” Wildlife has always been something I’ve been interested in. “What do you do?”
“You’ll know soon,” he answers mysteriously.
“Are you, like, a spy or something?” I tease.
Lips tipping up on the side, he shakes his head.
“As long as you’re not a criminal on the loose, I’m good.” I steal a full smile from him, making my heart race. We make small talk the entire time until he asks for my address. I recite it to him, watching how his shoulders bunch. “What? Is it a bad part of town?”
“No, Molly Wyler.”
“How do you know my name?” I gasp.
Turning his head to look into my eyes, he drawls, “We’re neighbors.”
“And?” I sense he’s holding back more vital information.
“I’m your mother’s boss.”
Oh. My. God.
I’m in the car with the sheriff.