Page 16 of Colton On Guard
One final quick glance at Genna, who’d gone back to gripping the door, and he gently pressed the accelerator, sending them moving toward the water.
Between the swift-moving current, the rain and wind, it took all of his strength to keep the truck on the road.Slow andsteady, he reminded himself, using continuous pressure on the gas pedal.
Despite their slow speed, water plumed up, splashing the windows and making it even more difficult to see.
Still, they continued to plow forward. Foot by foot, with the water rising the farther they went.
They must have reached the middle, because just when he thought it might make it to his running boards, it began to recede. And then finally they came out onto the other side, eventually reaching dry road.
Once they had, he coasted to a stop for the moment and looked back. “That was easier than I expected,” he quipped. “Though I don’t want to have to do it again.”
“Me neither.” She gave a sigh of relief. “Hopefully, this storm will pass and the roads will clear up by morning.”
“My house is just a few hundred yards past here,” he said. “We’ll be there in no time.”
When they pulled up into his driveway, he used his automatic garage door opener and got ready to pull in. Since he had to park his truck at an angle due to the length, he only tended to use the garage in the cold months. But this downpour warranted the extra effort.
Genna sat up and watch with interest as he maneuvered his truck inside. He got it parked on the first try.
“Nice,” she commented, smiling. “I’d hoped you’d figured out a way to get this huge truck inside your garage.”
“I’m just lucky there’s extra height in here. Otherwise, being able to fit the length of it wouldn’t matter.”
He got out, intending to make his way to her side to open her door. But by the time he got there, she’d already grabbed her backpack and jumped out.
“I really appreciate you letting me stay here,” she said, her expression earnest. “I promise you won’t even know I’m here.”
Though he doubted that, he simply nodded. Pushing the button on the wall that closed the garage, he opened the door to the house. “Come on in,” he said, gesturing at her to precede him.
Once inside, he flipped the wall switch so they could see. They were in his laundry room, just off the kitchen. “This way.”
He led her past the kitchen, which opened up to the living room, and down the hallway. The second door on the left had been designated his guest bedroom. Though it rarely got used, he’d recently put fresh sheets on the bed because one of his old friends who’d moved away had been supposed to come back to Shelby for a week. The visit had been canceled at the last moment, but everything had been made ready for a guest.
“Serendipity,” he said, telling her the story as he turned on the light. “This will be where you’ll be sleeping.”
She brushed past him on the way in, her body making brief contact with his. That small touch was enough to send desire blazing through him.
His swift intake of breath had her turning to look at him. When she met his gaze, she took an almost involuntary step closer. Then, as if she’d realized what she’d done, she moved away, placing her backpack on the bed with great care.
Of necessity, he moved to the doorway, not wanting her to see the physical proof of his sudden arousal. With effort, he found his voice. “Since we didn’t have dinner, I’m going to look around the kitchen and see what I can rustle up for us to eat,” he said.
Pretending not to notice his voice sounded like rusty nails, she nodded. “If you’ll give me a few minutes to freshen up, I can come help you.”
“Sounds good.” Stiffly, he moved away. He also needed a few minutes of alone time, so he could get his body’s reaction to her under control.
Mentally berating himself, he opened the refrigerator and began inspecting the contents. Since he cooked for himself most nights, he kept it pretty well stocked. A few minutes of perusing the dinner choices and he’d managed to return to normal.
“So, what are you thinking?” Genna asked from behind him. Then, without waiting for an answer, she continued. “I’m thinking you should let me make dinner. It’ll be my way of thanking you for helping me out.”
Since the idea of the two of them cooking side by side now felt too intimate, he nodded. “Okay. The fridge and freezer are stocked up, so is the pantry. The only thing I’m sick of eating is salmon.”
This comment made her laugh. “Isn’t everyone? Honestly, I’ve tried so many different recipes, trying to make it taste different.”
“That’s what happens when something is so plentiful,” he said. “I heard people in Maine are like that about lobster.”
“Not me. I can always go for a fresh lobster tail and butter.” As she smiled up at him, this time his heart did a little flip-flop. “I’m thinking a steak, baked potatoes and maybe asparagus.”
Impulsively, he hugged her, a move he instantly regretted. Releasing her as fast as he could, he stepped back. “That’s my kind of meal. I even thawed a nice Porterhouse, intending to grill it tomorrow. It’s big enough that it should feed both of us.”