"What does it all mean?" She frowned when he at last straightened, wiping his hands on a cloth from his pocket.
The young man shrugged. "It means I'm going to have to tow your car back to the garage and work on it there."
That's what she had thought it meant! "Thank you," she sighed. "I suppose I'd better go and call a taxi—"
"No need for that," cut in a voice that really was beginning to grate on her nerves.
Susan turned to Leo with icy eyes. "What?" she bit out resignedly.
He strolled over to join them, enjoying a few minutes' consultation with the mechanic about her car before acknowledging her presence once again. "I'll drive you home," he stated arrogantly. "I have my car over there." He nodded in the direction of his car.
"Like hell—"
"Whew, some of these women aren't at all as cool and ladylike as they all like to make out," he confided in the mechanic. "They aren't forgiving either."
"What—"
"I offer to drive her home as an olive-branch after our argument and she throws it back in my face!" He shook his head, his expression pained.
It would be even more pained if he didn't stop giving the man the impression the two of them were lovers who had just had a fight! They had certainly done nothing but argue since they first met, but they would never be lovers!
"I think you should accept the offer, Miss Jordan," the man whose name was Paul advised softly.
"That's it, Paul," Leo grinned. "We men have to stick together."
The other man shot him an amused look. "I'm sure you would be more comfortable in his car, Miss Jordan, than in the taxi.'
Leo gave a mock groan of despair. "Don't encourage her, she's already resorted to calling me names!"
She'd called him a pirate, and that was proving even more true by the minute!
"Perhaps you're right, Paul." She gave him a conspiratorial smile as she thought of her home and its distance from town.
Leo was in for a surprise if he thought he just had to drive around a bit to her home, where he would be invited up to her apartment for a nightcap as a thank-you for his kindness.
"Does that mean you accept my offer?" He couldn't hide his surprise at her unquestioning compliance.
"Why not?"she agreed. "Why look a gift-horse in the mouth, hmm, Paul."
"Right, Miss Jordan," the mechanic gave her a conspiratorial wink.
Leo watched them frowningly. "Why do I get the feeling I'm being outnumbered?"
"Probably because you are," Susan mocked. "Give me a call about the car, Paul," she added warmly. "Ready, Leo?" she prompted tauntingly as she began to walk towards his car.
"Sure," he nodded, following her. He unlocked the car door for her before climbing in beside her, lifting a hand in parting to the other man as he walked away to get his tow-truck.
"Where to now?" Leo prompted as they reached the exit.
"It will be simpler if I just direct you as we approach the correct roads," she evaded, secretly wondering what on earth had prompted her to accept this lift home from a man like Leo. Bravado and vengeance, she finally decided. Bravado because Leo obviously thought he had the upper hand, vengeance because after the drive he would have to her home, with no return for his trouble once they got there, she doubted he would harass a woman the way he had her for some time to come. She decided the latter was well worth the uncertainty of trusting him at all!
After forty minutes of driving, Susan could see he was starting to frown, five minutes later he began to scowl, five minutes after that he began to glower.
"Shouldn't be long now," she told him cheerfully, rubbing salt into the wound.
"Really?" he answered with barely concealed impatience, increasing the car's speed.
Susan grinned to herself, she had deliberately directed him to her home by the longest route possible, had even added a few detours to make it even longer.
She was enjoying herself immensely.
"You work in Real Estate, don't you?" Leo finally grated after another fifteen minutes' driving.
She nodded. "Yes,"
"It's a long trip to make to town each day."
"Is it?" she widened innocently surprised eyes. "I hadn't noticed."
He shot her a look that was clearly skeptical, and Susan smiled back at him sweetly.
"Here we are," she said a few minutes later, pointing to the entrance to the driveway that led to her home.
Leo frowned, looking about him intently. "I'm sure we've already been past here once tonight."
She was glad of the darkness to hide her guilty blush. "Don't be silly," she dismissed briskly. "Just park in front of the house," she directed. "It's a loop driveway so you can drive straight out again," she added with satisfaction.
He parked the car and glanced up at the house.
"I'd love to invite you in," she added with obvious insincerity, "but it is late."
Because of all the detours they had taken!
"Really?" Leo said drily.
"Yes." She smiled her triumph. "Thank you so much for driving me home, it was very kind of you."
He turned in his seat, his arm coming to rest behind her shoulders. "Kindness didn't come into it," he drawled.
"I know," she taunted, turning to open the door.
"Not so fast." Leo caught hold of her arm, pulling her towards him.
"What—?" Her question was never finished as his taunting mouth came down on hers.
Her head rested back on his arm as he leant over her, lost in the confines of his arms—and the magic of his lips. His shoulders felt smoothly powerful beneath her hands, his mouth moving against hers with insistent passion. He smelt of spicy soap and limes, he tasted of bourbon, his body warm as his shirt-covered chest pressed against her throbbing breasts.
His mouth became gently probing as he sensed her confused acquiescence, his lips moving moistly across her cheek as he told her how beautiful she was, how desirable, how much she excited him. Susan could feel herself being seduced by his verbal lovemaking, his dark eyes piercing in the illumination from the lights beside the house doors, holding her captive as his mouth lowered to hers again.
They tasted, licked, nibbled, finally coming together with fierce passion, Leo's hands restless on her body, at last lingering on the up-thrust of her breast.
Susan gasped as he sought, and found, the pointed tip, caressing softly, until the nipple firmed and throbbed for closer contact.