Filed to story: Danielle and Austin Booker Carver Book PDF Free
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Yes, he’s good looking… in a rough sort of way, I guess.”
“Hmm-mm, right,” she retorted. “I’ll text it to you.”
“Thanks.”
“Do you need a ride tomorrow?”
“You’re willing to come and get me at six-thirty?”
She gasped. “In the morning? Ah, no. Sorry, I just don’t love you quite that much.”
I giggled. “I know. Ell’s picking me up.”
“Oh, how I love him.”
“I know, babe. Everyone does.”
“Okay, I’m gonna text you his number and then hit the hay.”
“Thanks, Kim. See you on Tuesday for lunch, right?”
“Definitely. ‘Bye.”
“‘Bye.”
I sat on the sofa staring at the phone for what seemed like an eternity before Kim’s text came through. The number popped up on my screen and my heart raced in excitement. It was just after ten and I was typically in bed by now and wondered if he might be too. Maybe he wouldn’t answer, and I could leave a message. I bit my lip. I didn’t really know what to do. I felt compelled to call him. Like if I didn’t hear his voice before I went to bed, I wouldn’t be able to sleep.
“Dani, you are ridiculous,” I told myself, but it didn’t negate the fact that I was attracted to him. In a big way.
I set the phone aside and sipped my wine, then picked the phone up again and stared at it. I set it aside again and repeated these actions for several minutes as I contemplated my stupidity. In the end, I chalked it up to the fact that he had my car and I was just calling him to give him information. It didn’t matter that it was past ten on a Thursday night. It was business, so I dialed the number.
“Yo.”
“Um, hi. Is this Austin?” I asked. No response, so I glanced at my phone, then put it back to my ear. Maybe I’d dialed wrong. “I’m sorry. I must have the wrong number.”
“You got me, Dani.” His voice washed over me and sent a chill down my spine.
“How did you know it was me?” I asked.
He chuckled. “No one else calls me Austin.”
“Oh. Right. Um, I just wanted you to have my new number for when you know what’s wrong with my car.”
“And you had to tell me that now?”
I was officially an idiot. “Well, no, I guess not. But it was either now or really early in the morning because I have to be at work at seven and I figured if you were asleep, you wouldn’t answer so I was going to leave a message. I didn’t expect you to pick up.” Crap, I was rambling again.
“Got it, darlin’.”
“Well, good. Okay. I’ll let you go.”
“Probably a good idea.”
I should have hung up. But as always, I was a glutton for punishment. “Why is it probably a good idea?”
“Dani, I’m not the man for you.”
I gasped. “Excuse me? I never said you were.”
“You don’t have to say it out loud, babe. It’s written all over your face.”
“It is not! Wow. Are you always this rude, or am I just lucky?”
He chuckled and damn if I didn’t squirm a little at the sound. “Your car’s a piece of shit.”
“I’m guessing it’s both,” I grumbled.
“You really shouldn’t be driving it,” he continued, ignoring my astute observation.
“Well, it’s all I can afford, so I don’t have much choice in the matter.”
“Why is it all you can afford?”
“Um, excuse me, Sir Rude-a-lot, that’s none of your business.”
He chuckled again.
I sat up straighter. “Well, have someone call me with how much it’s going to cost me to fix it and I’ll have someone drive me down to pick it up.”
“Four-thousand, seven-hundred, ninety-two dollars is the current estimate,” he said.
I choked. “What?”
“Your engine’s pretty much shot, Dani.”
“I don’t have that kind of money,” I whispered, blinking back tears. I tended to get a bit emotional when I was exhausted.
“Pickin’ up on that, darlin’. Wonderin’ why.”
I dropped my head back and stared at the ceiling. “If you must know, an ex stole my savings and my identity. I have spent the last four years trying to clear my name and get him prosecuted, and now I’m lucky enough to get a hundred bucks a month in restitution. He apparently spent the money he stole… or more likely, hid it… and spent thirty days in county. Bonus, he got three years’ probation. I, on the other hand, have a credit rating that’s in the toilet and have to use the credit card my daddy gave me in order to deal with emergencies, which this certainly is; however, I don’t really want him having to pay five-grand for a car that’s not even worth that much.” I groaned. I couldn’t believe I’d just shared all of that with a virtual stranger, particularly because outside of my family and the asshole who stole my money, Kim was the only other human being who knew the story. “Sorry. Too much information.”
“How much did he steal?” Austin asked…no, demanded.
“I’m sorry?”
“How much did the asshole steal from you?” He sounded angry.
“It’s not important,” I whispered.
“Dani. How much did he steal?”
“Fifty-four thousand, six-hundred, seventy-eight dollars and sixteen cents,” I blurted. “And that’s just what he took out of savings. He charged another sixty-grand to credit cards he opened in my name.”
“Fuck me. Seriously?”
“Seriously. I’d been saving for a house.” I felt tears slip down my cheeks as the memories of Steven’s betrayal flooded back. “Anyway, it’s not your problem. Um, I’ll talk to my dad and figure out what to do about my car. I really appreciate all your help. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. ‘Bye.” I hung up and shoved my face into a throw pillow to scream. I didn’t have long to wallow in self-pity when the phone jingled in my hand. “Hello?”
“What was the bastard’s name?” Austin demanded.
“Excuse me?”
“The asshole who stole your money. What’s his name?”
“Why?”
“Babe, what’s his name?” he repeated, his voice pitched low.
“Steven.”
“Steven what?”
“No one.”
“Dani, give me his fucking name.”
“No,” I stressed. “It’s none of your business.” I heard him take a deep breath and then there was a knock at my door. I frowned. “I should go, there’s someone at my door.”
“Yeah, you should open it, darlin’.”
“I’m not opening my door at ten o’clock at night, Austin. Despite my persona, I’m not an idiot.”
He chuckled. “Open it, babe.”
Danielle
I frowned and rose to my feet, making my way to the door, and peeking through the peephole. I hung up with a sigh and opened the door. “What are you doing here?”
Austin’s eyes did a full sweep of my body, and then he smiled and slid his hand to my neck. Pushing me further into the room, he kicked the door shut and leaned down to cover my mouth with his. He stroked my pulse as his other arm wrapped tightly around my waist and pulled me tight against him. His tongue pressed against my lips and I opened for him, my heart racing, my knees weak, and all I could do was grip his jacket and hold on for the ride.
It took a minute for me to come back to reality, and to my utter horror I remembered what I was wearing. Dark blue camisole with a shelf bra that did nothing to support my overly large breasts, a pair of ratty plaid pajama pants, my hair pulled into a messy bun on top of my head and not a stitch of makeup. I hadn’t brushed my teeth, probably had nasty wine breath, and here I was kissing the hottest guy on the planet who I’d just met less than three hours ago.
I pushed at his chest. You know, the one that felt like granite under my fingertips? He didn’t budge, so I pushed again.
“Not done, baby,” he said, smiling against my lips.
“But you need to be,” I whispered, admittedly, somewhat half-heartedly.
His hand slipped to my cheek as he leaned back and frowned. “Didn’t feel like I needed to stop, darlin’.”
I licked my lips and nodded. “But you do all the same.”
Austin stepped back with a smile.
