Cheesy on the Eyes by Teagan Hunter Page 0,22
forehead, and it sinks in that Thea is definitely not a secretary.
She’s a mechanic.
“I guess since I keep doing and saying really stupid shit, now is a good time to let you know I didn’t call because I spilled beer all over myself when your number was in my pocket.”
A smile works its way over her lips, and she shakes her head like she can’t believe it either.
I take a step closer, and she doesn’t back up.
I take another.
And another.
Until we’re standing less than a foot apart.
She leans back to look up at me, and I realize then just how short she is compared to my towering height.
Standing this close to her, I can see her green eyes clearly for the first time. Rich and vibrant in color, I could easily get lost in them.
She swallows thickly, drawing my gaze down to her lips, which are parted like she’s about to say something.
“Can we start over, Thea?” I say, beating her to it.
She takes a stuttered breath, and her tongue flits out to wet her lips as she studies me.
I’m sure she hates me right about now.
Not just because of the accidental groping, but because I’ve gone and done what probably every other jackass in the world has done by assuming that just because she’s a woman, she can’t be a mechanic.
Add all that on top of me not calling her and feeding her some lame—albeit true—excuse about spilling beer?
Yeah, the odds are not stacked in my favor.
“We can.” I exhale, and she pokes a finger my way. “Only if you agree to continue to pretend to be my boyfriend.”
I laugh and take a step back because standing so close to her is starting to fuck with me. All I can smell is the mixture of grease and sweat and apples. There’s something else in there I’m familiar with but can’t quite place my finger on. “How exactly is that an even trade?”
“It’s not.”
“Right.” I cross my arms. “So I need a little more out of this than you forgetting all my embarrassing blunders.”
“I already told you—”
“No sex.” I lift my eyes skyward. “So I’ve heard. It’s damn funny you keep bringing up sex. I’m starting to think you want me to ask you for sex.” I close the space between us, leaning down until we’re eye level. “Trust me, I won’t be the one begging.”
Her eyes widen, her nostrils flare…and neither are out of anger.
She snorts out a halfhearted laugh. “Right. Like it’ll be me.”
Except she’s the one who takes a step back this time, not me.
“Anyway.” She clears her throat. “What do you want in exchange?”
“First of all, I never agreed to help you.”
“I mean, you already have…twice. Plus, you’ve met my family already, so you’re kind of in it now.”
“I’m not, though. I can bow out at any point and leave you to pick up the pieces.”
Her teeth gnash together as she starts to mull over her options for how to fix this…or convince me to help.
Pretending to be her boyfriend to keep her ex away? Fine. Whatever.
Doing it long-term and lying to people for weeks? I’m not so good with doing that.
It’s a con.
It reminds me too much of the schemes my father would pull, and I don’t want to be anything like him.
She shifts, hands moving to her hips as she mutters to herself. She looks defeated, unable to come up with any solution that doesn’t disappoint her mom.
I can feel it in my gut that she’s genuine, that what she wants out of this is purely well intentioned.
And I know I’m caving.
Just as she opens her mouth to beg for my help, I hold my hand up, cutting her off. “But, because I’m a nice guy, I won’t.”
“For what price?” she counters.
“What? I can’t just do it out of the kindness of my heart?”
“No. People aren’t that nice. They suck.”
I laugh because she’s right, and if she ever got the same kind of fucked-up feelings I get about people, she’d know her statement rings even more true than she knows.
“Well, I am.”
“I don’t feel comfortable with that. Think of something. Be a selfish asshole for once.”
I can see in her eyes she won’t relent until I come up with something. I have nothing in my life I can’t handle. I’m a self-sufficient person for the most part, and I don’t like relying on others. People do suck.
“You’re a mechanic, right?”
“No, I just look smokin’ hot in coveralls.”
She’s not wrong.
She does look hot.
Like stupid hot.
As