me not looking. Instead, he sauntered around to the front in large strides and leaned his hip against the front grill of his truck then crossed one booted foot over the other. He looked so incredible sexy that my defenses were immediately withdrawn, and I laid a huge sexy smile of my own across my face.
“You alright?” He looked to be asking with a genuinely sexy smile.
“Yes.” My breath was wavering from a I just got the scare of my life to, I am ok because of your mesmerizing blue eyes. They had a calming effect on me, along with his slow verbal drawl in questioning my wellbeing.
“You sure?” He let his eyes travel over my morning attire and instantly could imagine how nice that would feel if I was naked. For all I knew that was what he was imagining. He was a man after all.
"I'm sure. Silly of me to cross without looking. A lot on my mind." Now I sounded a bit like a nervous woman.
So, I guess he wanted to take his game up a notch. "Your green eyes are incredible in this morning light. You look nice all natural with your hair in a ponytail and running clothes on." Then he reached out and touched my hair, and my body went on alert. Shit, this was not in my plan. This man was a distraction, and I needed to stay away.
I watched his eyes travel my body again as he complimented me, and I kept my eyes focused on his incredible blue eyes. I was afraid if I let them wander anywhere else I would get caught red handed. His eyes felt like warm sunshine sliding up and down my existence. Which was silly because I didn’t think he was really that attracted to me, just perhaps being a man of inquisition.
“Hope Forrester, by the way. I don't know if I told you my last name.” I held out my hand that I just now removed from the hood of the truck to keep my balance.
Leaning off the grill of his truck, he held out his hand to shake mine. “Colton Charpel. And, I must apologize for my, uh, rudeness I displayed back at the Walker Café last night. It won’t happen again.” His soft inquisitive glances stopped, and he looked me in the eye with a friendlier how ya doing smile versus I want to eat you alive glance. I must have read him wrong, and he was just sizing me up like a man might do without realizing he was doing it to another woman.
Just like that, I wondered if a true gentleman lay beneath that exterior of light blue denim shirt that seemed to be holding a rather muscular build. Now my mind was off in what seemed like a direction I truly had no interest. The last thing I needed was a man complicating my life. A man was not something I planned on writing into my new career plan. “Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot. I did have a terrible drive up and really the fall into the mud somewhat messed up my mood. However, those Walkers sure are nice folks, and the food was wonderful.”
“Yes Bob and Cindy are a staple in this town. You heading to get some groceries? I can give you a ride back.”
His offer seemed sincere, and I hadn’t planned on grabbing but maybe a bag worth of groceries. Not enough to need a ride, and I still didn’t like the way my body’s reaction to this man was betraying my need to steer clear of all men for a while. “No that’s quite alright. Thanks anyhow. Nice seeing you again.” I turned and walked towards the grocery store that was only a block away.
Strolling through the aisles slowly, I noticed only a few customers with carts full of groceries. It wasn’t a big store, but it held all the basics, and I wasn’t one for stocking up. I grabbed a hand-held cart and figured what I could fit in; I could walk home without too much hassle. I had almost wished I had accepted Colton’s ride but was sure I would fall under his handsome spell.
I hadn’t felt so in different around a man like this in a long time. Hugh made me feel that way when we first worked together. He had a way with words, and his actions were so smooth that I felt under a trance. However, that trance