Take Me for Granted (Take Me #1)(23)

A three-minute drive took me nearly fifteen minutes, but then I saw a black BMW sitting on the side of the road with its flashers on. “Fuck. She drives a Beamer?”

I parked behind her, shaking off the questions of why someone would give a college student a BMW, and then I dashed out of my truck. When I reached the driver’s side, I tapped on the glass. I saw her jump in the front seat, and then she smiled when she recognized me. That smile is going to be the death of me.

I opened the umbrella I’d brought with me as Aribel rolled down the window. “Take the umbrella and go get in my truck.”

“What about my car?” she asked like there was a better plan.

“Pop the hood. I’ll take a look, but you won’t see a tow truck tonight. Not in this mess.”

She sighed and then nodded. She didn’t even argue with me. Miracle of all miracles.

After she exited, she slid the keys in my hand, took the umbrella, and then made a dash for my truck. It only took me a couple of seconds to realize she had a busted radiator. She’d have to leave it until the morning. When I finally made it back to my truck, I didn’t think there was an inch of me that wasn’t sopping wet.

“Thanks,” she said softly once I was settled in the seat.

“No problem,” I said. “I mean, I thought I might have gotten lucky, and you wanted a jump.”

I winked at her, and she just rolled her eyes.

“Seriously, everything is sexual with you.”

“I just saved your hot ass. I think you can handle a joke.”

She sighed and then seemed to agree. “All right. Could you tell what was wrong?”

“Cracked radiator.”

“Great,” she groaned.

“Yeah, but it won’t be too bad. I have a friend I could hook you up with. He does great work for cheap.”

“My parents will probably want me to take it to the dealer.”

“Ah.” I didn’t know what else to say, so I shifted into reverse and backed away from her car. I made a U-turn in the middle of the street and started back the way I had come.

“Wait, my house is that way.” She pointed behind her.

“I know, Princess. It would take an hour to get to your house in this. It takes fifteen to get to my place, so that’s where we’re going.”

“Um…I don’t think so.”

“Look, if we’re driving the hour to your place, then I’m staying there because I’m not driving the hour back.”

Aribel opened her mouth as if she as going to contradict me, but then she didn’t. I glanced in her direction twice, waiting for her to say something, to tell me that I’d f**king drive her to her house and back because she said so, but still nothing came out.

“My parents are going to be so angry,” she whispered.

“Why? It’s not your fault.”

She shrugged her little shoulders and stared determinedly out the window. “I don’t know.”

“Seems like a silly thing to get angry about.”

“Well, you don’t know my parents. What would your parents say?”

“Nothing,” I said, tensing at the question.

“Really? You’re so lucky.” She sank back into the seat and crossed her arms.

She looked really young. I’d never given a thought to her age until that moment.

“How old are you, Princess?”

“Nineteen,” she said without skipping a beat.

Shit! Really young. I mean, I’d f**ked girls her age and younger, but shit! Ari wasn’t just some f**k. She seemed so mature. I definitely would have guessed a solid twenty-one at least. Maybe that was just what I’d been hoping for.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-three.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh.”

“What?”

“You’re my brother’s age. He’d kill me right now if he knew what I was doing.”

“What exactly are you doing? Getting a ride home from a guy who just helped you out of a tough position. Yeah, what an ass**le!”

“That’s not what I meant,” she said, trying to backtrack. “He’s just…protective.”

“Doesn’t want his little sister to turn out like the girls he’s f**king?”

“Aaron is not like that!”

I cracked up laughing because there was nothing else to do in the situation. I was certain her brother was exactly like that.

“It’s not funny.”

Aribel smacked me on the arm, but I caught her hand before she could yank it back.

“If you’re going to be such a jerk, I’ll reconsider making you drive across town to take me home.”

I turned onto my street just as she said it. After stopping in front of my house, I unbuckled her seat belt and pulled her across the cab to me. “Ari, at this point, you’d have to walk home. You’re not f**king leaving.”

Her eyes found mine, and I saw the anger leaving her body as she stared at me. She still looked a bit like she wanted to slap me around, but I was good with that as long as I could get her inside.

After a minute, she conceded. “You’re right. I’m not.”

Well, damn. This was going way better than I’d thought it would. She had fought me tooth and nail for every second of her time up until this point. When did we turn a corner?