Cherry tried not to bite at her nails as she waited anxiously. Even though Luke had told her the car would be warmer, she still was freezing.
Maybe she should've brought gloves with her, and a thicker jacket. How had she not thought of any of this.
About ten minutes had passed and Cherry was visibly shivering. She didn't want to cry anymore. Her heart ached with memories, but Cherry couldn't be bothered with memories at the moment.
She closed her eyes and drifted off, the numbness in her face finally made the pain to her eye feel better.
Luke was ripping up the mountain in the towing truck. Was he speeding? Maybe just a little. Luke's eyes were glued to the road, scanning for any cars off to the side.
His hand tightening on the steering wheel, until his knuckles were white. Luke wondered why this woman was alone and driving at night.
Just as anger began to leave his body, he spotted it. A small, white Ford Focus, halfway in the road.
His blood boiled at the thought of some reckless truck driving coming around this curve, there would be no chance of her surviving that. Luke needed to get her out of there.
The lights to the towing truck were on as he pulled his truck around and put it in park. Jumping out, Luke's breath fogged the surrounding area. As he pulled on a pair of thick gloves.
Fucking hell. Luke thought as he peered through her car window. Was she sleeping?
He knocked on the window and Luke watched as Cherry's body jerked awake in a panic. Yeah, trouble. Luke had no other thought than this woman was trouble.
"Get out." Luke said loud enough for her to hear. He watched as Cherry fumbled with the door lock. Once it had unlocked Luke was pulling the door open for her.
If the whole situation could have made him even more angry, the fact that she had not been wearing weather appropriate clothes upset him.
"Where is your jacket or winter hat?" Luke glanced at her fingers. They were shaking and looked like ice. Cherry just looked at him and shrugged.
"For fuck's sake, give me your damn hands." He said a little too annoyed.
"I'm sorry-" Cherry started but Luke cut her off.
"You're gonna get sick, get in that truck. Here." Luke started pulling his jacket off and his gloves.
"Huh?" Cherry asked as he spent her around at the truck door. Luke pulled his jacket on, around her sweatshirt. He pulled the hood of the sweatshirt up and then the jacket.
His warm fingers felt like they were burning Cherry's.
"Bend your fingers." Luke commanded. Cherry bent her frozen fingers and Luke shook his head.
Cherry watched as the man she had met no longer than five minutes ago pull his own gloves over her fingers.
If she was better at speaking up, she would have told him to keep them for his own hands. But when they were on her hands, Cherry's eyes closed in thankfulness of the warmth.
"Are you insane wearing that in this weather?" Luke started.
"I-" Cherry's voice was soft.
"Where you from? Why ain't nobody with you? Shouldn't be traveling fucking alone." Luke was angry, Cherry could see that. Anyone could see that.
He's not going to hurt you.
He's not him.
"I'm sorry-" Cherry's lip wobbled. She just wanted to find somewhere to sleep where it was safe. But the night had gone tremendously wrong.
"Stop apologizing." Luke said glancing at her hair. He wondered if it was naturally blonde.
"But I made you mad." Cherry said biting the inside of her cheek. If she didn't stop that, there would be a sore.
"Damn it, I'm not mad. Just get in the truck while I get your car fixed up. We will talk about everything in a minute." Luke explained and he wondered why part of her hair covered her face.
He stared at that spot on Cherry's face a minute longer than she liked. Did her concealer rub off from crying? Could he see the bruise in the dark?
"Okay, thank you." Cherry's voice was quiet, but not unheard. Luke helped her up into the truck and made sure she had buckled her seatbelt.
Once again he shut the door and headed to finish loading the car up.
Cherry was thankful for the heat, her fingers finally defrosting. Her breathing slowed as her eyes shut.
Not for long as Luke was pulling open the door to the drivers side.
"Is everything done? Can I get back in my car?" Cherry asked quietly.
"No, and no. You ain't going anywhere tonight or for the rest of the week and that's if I got the right parts." Luke said putting the truck in drive.
"Oh-" Cherry looked back out to the window hoping he couldn't see the bruise at least it was dark.
It was silent. The whole entire ride.
Cherry couldn't let herself fall asleep in front of a man. She couldn't trust this man. Who could she trust.
"You gonna tell me where to take you?" Luke asked tentatively.
Cherry thought about it for a second.
"Your shop, I guess." Cherry mumbled.
"What?" Luke glanced over but back at the road.
"Oh- that was dumb. I guess a hotel then." Cherry's cheeks blossomed a bright red as she mumbled her reply.
"No hotels in town. There's a bed and breakfast, pricy and probably booked. You ain't got no folks?" Luke questioned. What was she doing in a place with no help.
"I don't have any money." Cherry frowned.
Luke sighed. What was he supposed to say, sorry find somewhere to stay and take her car. Absolutely not, and especially at night. He might be annoyed but he wasn't going to risk her safety.
"We will figure it out." Luke said his voice a bit nicer than before.
Cherry released a breath, she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Okay." She mumbled.
The truck came to a stop at the back of the shop. And he helped her out they walked to the doors. Luke leading the way. It was dark and the temperature dropped even more. Cherry was about to fall asleep, if only she had somewhere to go.
Her heart started to beat faster, would he make her go away.
Where would she go?
What would she do?
It was at that moment her stomach decided to make it known she hadn't had a proper meal since dinner yesterday. Luke's head snapped to her frame.
"You hungry?" Luke asked.
Cherry didn't want to be a bother so she shook her head no.
"I don't like liars, and you can stay for the night." Luke had been considering it, but what other option did she have.
In Luke's office there was a couch, and a shower was in the bathroom. The guys sometimes used it if they got too dirty.
"I'll grab you something to eat from upstairs and a blanket. This will do for tonight." Luke continued as Cherry looked around.
Cherry hadn't said anything as Luke left. The tears were back full force and she was rubbing at her sore face. She covered her face with her hands trying to calm down. Wiping her face one more time she watched the door.
Footsteps entered in and Luke almost dropped the food and blanket. His face contorted into one of anger.
He was mad at me.
"Who the fuck did that to you." His voice was deadly.
