Three years after his mother's death, Noah Reed is lost once again. Unsure of where to go after running from his problems for so long, he ends up back home, wanting a place to finally settle down. He's ready to tie up loose ends and to try and corre...
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I pull into the repair shop with my tires just barely cooperating, parking before my car can give me any further trouble. I step out my car and head for the office with purpose, ready to request new tires.
The last thing I'm expecting is to run into Noah Reed.
I know I shouldn't be surprised when I spot him working on a truck in the garage, yet something about his presence stops me in my tracks. It seemed to have slipped my mind that he is working here once again, as I suppose I've gotten used to coming here without seeing Noah over the past few years.
I notice him before he sees me, which gives me a chance to study him discreetly. I watch as he works under the hood of the Ford before him, expression one of deep concentration. He runs a hand through his dark blond hair. Scanning him, I note that he's shirtless, finding myself mindlessly staring at his broad shoulders and lean abs before I force myself to look away, blushing furiously.
Noah steps away form the Ford, finally spotting me. I look toward him just in time to see him hesitate, his gaze locked on mine. He quickly composes himself, setting the wrench he'd been holding down on the table next to him before reaching for the rag tucked into his black jeans.
"Hey, Blake," he says easily as he takes a few steps toward me, a casual smile overtaking his features. "Car troubles?"
I find it hard to speak as I glance at Noah. I try to focus on anything but how ridiculously attractive he is in this moment, but it seems that the more I try to ignore this fact the more I find myself eyeing him wordlessly.
Cheeks flushing, I somehow manage to choke out, "Uh, yeah. Both of my back tires are flat."
"That's not good," Noah teases. His gaze drifts over to my car parked in the lot. "How'd that happen?"
I give Noah a brief rundown of my terrible driving, explaining how I managed to get the two flats. He listens intently, and I can feel his eyes on me, making me blush all over again. Beneath his gaze, something within me lights up, causing my heart to flame with ignition. I try to shake the feeling off, telling myself to stop acting ridiculous. Yet the moment my eyes meet Noah's, a welcoming shiver runs down my spine, familiar feelings stirring within me that are beyond my control.
"Why does that story sound familiar?" Noah teases once I finish my explanation. His eyes dance with amusement as his lips curl into a teasing smirk.
I find myself recalling the memory he's referring to. Back before Noah and I started dating, I'd pulled into this same lot with a flat tire that Noah patched up for me. The visit had ended with Noah driving me to the doctor's office, as it turned out I'd had a pretty bad case of strep throat. That had hands-down been one of the worst days of my life, starting with a run-in with Mason, an ex-boyfriend of mine, and ending in the doctor's office. Yet it's because of Noah that I can think back to the day with a smile.
"I should start paying better attention to the road, I guess," I say as I snap out of my thoughts, offering Noah a faltering smile.
Noah studies me for a moment, seemingly sensing my discomfort. I know that it's not fair to him when I close up every time I'm around him, yet I can't help it. It's hard to be around Noah when the past is merely in the past, yet I still feel like a teenager in love when I'm in his presence. It's like my heart and mind are on two different pages, confusing me.
