Terms of Surrender Read Online Free PDF Page B

too worried about being considered wusses to dare say such a thing.
    “Fortunately, cars can be obtained without having to climb trees or fight off bees,” she countered.
    “What’s the matter,” he asked with a grin, “your grocery store doesn’t carry Sue-Bee?”
    She chuckled again, liking him more with every passing minute. She liked his wit, liked his smile. Adored those dimples. “So, how much do I owe you?” she asked, shaking off the mental lapse into la-la-lust land.
    “Not much,” he told her, naming a figure.
    He was right. It wasn’t much. In fact, it sounded far too low for an auto repair. “Wait, that’s just for the parts. What about the labor charges?”
    He waved a hand. “It was a twenty-minute job. Piece of cake.”
    “I couldn’t…”
    “Sure you could. Let’s call it Be Kind To Others Day.”
    What a nice sentiment, especially coming from such a strong, young man. He had surprised her again, revealing a depth of warmth and kindness she didn’t usually encounter in men she met. It seemed out-of-place with his raw, masculine good looks and his career.
    “The next time you have the chance to do a simple, twenty-minute favor to help out a stranger, go for it and think of me,” he added.
    Uh, interesting way to put it. Going for it while thinking of him…that might not be very difficult. But there they were again, back to quibbling about those its.
    She could do as he asked—pay it forward—and she would. But she had another idea, too. She cast a quick look at the ring finger on his left hand, not seeing a band of gold. Though a mechanic might take a wedding ring off when working, she didn’t see any distinctive tan line, either. So she hoped she was right in deducing he wasn’t married. Whether he was unattached, she couldn’t know. But it was worth finding out.
    Mari hadn’t been out with a man in a long time. It had been even longer since she’d actually been the one to ask for a date.
    It’s not a date. It’s a thank-you.
    Right. It was the least she could do. What anyone would do.
    Would you do it if he was seventy, with a long, greasy gray ponytail, a hairy back and tattoos?
    She told that little voice in her head to shut the hell up, then took a deep breath. Hoping she hadn’t misread interest when he was just being a nice guy who treated every woman like she was something special, she said, “You’ve got a deal. But can I also buy you a late lunch or an early dinner as a thank-you?”
    She held herself rigid, waiting for his answer.
    “You don’t have to do that.”
    Not exactly a refusal. But not a yes, either.
    “Here’s another idea,” he said. “How about you spring for a couple of burgers and come with me to the marina? We can take my boat out and watch the sunset over the water.”
    Oh, wow. That definitely sounded more like a date than a thank-you. A very intimate, romantic kind of date, which was crazy since she didn’t even know this guy.
    Don’t be stupid. Women go on blind dates all the time with men they’ve never met.
    But in a boat, far from land? How crazy was that? What if he turned out to be some Freddy Krueger type? Her plastic-wrapped body parts might wash ashore all up and down the eastern seaboard. What if they never found her head?
    He held up a hand, palm out. “Wait, scratch that. You don’t even know me—I shouldn’t have put you on the spot. You’re probably worrying I’m going to kidnap you or something.” Or something.
    She didn’t say anything. Not a word. Especially not about her fear that they wouldn’t find her head.
    “But lunch would be great, thanks. I’m glad you asked.”
    “You wanted me to?”
    “If you hadn’t, I would have. Believe me, I wasn’t going to let you leave without at least getting your name.”
    “It’s Mari…Marissa.” She extended her hand in greeting.
    “Mari,” he said, zoning in on her nickname, as though he’d immediately decided it suited her better than her formal one. It was