Don’t damsels in distress get a knight to come save them? If so,where on earth was hers and what was taking him so long? Jana kicked the front right tire of her Camry. It was flatter than flat and completely worthless. Limping over to the other side of the car, she promptly kicked her other front tire, which was also flat.
Unsure how she’d managed two flat tires at the same time Jana leaned her back against the car, letting herself sink to the ground. Not enough people traveled down the Amaryllis Scenic Route enough for her to hope for a rescue anytime soon.
As she was wearily pulling herself to her feet, a huge flashy red truck appeared up the road. Maybe her knight was only running a bit late.
It wasn’t until the truck pulled off the road and the driver hopped out that her shoulders slumped once again. This was most definitely not her knight.
“Well, if it isn’t my lucky day. The first person I see when I get back in town is the one and only J-babes.” The well dressed man chuckled as he sauntered toward her.
Jana took in the man in front of her. He looked like Deuce. In fact, he talked like Deuce. He even drove Deuce’s car. But when had he grown up? And why on earth did he have to look so good in denim?
He had made her life miserable up until the day he left high school, even going so far as to tell her crush of 3 years that she liked him, dooming her to a dateless senior year. When he’d left more than a year ago she had thrown her own little private party.
“Deuce Carter. What are you doing here?” She couldn’t help but growl.
“You mean driving along, minding my own business down Amaryllis? Or stopping behind your broken down car to offer my assistance?”
“When have you offered anything remotely close to assistance?”
“To you, J-babes? This would be a first, so if you like I can hop back in my truck and be on my way.” He smiled cheerily.
“Stop calling me that.” Jana stomped her foot and instantly regretted it as she watched him look down the length of her. From her sloppily thrown back ponytail down to her bright blue skinny jeans and sparkly black ballet flats. He was in no rush, taking his time as he smiled that I’m-really-up-to-no-good smile of his.
“When did you start looking so good?” He muttered appreciatively, echoing her exact thoughts about him only moments ago.
Deuce continued to move in closer. She wasn’t sure if he was flexing to show off his incredibly thick arms and chest or if he couldn’t help but show how large and muscular he looked but she did know one thing for sure. If Deuce Carter was a stranger and she didn’t know how conniving he could be she might have started drooling right then and there.
Yet, she knew him. All too well. So instead of giving in to any and all delicious thoughts of his handsome physique, she glared.
He sidled up in front of her, hands in his pockets. “Hey J.” He whispered as he leaned in, following her as she leaned back into her car. Slowly he moved closer as her brain stopped functioning and she couldn’t think straight.
Within a breath of his very kissable lips closing in to touch hers he stopped and held himself perfectly still as a huge smile spread across his face.
Kissable? No definitely not kissable. Had she thought him kissable? She meant slappable.
“Nothing to say?” He smirked but didn’t move back, didn’t give her any room to wiggle away and escape as he waited for her to talk.
Jana put her hands up on his chest and pushed. Unfortunately her efforts proved futile as he didn’t move. In fact, the opposite happened as his hands landed on either side of her, more effectively pinning her where she stood.
“Now that’s not a very nice way to say hello to an old friend.” Deuce chided softly in her ear.
With arms crossed she glared at him. “Old friend?” The words burst from her. “Not once were you ever my friend. You made my life miserable every chance you got.”
The tiniest hint of chagrin flashed across his features before his cocky grin was back. “So I didn’t choose the best way of catching and keeping your attention.” He shrugged. “But it still worked. You noticed me.”
“Notice you?” Jana fought not to shriek. “I did all I could to avoid you.”
Deuce didn’t even seem phased by her outburst. “And yet, for all your efforts, here we are.”
Enough. “Are you going to help me or just stand there?”
As they’d been talking he slowly moved back, giving her some degree of relief. Still he was way too close for normal brain activity to kick in. When she had thrown out that last question his arms abruptly wrapped around her, hauling her in for a huge spinning hug.
“Put me down, Deuce.” She demanded.
Immediately she was back on her own two feet but he was kissing her instead. It was quick and as inescapable as a hurricane… and just as powerful. Luckily for her, Deuce still had his arms around her when he pulled away because she staggered, reeling.
“My goodness J-babes. Am I glad to see you.”
“I. That. You.” In the back of her mind Jana was screaming at herself to pull it together and form at least one scathing sentence instead of melting into a pile of goo. “You kissed me!”
“Yes.” He nodded, unrepentant. “I’ve been wanting to do that since that first time I saw you trying to flirt with Ethan by the lunch tables.”
Shock lanced through her. “In 8th grade?” Her memory connected and he nodded. “But you dumped a carton of chocolate milk on my head.”
“I did.” His chest puffed a little, making his embrace just a little tighter. “It was the first thing I could think of to get you to stop talking to him and pay attention to me.”
Shaking her head, she smiled. “Oh I paid attention. I chased you all around the school.”
He tipped his forehead down to meet hers. “But you never talked to Ethan again.”
Jana could only stare.
Eventually he broke eye contact and looked over at her car. “Now what happened here?”
Jana continued to stare at him, her emotions waffling between enraged, stunned, irritated, and flattered.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jana stuttered. “Why now?”
Deuce stopped walking around and looked over at her. “I was going to tell you the night before I left. But when I walked over to your house you were on the front porch kissing Bobby Hanson.” Before she could respond he strode around the car, hooked her around the waist, hauling her in the direction of his red monstrosity. “Your car’s worthless. Get in.”
To read part 2 of Jana’s story, click here.
