nothing I’d like more than to continue kissing you and a hell of a lot more. But if we keep this up, somebody’s going to call the cops. And I’m not real keen on the idea of our being arrested for lewd conduct in a public place.”
She made no comment as she stared at him, but the heightened color on her cheeks indicated that she’d forgotten where they were, the same as he had.
“It’s daylight,” she said, looking around. “What time is it?”
Checking his watch, he shook his head to clear it. “It’s a little past eight.”
“Where’s the rental car?” She slid over to the passenger side of the seat. “I thought it was supposed to be here by four.”
Caleb shrugged. “They’re late.”
“No kidding.” She tucked her blouse back into the waistband of her skirt. “Have you called them?”
“The driver thought we were in the rest area north of Socorro,” he said, nodding. “When he didn’t find us there, he turned around and went back to Albuquerque instead of calling roadside assistance to get a verification on our location.”
He didn’t add that he wasn’t all that sorry the guy was incompetent. Whether it was smart or not, he’d enjoyed holding her while she’d slept.
“Are they sending another car?”
He shook his head. “I told them not to bother.”
“You did what?” If looks could kill, he’d be dead in about two seconds flat.
“The mechanic from Truth or Consequences should be here any time with a new radiator hose.” He stretched to relieve a few of the kinks in his muscles. “I didn’t see the need for a car when he’ll have the truck fixed in less than fifteen minutes.”
“I suppose that makes sense.” She frowned. “But I was hoping we’d be back at the office well before everyone arrived for work. I wanted to run home for a quick shower and to change clothes.” She glanced down at her wrinkled suit. “I’m a mess.”
“Don’t worry about it. We won’t get there until midmorning.” He gave her his most reassuring smile. “Everyone will be busy and you can get your car without anyone being the wiser.”
She looked more than a little doubtful. “I hope you’re right.”
He didn’t tell her, but he hoped like hell he was, too.
When Caleb steered the truck into his reserved parking space, Alyssa immediately noticed that something was wrong with her car. Instead of sitting level, it was tilted to one side. So much for making a quick getaway before someone in the office saw her disheveled appearance.
“Looks like you have a flat tire,” Caleb commented when he got out of the truck and came around to open the passenger door for her.
“Great. Just what I wanted to do before I go home,” she said, wondering what else could go wrong. “I get to change a tire.”
He frowned. “You’re going to do it yourself?”
She nodded. “I’ve been changing my own tires since I learned to drive. My father insisted on it.”
“You don’t have an auto service plan?”
“No.”
He held out his hand. “Give me the keys.”
“Thanks, but I’ll take care of it,” she said, removing her suit jacket.
“Not while I’m around.” He took the keys from her, then motioned toward the building. “Why don’t you go inside and get out of this heat?”
She nibbled on her lower lip. The temperature was rising, but so was her apprehension that someone would see her.
“I’d rather not.”
She could just imagine the stares if she walked into her office looking the way she did. Her clothing couldn’t have been more wrinkled from spending the night in the truck and her hair was hanging down her back like a limp mop because Caleb had lost most of the pins when he’d taken it out of her usual chignon.
“Don’t be silly.” He opened the trunk of her sedan. “It’s already in the nineties and—”
“No need for you gettin’ all hot and dirty, Caleb,” Ernie Clay called as he hurried out of the building toward them. The security guard stopped in front of them, then, grinning like a Cheshire cat, he nodded at her car. “Clarence noticed Ms. Merrick’s tire was flat and had me call my brother-in-law. He owns a garage and tow-ing service and should be here in a few minutes to take care of it.”
“Thanks, Ernie.” Caleb placed his hand at the small of her back and started urging her toward the entrance. “We’ll be in our offices. Let us know when your brotherin-law has the tire changed.”
The last thing Alyssa wanted to do was walk into the office looking the way she did. But before she had a chance to protest, Caleb ushered her through the building entrance and over to the elevators.
When the elevator door slid shut, she looked down at her clothes. “I’m a complete mess.”
He frowned. “You look fine to me.”
She shook her head. “My hair is down, my pantyhose has a huge run and I look like a raccoon from the mascara smudges under my eyes.”
Removing her glasses for a closer look, he shook his head. “Just one little place under your left eye.”
Her jacket fell to the floor as she was thrown off guard by his unexpected touch, and she braced her hands on his chest to keep from falling when the elevator came to a halt on their floor. “I’ll take care of—”
The doors opened at that very moment and to Alyssa’s horror, Malcolm Fuller and the entire publicrelations department observed her clinging to Caleb as he used his thumb to wipe gently at the tender skin below her eye. From the looks on their faces, she could tell exactly what they were thinking.
“Well, hello there,” Malcolm said, not even bothering to hide his ear-to-ear grin. “We’re headed out to our first team-building picnic. Would you two like to join us?”
“No, thank you,” she said before Caleb could get them into something else that would no doubt cause her further humiliation. “But have a good time.”
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as she picked up her jacket, then brushed past the group and headed straight for her office. She didn’t wait to see if Caleb followed, nor did she care that he still had her glasses. She’d spent two and a half nerve-racking days with him and she needed some space.
Although her father would strongly disapprove and probably come back to haunt her for being such a coward, all she wanted to do was hide out in her office until her car was fixed. After that, she had every intention of going
