Free Wrangler by Dani Wyatt

help.”
    “No, I’m fine.”  Her face twists up as she says it.
    “Look, I give you my solemn word, I am not a murderer, rapist or even a shoplifter. I pay my taxes and I floss. I just saw you walking and that’s dangerous as fuck this time of night.”
    Roger leans toward the open passenger window. “Look, darlin’, he’s right. You need a ride somewhere?”
    I want to tell him to shut up. I realize he’s just trying to help, but something burns inside of me and I don’t want anyone else trying to take care of her. 
    “No, really, I’m fine.”  She hesitates, her hot chocolate eyes darting from the Rover to me, then back.  She’s still got that look like a skittish field mouse.
    I raise my hands higher and wider in surrender, hoping the gesture will help calm her.
    “Look, it’s miles to anywhere, you are walking back toward town.  Your car died, right?”  My skin turns hot, a momentary flash in my mind that some fucking prick might have left her out here like this makes me want to hurt someone.
    She hesitates, so I cease my forward motion and lower my hands, stuffing them into my pockets. I take the opportunity to adjust the growing wood behind my zipper so she doesn’t get the wrong idea, but keep my eyes keen on her every movement and breath.
    Her chest rises and falls as she considers me, wondering whether to trust me. Finally, after what feels like hours, she blinks and nods, huffs out a breath and looks at me with something other than fear.
    “My truck died.”  She turns her face back down the road, tossing those silky waves that I want to grip in my fists over her shoulder.  “It’s just down there.  I’ve only been walking like two minutes.”
    I squint into the darkness and sure enough, I see the outline of a pickup pulled so far off the side of the road its wheels are damn near dangling in the ditch.
    “Let’s go see.  What did it do before it died?”  I step toward her and she hesitates for a moment before answering.
    “It’s been acting weird.  It goes along fine, then it sort of sputters, acts like it’s going to die, but then it keeps going.  This is the first time it’s just completely died on me though.”
    “Ummm, dude, what’s the deal?”  Roger hollers out the window of the Rover. I’m so close to her now that I can see the movement of her throat when she swallows, and the reflection of the moon in her eyes.
    “I’m going to check her truck. Just hold on.”
    I consider just telling him to leave now, because honestly, I have zero intention of getting back in his truck tonight, but I don’t want to scare her any more than she already is, so I play along.
    I add over my shoulder to Roger. “Just pull down off the road and shine your lights toward the front of her truck.  I’m going to take a look.”  I tip my head at her with a grin.  “Like I said, I’m not a murderer or anything, just a guy who’s going to look at your truck.”
    And get his lips onto your lips.  Both sets if at all possible.
    I outstretch one hand as if I’m placing it on the small of her back when she turns to follow me.  I want to touch her more than I want my next breath, but she’s not ready even if I am. 
    Fuck, if she knew what was crossing my mind right now, she’d run out into that corn field and never look back.  But instead she gives me a wispy smile and bites her bottom lip.  In the dark it’s hard to see all the stunning detail of her eyes, but I can feel them roll over me and my dick is back with a vengeance.  He knows what he wants and I don’t blame him.  This little dove has her sweet talons already digging into my heart and I know exactly jack shit about her.
    “Why didn’t you call someone?”  I ask, doing my best to not set off her creeper radar.
    She shuffles in the dirt. “My phone died.” She doesn’t quite pick her feet up entirely with each step and it’s cute as fuck.  “I’m not a phone person, I always forget to charge the stupid