Blue Twilight Read Free Page A

looking scared half to death.
    â€œSorry about that, Mr. Robbins,” Max called, sending the man a sheepish wave and walking behind the van. Lou and Stormy joined her there. She looked sadly at the crushed mailbox and shook her head. “Okay, this isn’t so bad,” she said. “I’ll just pull in and start over.” She looked ahead at the driveway, where Stormy’s car was parked. “Um, you might want to move that.”
    Mr. Robbins was muttering, shaking his head and stomping back to his car. He got in, pulled a K-turn and drove away. Stormy went to move her car.
    Lou said, “Didn’t you hear me tell you to stop?”
    â€œI did. I just hit the wrong pedal. I’ll do better this time, promise.” She went to the driver’s door, reached up and put her foot on the step.
    Lou’s hands closed around her waist, picked her up off the step and set her back down on the driveway. She had to forcibly resist the urge to moan in pleasure, because she loved his hands on her. Anywhere, anytime. She really hadn’t tried hard enough with him, she thought. Flirting was flirting. But men could be awfully bad at picking up hints. Maybe she should have set him down and told him flat out. She visualized it in her mind. Her looking him in the eyes and saying, “Lou, I want you. I want you in my life and in my bed and in every other way that matters. What do you say?”
    He probably wouldn’t say anything, she thought. He would probably go speechless with shock. No, she really hadn’t tried hard enough. And now it was pretty much too late—unless her hastily devised plan worked the way she intended.
    She just blinked up at Lou, her eyes wide with innocence and questions.
    He sighed, lowered his head. “You win, Maxie. I’ll drive.”
    Ye-e-es!
    â€œDon’t be silly, Lou. You don’t have to do that.”
    â€œYeah. I do.”
    â€œBut your fishing trip…”
    â€œWill wait for another time.”
    She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. Lou put his hands on her waist after a moment, though instead of pulling her closer he seemed more interested in keeping her hips a safe distance from his. She didn’t resist, because she needed to take things slowly and carefully this time. This was a second chance—she couldn’t blow it.
    Demurely, she said, “Thank you, Lou.”
    â€œI’m not staying, Max.”
    God, how did he manage to see right through her like that?
    He took her arms from around his neck, held her wrists in his hands as if to keep some distance between them and looked her squarely in the eye. “I’ll drive the van up there, help you unload, and then I’m coming right back. Understood?”
    â€œWell of course it is.” She nodded toward his car. “You can leave your car in the garage. I’ll drive you backwhenever you’re ready. Better bring that weekend bag you have packed, though.”
    He blinked at her as if she were speaking a foreign language. “Honey, I just told you, I’m not staying.”
    â€œI know that. But hell, Lou, it’s an eight-hour drive. At the very least you’re gonna want a shower and a change of clothes before you head back.”
    He watched her through narrow eyes. “I won’t need the bag,” he said. “I’m not staying.”
    â€œAll right, all right. Whatever you say.”
    She walked up the driveway, hauling open the garage door. “Hey, if you’re driving, then we can use the tow bar and bring my car along, can’t we?” she called, as if she’d just had a brilliant idea.
    He looked at her car. “There’s a tow bar?”
    â€œYeah, mounted underneath the van.”
    He nodded, went back to the van, got in and moved it out of its precarious position, parking it safely along the shoulder of the road, on the opposite side of her driveway from where he’d parked his