Tempting Sydney Read Online Free Page B

ad for a local haunted house. It was only August. I shook my head, thinking that haunted houses seemed to be starting earlier every year. I picked it back up and slid it in my purse. Haunted houses weren’t practical and boring, and they were definitely out of my comfort zone. I might have to drag Brynn to it with me.
    Red guided me as I pulled She-Ra into the garage and parked. I felt a little more deflated as I looked around and saw three employees, none of them with bright blue eyes or an attitude. The jerk. His work hour declaration had been a trick.
    I got out and opened the hood, showing Red the hose and damage.
    “It’s an easy fix. Shouldn’t take long.”
    “She could probably fix it herself,” a deep baritone voice that was so not chipmunk-like said from behind me. My stomach jumped and my legs felt like soup. Where in the world had he been hiding? I’d looked for him! I turned slowly, taking in his messy hair that peeked out from under his black ball cap, jeans, and tight black tee shirt with Red’s name and logo plastered in white and red on the front of his chest. I licked my lips, and wondered if it was normal to suddenly be jealous of a logo. My reaction wasn’t lost on him—one corner of his lips lifted as he continued, “When I rescued her on the side of the road, she told me she’s pretty good with,” he paused, his eyes glinting, “cars.” That particular discussion had also involved innuendo, but I saw no reason to clue Red into that.
    Red looked from Blue Eyes to me, a knowing expression passing over his face. “She is,” Red said, “and what she doesn’t know, she picks up on pretty fast. Her dad was a good teacher.”
    I smiled, thinking of him. “He didn’t let me leave the driveway with the car until I knew how everything under the hood worked, and could fix the basics on my own.”
    Blue Eyes tilted his head to one side. “Smart dad.”
    “I agree,” Red said. “Why don’t you take care of this, Jax. I’ve got some stuff to do in the office.”
    Jax ? His name was Jax ? Red had to be joking? My eyes darted around outside, searching for a Harley. I didn’t see one, but I really hoped he had it parked out back—and that he was channeling a Sons of Anarchy season two version of Jax Teller.
    Red stopped before going through the door connecting the waiting area to the garage. “You can stay out here and watch Jax if you want to learn how to fix it, Syd. It would be good to know in case it happens again.”
    “Thanks.” The word came out slowly, like it was stuck in my throat. My voice felt as hesitant as my feet. I wasn’t sure what the best plan of flirt action was here. I’d shown up when Jax had told me he’d be working, so he already knew there was some level of interest on my part. If I stayed, would that make me seem even more desperate? Ugh. The analyzing had to end. I inwardly shook myself out of it. I needed to stop planning every possible situation, and just act. Now.
    Jax pulled a piece of candy from his pocket, unwrapping it as he watched me, like he was waiting for my next move and totally amused by the internal struggle I seemed to be having. He put the candy in his mouth, rolling it against the inside of his cheek, then cocked a brow. “Hey, sixty-nine. Want a piece?”
    I shook my head, candy the very last thing on my mind.
    “Want a piece of candy, then?”
    I froze, totally unprepared for the brazen flirting. My heart was sprinting in my chest, and with my blood currently occupied in so many other places, the best I could come up with in response was, “Funny.”
    A smile tugged at his lips. I brushed it off and squared my shoulders, pushing up my sleeves. “So, what’s first?”
    He eyed me, his lips widening into a grin as he walked over to a large, silver tool chest and moved it next to the car. I was standing close enough to smell the strawberry candy in his mouth, and he kept moving it around like he was massaging it with his tongue. It was