Page 10 of Thorn Kiss
Oh. She had no fucking clue who I was.
I made a mental note to give Avery shit about that later. The artist probably thought I was a freak. Well, I was a freak, but only consensually.
Jesus, I needed to get a grip. This was how I knew I needed to get my nose out of my books and date more.
The woman continued to stare at me, her brows still arched as she waited for me to speak again.
I cleared my throat. “Sorry, ma’am. My name is Dallas Whynot, I’m Avery’s brother. You’re the artist visiting, right? She texted me and asked me to give you a ride. Is that okay?”
She relaxed instantly. “Oh. Oh god, Yeah. Sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble for anyone. I just drove sixteen hours straight and this car started going out and I think I might be losing it just a little bit.” She released a long exhale. “I called Avery after I realized the auto shop is closed. It’s Friday, though? Is it normal for the mechanic to be off on a Friday?”
I strangled a laugh. This was my fault.
I would be keeping this all to myself because if Austin found out someone actually genuinely needed me while I was off, he’d use it as ammo to keep working himself into an early grave.
“Nope. It’s not normal at all. He’s usually working. Can I grab your bags or anything?”
She studied me a beat longer, and then gave a small, wary nod. “Honestly, that would be great.”
We met by the small car that looked like it’d crawled into the parking lot from the pits of hell. The scent of smoke hung heavy in the air.
“Is this a rental?” I asked.
“Yeah. I should have known better than to rent from that place.”
Great. That would be a Tuesday Dallas problem, then. I stared at the hood for a moment, wondering what had gone wrong, then shook my head—refocusing onher.
My brain stopped working as she stepped up beside me. She was tall. Really fucking tall. Just an inch or so shorter than me.
She pressed the trunk button, and it popped open. I hauled out her suitcase and duffle bag, all while feeling the weight of her scrutinizing gaze on me.
“How do I know you’re not some sort of serial killer?” she asked suspiciously.
She had a point. I’d want Avery to double check everything about someone before getting in the car with a stranger. Although, admittedly, between Austin and I—Avery had never gotten in a car with a stranger. At least, not that I was aware of. Between the two of us, we took the cake on being overprotective brothers. To the point of detriment at times, but I rather be groveling for forgiveness for overstepping to protect my family than have something bad happen.
“I’ll show you my driver’s license with my name, if you want. Or we can call Avery, although she was busy . . .”
Her eyes lit up. “Oh my god. When I called, she said she had two boyfriends?”
“She sure does, and the three of them love each other so much it makes me nauseous.”
Her laugh rang around me like a thousand perfect bells. I smiled with her, enchanted for a moment. It wasn’t like me to immediately want to know a stranger, but damned if I didn’t want to ask her a million questions.
I knew she was the artist, but what kind? Avery had kept that little piece of knowledge a secret. Was she a painter? A sculptor? A photographer? All those questions were on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t get a single one out before she spoke.
“It sucks to see love like that sometimes. It hurts in a weird way. Like you’re so happy for them, but it’s a glaring kind of happiness.” Her brows pulled together, her eyes heating with embarrassment. “Sorry, I don’t even know if you’re single. That was?—”
“I am,” I said casually. Or maybe it wasn’t casual at all. I swallowed hard as I pulled the suitcases out of the trunk. Fuck it. I was going to be a little forward. “I should get your name first, though, before I hit on you.”
The blush that bloomed in her cheeks was far too cute. “It’s Madison, but call me Madi. I have to ask. What kind of name is Dallas?”
“A very Texas one.” I did nothing to hide my drawl.
Madi’s smile was contagious as I carried her bags to my truck and piled them on the back seat. I opened the passenger door for her and smiled back.
“Let’s get you to the inn. I’ll make sure the lazy mechanic gets your car taken care of. The residency loft is pretty cool. You’ll be able to see the mountains from one of the windows.”
“What about hitting on me?”
