SLEEP WAS STARTING to take me under, but I was fighting it.
I was too happy to sleep, and because of that, I asked something that I’d wondered about despite his explanation earlier.
“Why do you call me spark plug?” I found myself asking into his chest. He was quiet, but I knew he wasn’t asleep. Not when his hands were playing with my hair, slowly running their way up and down my strands.
“I told you.”
“You told me it was because I was sassy.”
“Yeah.”
“How about you tell me the whole truth?”
“Why don’t you think it’s the truth?”
“I don’t know…. something Rosalee said.”
“What’s that?” he asked, sitting up and bringing me up with him.
“She said you were the most poetic of her brothers.”
“Poetic?”
“You think things through, that you have a serious depth to you.”
“Hmm,” he grunted.
“She said you were very philosophical. To be fair, we were pretty tipsy.”
“Is that what the two of you do, drink a lot together?”
“No,” I laughed. “Though I can see why you would think that. No, we’ve drunk twice together. The day we met and Vegas.”
“Day you met?”
“It was… complicated.” I grinned, and he kissed me.
“Something tells me I don’t wanna know.” Oh boy, was he right about that.
“It was right after Patrick broke up with her,” I whispered, hoping that was enough information because I really seriously liked him, but he didn’t need to know the details of how I’d met his sister. Especially not when we were naked and in pillow talk mode.
“Patrick,” he groaned and shook his head. “We all thought she was gonna marry the guy, then he…” Max shrugged. “I worried about her after that, but—”
“She met me, so you thought her going a little crazy was all because of the bad influence of a new friend?” I guessed with a grin.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I shrugged. “Now tell me, please?”
“Fine, but get comfortable,” he bossed about, and I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder as his arm tucked around me, and I breathed in the scent of his bare skin. “Good?” he asked, and I smiled against his flesh. I loved how he always put my needs first.
“Really good.”
“You really wanna know?” he asked with a sigh.
“Yes,” I giggled softly.
“Fine,” he complained playfully. “So, I work on cars, right?”
“You are being completely modest,” I interrupted. The man ran his own mechanic shop and worked on all sorts of vehicles.
“There are so many components in a car, but one of the most important for an engine to come to life is a spark plug; it helps the combustion chamber.”
“Okay.”
“You’re my spark plug.” I felt his shoulder rise and drop carefully, and my head popped up to look at him.
“What do you—”
“I met you, Leti… and, baby, it was like an electric current ran through me and you brought me to life,” he said in a low tone. His eyes on mine were open and honest. “I didn’t know what was missing in my life before you, but we met—”
“Not even a week ago,” I cut in.
“Yeah.” His eyes crinkled. “I know how crazy fast it is, but it doesn’t change how I feel, Leti. You brought color to my life when I didn’t know it was missing. Now I want it all the time.” I had no words, so I moved in and kissed him.
“I like being your spark plug,” I whispered against his mouth and felt his lips quirk upward.
“Good. ‘Cause I’m keeping you.”
“For always?” I asked softly, hope floating around me as my eyes felt heavier with every passing second. There was something magical and soothing about being in Max’ arms.
“And beyond, baby, and beyond,” I heard before I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Max
She slept soundly in my arms. Tucked in tight, her breathing soft and steady on my chest, everything felt right in my life. Glancing down at my girl, peaceful and angelic, I kissed the top of her head and closed my eyes.
I thought about what I needed to do this week and how I had to add picking up and fixing her car to the top of my to-do list. Owning your own business and being your own boss was great as hell, but it was tiring.
“Max,” she purred, lifting her leg and throwing it over one of my own.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Thank you.”
“For?”
“Saving me tonight,” she yawned and cuddled in closer, like a cute little kitten. “For taking a chance on me.”
“You’re mine, Spark Plug. All mine.”
“I like that.” She sighed sleepily and left me smiling. I fucking liked it too.
_______________
I ran my hand through my hair and winced. I smelled like motor oil and looked like a grease-monkey, but I couldn’t stay away. We had only been apart for about eight hours, but I needed my Leti hit.
“Max!” she called out with a big smile and ran over to me, ignoring the curious stares, and I braced. She jumped into my arms, and I oophed slightly, glad as hell I didn’t drop her.
“You happy to see me?” I asked against her lips, and her smile went wider.
“Yes! What are you doing here?”
“Getting coffee. You know a barista who can do that for me?” I winked, and she grinned before dropping her lips to mine.
“I got you, babe,” she said, wiggling out of my arms.
I had stopped by Daily Grind before closing.
The morning after this time around had been smooth. Beautiful and easy. I’d woken up early and called my shop. I’d made sure to get one of my best guys to run out and pick up her car and bring it into the shop and get started on it. Then I got to work on making her breakfast in bed, thankful as hell for my meddling mom and the fact she’d just restocked my fridge. I owed that woman huge.
After we took a long and sensual shower where she showed me how talented she was with her mouth, I made sure to return the favor before the water turned cold. I drove Leti to her place to change and then to Daily Grind since she had a long shift, which had worked in my favor.
New battery, rotated tires, oil change, and a detailing later, I was at Daily Grind to drop off her car to make sure she had a way to get home safe and sound.
“The car okay or is it time for a trip to the junkyard?” she joked, but I could see the worry in her eyes. I knew what a new car would cost, and she was a college student.
“She has a little longer left,” I shared, and she squeezed my hand. “She’s outside, ready and waiting for you.”
“Really? That was fast. How much is the damage?” She worried her lower lip, and I chuckled.
“How about a cold brew for me and some blended frap things for the guys working overtime at the shop.”
“Max, that is nowhere close to what the cost would be,” she said seriously, and I rubbed the back of my neck.
“That’s all I’m willing to take, Spark Plug.”
“I don’t know, Max, that feels wrong…”
“Fine, throw in a couple cake pops and we’re good. Trust me. The guys in the shop love cake pops.”
“Really?” Her eyes lit up, and I nodded, following her to the counter.
“They all have a sweet tooth.”
“Okay, if you say so, let me get everything ready for you.”
“No rush.” I smiled and walked over to a seat from where I could watch her but let her do her thing. She was beautiful. I loved the way she was with her co-workers and what seemed to be the regulars in the shop. Before I left, she introduced me as her boyfriend. Boyfriend. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to correct her and tell her I was her man, but I didn’t.
Soon enough, she would get just how important she was to me.
How fucking in love I was with her.
