Road to Ecstasy

Excerpt

His instructions were lost to the night as the car tilted sideways and plunged down the side of a deep ditch. Blair felt her body starting to fly across the seat, but at the last second, she managed to grab the steering wheel. A crunching sound filled the air when the car came to rest at the bottom of the crevice.
When her door flew open, she looked up, preparing herself for the stranger’s anger, but she only witnessed concern on his face.
"Are you all right?"
"I think so.” She tried to sit upright, but with the unstable position of the car, it was impossible.
When he reached inside, she didn't utter one word as he lifted her easily into his arms and carried her up the steep incline to the road.
"I'll feel safer if I can keep a closer eye on you until I'm ready to leave,” he said, still holding her arm between his fingertips.
His remark humiliated Blair. She refused to thank him as they walked the short distance to the station. A few minutes later, she stood looking out the plate glass window watching the tow truck pull her car out of the ditch.
The young mechanic entered the building and motioned toward her car. "I don't have time to check it tonight, but maybe tomorrow,” he told her, wiping the grease from his hands on an old rag.
"I'd appreciate it.”
He nodded and disappeared through another door. She watched the stranger follow the man into the next room. She picked up her handbag and looked around eventually spotting the rest room sign.
After entering, her brown gaze traveled to the mirror. She couldn’t believe the image reflected in the glass. She looked like a Raggedy Ann doll. She removed her brush and pulled it through her honey colored hair to loosen the thick tangles and reapplied her make up.
As she entered the garage, the cool blue eyes of her companion watched her progress across the room. Now that she wasn’t such a mess, she could have sworn there was a look of interest on his face.
Blair took a position against the wall and didn’t miss how often he looked her way. He might not be interested in her at all; only wanting to make sure she stayed out of trouble. When he motioned for her to join him, she hurried across the room.
"Since either car won't be ready tonight, the mechanic offered to drive us to a motel. You may want him to drop you off at a different motel."
It sounds as if he wants to get rid of me! His suggestion suits me! She fumed silently as they reached the truck.
"This is going to be a tight squeeze,” the mechanic said, “but I think we can manage." As it turned out, managing meant sitting on the stranger's lap in the front seat, with the luggage squeezed alongside. "There are only two motels near here."
"Either one will do for me, but you'll have to ask Ms. Blair Clancy which one she wants to go to.”