White Mountain by Dinah McCall

commanding figure.
    With no more than two lug nuts loose, she heard the sound of an approaching car.   Glad to know help was arriving, her relief shifted slightly when she saw who it was.
    Bobby Joe Cage emerged from his truck with a smile and a swagger.
    “Hey, honey…looks like you’ve had a bit of bad luck.
    Isabella stood.   “Yes, I did.”
    He took the tire iron from her hand.   “Let me have that thing.   You got no business trying to change a flat.   That’s a man’s work.”
    Despite his chauvinistic attitude, she was glad for his help and handed him the tool, standing back as he squatted down beside the flat and finished what she’d set out to do.
    Within the space of five minutes, he had the tire off, the temporary spare on, and was loading the flat and the jack back into the trunk.
    “There you go,” he said lightly, dusting his hands on the seat of his jeans, and flashing he a wide, engaging smile.
    Isabella started toward her car to get her purse.
    “Thank you so much for your help, Bobby Joe.   I really appreciate it, and I’d be happy to pay you for your trouble.”
    He sauntered up beside her, and then before she knew what was happening, he had her pinned against her own car.   He slid a hand up beneath the fall of her hair and tilted her head just a touch.
    “The only payment I need is your sweet kiss,” he said softly, and lowered his head.
    Shock couple with anger as Isabella thrust her hands between them, shoving hard against his chest.
    “Don’t Bobby Joe!   I told you before, I’m not in the mood for—“
    He grabbed both her hands and quickly pinned them behind her, still smiling, still coming closer.
    “Sure you are, honey.   You just don’t know it yet.   Trust me.   I can make you feel better.”
    Isabella’s heart skipped a beat.   Bobby Joe wasn’t stopping, and he wasn’t taking no for an answer.   She twisted within his grasp, trying to pull herself free, but was unable to push him away.
    “Please, Bobby Joe…I thought you were a friend.   Don’t do this to—“
    “honey, I haven’t done anything yet,” he whispered, then ground his pelvis against her belly and crushed his lips to hers.
    Stunned by his behavior, she struggle to get free, but his grip was firm, and the weight of his body kept her practically immobile.   A spurt of fear, couple with the sudden taste of blood in her mouth, made her moan.
    Bobby Joe took it as a sign of passion and reached for her breast.
    One moment he was all over her, and the next thing she knew he was in the dirt and Jack Dolan was standing over him.
    Blood spurted from between Bobby Joe’s fingers as he held them to his face.
    “Ju bwoke by dose.”
    “Then I’d better try that again,” Jack growled.   “Because I was aiming for your neck.”
    Isabella rushed between them and grabbed Jack’s arm.   “Jack, wait!   It’s all right.   He didn’t really hurt me.”
    Jack turned, unaware that the expression on his face had gone cold or the his nostrils were flared with anger.   All he wanted to do was hurt the man the way he’d hurt Isabella.   His gaze raked her face, then settled on her mouth.   A drop of blood was oozing from her lower lip.   The sight of it made him sick to his stomach.   If he hadn’t intentionally stayed so far behind, this could have been prevented.
    Bobby Joe began shuffling in the dirt, trying to get to his feet.   Jack heard him and turned.   All he did was point, but it was enough to keep Bobby Joe on his butt.   He turned back to Isabella and took a handkerchief from his pocket, then dabbed at the bruise on her lip.   When she winced, he felt the pain all the way to his toes.
    “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.   “Your lip is bleeding.”
    She blushed and looked away, embarrassed by the whole disgusting episode.
    “His teeth, I think…they cut my lip when he tried to—“
    “He set you up,” Jack said.
    Her eyes widened.   “No.   I had a flat.   He