Anthony had seen his fair share of broken-down cars, but the sight of your beat-up vehicle had even him raising an eyebrow. He wiped the grease from his hands onto an old rag as he looked over the car that had just been towed into his garage. The hood was propped open, revealing a mess of wires and hoses that looked like they'd seen better days.

"What happened to your ride?" he grumbled, a bit of suspicion laced within his voice. "Looks like it's been through a war."

And he wasn’t wrong. The car was covered in scratches and marks, one mirror was missing, and the engine was just barely clinging to life. It was a miracle you were able to even get your car here before it died on you, with Anthony’s shop’s placement being a godsend.

But you didn’t need to tell Anthony all of the details.. especially as to how your car even ended up in this state.

After inspecting your “car” critically, he stood up straight, eyes meeting yours. Despite his reservations, he wasn’t one to pry. Money is money, and he did need a paycheck sometime soon.

"This thing's a mess. It's gonna take a while to fix, and it ain't gonna be cheap."

Anthony stated, brushing off his shirt. But the payment being a hefty price shouldn’t be a problem for you, now would it?

Then came the request that surprised Anthony. You had claimed that the nearby motel was fully booked, and you had nowhere to stay. It wasn’t really, but he didn’t need to know that. Police were everywhere searching for you, so stealing another car, or staying somewhere public wasn’t an option. It would draw attention, something you really didn't need or want right now. Plus, no one would ever think you’d be sheltering away here. While waiting for your shit to get fixed, you can easily hide out here until the cops get off your ass and everything calms down.

Anthony grunted, thinking for a moment. It was rare for him to offer help, especially to a stranger, but he had a spare room in his small house, and {{user}}'s situation tugged at some buried instinct.

After a lengthy silence, and despite the hesitation gnawing at the back of his mind, he caved.

"Well, there's no room here, but you can crash at my place until I get your car running again.”

If only he knew he was offering shelter to a wanted criminal.

Anthony raised an eyebrow at the grateful and somewhat flustered expression on your face as you awkwardly thanked him for his offer. It was... unexpected. Then again, he'd never considered himself all that handsome, nor had anyone else ever described him as such before. You could've just called him 'buddy', or some other neutral term, but instead... "Uh, no problem." was all he managed to mumble.

The blush on your cheeks only seemed to make you more endearing in his eyes. He'd always been the type of guy who didn't know how to handle such situations very well, and right now he felt completely at a loss for words. It was weird... and unsettling, almost. But it also made him smile faintly.

Anthony hesitated before saying anything else as he watched you slowly move away and search for somewhere to sit. He wasn't sure why, but there was something about the nervousness radiating off of you that made him uncomfortable... and a little protective. Maybe it was just instinct, like he had said earlier.

With a sigh, he pushed his greasy hair away from his face and moved closer to where you were sitting. "Listen," he began slowly, "you don't need to be nervous around me or anything... I mean, we're both just people here." It was a weak attempt at reassurance, but it was all he could think of in the moment.

Anthony was taken aback by your sudden and awkward compliment. His cheeks flushed slightly as he tried to figure out how to respond properly. It had been so long since anyone had given him a genuine compliment that he was at a loss for words. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but all that came out was another unsatisfying sigh.

"Uh... thanks?" he said hesitantly, scrunching up his face in confusion. The blush on your cheeks only made it worse. At this point, he just wanted you to feel comfortable around him, so he tried a different approach. "You don't have to be nervous or anything," he repeated, giving you a slightly warmer smile. "It's gonna take me a while to fix your car anyway."

Anthony watched you struggle with your words and didn't know what to make of it. You were definitely more awkward than he was used to, but there was something about your genuine apology and embarrassment that made him feel... protective? No, that wasn't quite right either. Comfortable, perhaps? He shrugged internally before deciding to just accept the situation as it was.

"Don't worry about it," he said with a slight chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "It's not like we haven't all said something stupid at one point or another." He paused, thinking for a moment before adding, "Besides, it's nice to know I can still make someone nervous every now and then."

"I wasn't making fun of you." He paused again, searching for the right words before deciding to go with his gut instinct. "Truth be told, I think it's kinda... cute?"

With that, he let out a small laugh as if to lighten the mood further, even more uncertain about what exactly he was feeling or why he felt compelled to say such things. You just had this way of making him feel... off-balance somehow, and it wasn't entirely unpleasant.

Still, he knew better than to expect anything from you. After all, you were a complete stranger who'd waltzed into his shop with a beat-up car that probably cost more than everything in his house combined. And yet... there was something about you that made him want to keep talking, keep getting to know you better. Maybe it was just curiosity or maybe it was something deeper.

Anthony laughed softly at your admission and looked down at his hands. "Well, if that's the case then we should both shut up, huh?" he said with a chuckle. There was truth in what you'd said, but the way it had come out made him wonder if maybe there was more to your comment than just mere embarrassment.

He glanced up at you and noticed that your cheeks were still flushed. It almost made him want to tease you more, to see if he could get that reaction out of you again... but something held him back. Maybe it was the fact that he was pretty sure teasing someone with his charm wasn't exactly in his repertoire or maybe it was just the unfamiliarity of the situation itself. Either way, he decided against saying anything else for now.

Instead, he offered you a small smile and said, "Why don't we just forget about all that for now? We both know I'm no model anyways."

Anthony felt like he had been hit by a truck as your words sank in. The way you'd described him... it was as if you were actually attracted to him? Like, romantically attracted? He didn't quite know what to say or do in this situation. His cheeks flushed as well, not just from embarrassment but also from a strange mixture of surprise and arousal.

He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out except for a stuttering noise that sounded more like a moan. Before he could gather his thoughts, his gaze drifted downward, taking in the contours of your body hidden beneath your clothing. He'd never been very good at reading people, but the way you'd said those things... it made him wonder if maybe there was something more going on between the two of you.

Part of him wanted to deny it, to ignore what you'd just said and pretend like it had all been some big mistake, but another part of him was intrigued. Intrigued by the possibility that someone could actually find him attractive in this day and age. So, he took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to say something... anything. "I-I've always thought you were pretty..." was all he managed before trailing off, still unable to meet your gaze.

Anthony looked up at you after hearing your confession and felt a strange combination of relief and arousal wash over him. To think that someone could find his bulky, rugged appearance appealing... It was both surprising and gratifying. The way you spoke about his muscles only heightened those feelings, making them harder to ignore.

His gaze traveled down your body, taking in the curves hidden beneath your clothes, and he couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to touch you, to be close to you. The thought made his heart race even faster. "I... I've never really thought about it before," he admitted softly, his voice rough with emotion. "But now that you mention it..."

He paused for a moment, unsure of how much more to say or do in this delicate situation. "Maybe we could... find out together?" He raised an eyebrow, hoping you'd understand the implications behind his words.

Anthony smiled at your response, relief and desire washing over him in equal measure. He took a step closer to you, his gaze locked on yours as he slowly reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind your ear. The touch sent shivers down his spine, heightening the arousal coursing through his veins.

"Maybe we should start with something simple," he whispered, leaning in closer still until their breath mingled together. His hands moved to your hips, gently pulling you towards him as he deepened the kiss, exploring your mouth with his tongue. He could feel your response to his touch, the way your body pressed against his own, and it only fueled his desire further.

With each passing second, the need to take this further grew stronger, to see where these newfound feelings might lead them both. It was a heady rush, and one that he had no intention of stopping anytime soon.