Читать книгу Don't Tempt Me - Lori Foster - Страница 7
ОглавлениеHONOR WASN’T USED to eating with three men. It astounded her how fast the pizza got devoured. But then, she’d pretty much inhaled her own slice, too. Working up a hunger, it seemed, overshadowed other concerns—like feeling self-conscious and knowing she was an intruder despite their efforts to put her at ease.
They all chatted easily, except for Jason, who seemed introspective. He’d gone from staring to teasing, to warning, and now quiet.
At first she’d worried that she might have offended him. But how? Not by asking that he wear a shirt, because that was a request he’d ignored.
The man was still half-naked.
And it couldn’t have been from accepting his help, because he was the one who’d bullied his way in and insisted on...being wonderful.
She rubbed at her temples. When she’d thought about neighbors, she never imagined any like these.
“You okay?” Colt asked.
A fast smile, meant to reassure him, only amplified the headache. “Yes. Just a little tired.”
“She works too much.” Lexie shoulder-bumped her. “I’ve tried to get her to play a little, too, but she’s the original party pooper.”
Lexie, at least, seemed right at home. But then she always did. Confident, beautiful and fun—that described Honor’s best friend.
They were polar opposites.
As if she’d known the guys forever, Lexie had heckled Hogan, teased Colt and praised Jason. She also repeatedly put her head back and drew in deep breaths, closing her eyes as she did so. With the scents of freshly mowed lawn, earth, flowers and trees all around them, Honor understood her reaction. Jason’s backyard was a half acre, same as hers. But while hers was nearly impassable with weeds, his was park perfect.
A gigantic elm kept them shaded, and with the help of an occasional gentle breeze, the summer day became more comfortable. Honor glanced around at the neatly mulched flower beds, the velvet green grass and the well-maintained outdoor furniture. His garage was spectacular, matching his house. Every so often she caught the faint scent of oil, gasoline and sawdust.
She also smelled sun-warmed, hardworking male. Not at all unpleasant.
“Where do you work?” Colt asked.
“She’s a stylist,” Lexie offered. With a nod at Jason, she said, “Honor could do all sorts of amazing things with your hair.”
Honor choked on her last drink of Coke.
Unaffected, Jason ran a hand through the dark waves. “I have a barber but don’t make it there as often as I should.”
“He’s always working,” Colt said. “He’s usually out there in the garage before Dad and I even get out of bed.”
“Good thing messy looks so sexy on him, then, huh?”
Colt laughed. “If you say so.”
“I do.” Lexie half turned to face the garage. “You guys have a lot of vehicles.”
“The blue truck is mine,” Colt told her. “Dad drives the motorcycle. Or when it rains, he takes the Escort. Uncle Jason has his own truck, the red newer one, and the gray SUV. The flatbed truck he uses for deliveries.”
Wow. Honor glanced over and saw that the two-story garage also housed a fishing boat on a trailer and another, older truck parked front and center.
“Who drives that one?” Lexie asked.
With something close to hero worship, Colt said, “Uncle Jason was hired to work on it.”
“Hired?”
“Yeah, that’s what he does. He fixes things. He’s really good, too. All these old houses? They’re always needing something repaired and usually Uncle Jason can do it. Everyone around here hires him for stuff.”
“Sounds like it keeps him busy.”
Colt snorted. “Yeah, sometimes too busy.”
“I don’t mind.” Jason’s gaze cut to Honor, and his voice deepened. “I enjoy working with my hands.”
Honor felt like he’d just stroked her. She caught her breath, shifted in her seat and tried to think of something to say.
Clearly tickled, Lexie looked back and forth between them. “So you’re a handyman?”
Again, Colt bragged. “More like a contractor. He can build things from the ground up, including the plumbing and electrical. Or make stuff like custom gates or stylized shutters, or repair just about anything.”
“Nice,” Lexie praised.
“He’s a jack-of-all-trades.” Hogan toasted Jason with his Coke. “Whatever’s broke, Jason can fix it.”
Jason gave him a long look. “Maybe not everything.”
“Right. Can’t fix big brothers, can you?”
Tipping his head slightly back, as if he’d taken that on the chin, Jason replied, “I only have one older brother, and far as I’m concerned, he’s not broken.”
Colt went silent, and God, Honor felt for him. Too many times she, too, had been caught up in the middle of family squabbles.
“So, with the truck,” Lexie said, interrupting the heavy tension, “are you doing engine or body work?”
Before Jason could answer, Hogan said, “Why are you so curious, anyway?”
Lexie leveled him with a direct stare. “I was making conversation.”
With a sound halfway between a laugh and a groan, Hogan sat forward. “We already covered that he can do anything.”
“Anything is a big word. I mean, can he get the stick out of your butt? Because seriously, you’re being a pill.”
Honor frantically tried to think of a way to hedge the impending storm. Lexie wasn’t reserved. If Hogan chose to be snarky, she wouldn’t hesitate to give back tenfold. Worse, she might well drag Honor into it.
“It’s a fascinating business,” Lexie said, “though apparently you don’t think so?”
“I’m proud of my brother.”
“Yes,” Lexie quipped, her tone dry. “That was so obvious.”
Taken off guard, Hogan eyed her.
“But then, who wouldn’t be proud of a handsome, accomplished, well-mannered man?” Lexie smiled with menace. “Speaking of that, I’m a fashion buyer for a boutique. If you ever want to step up your game, I could make some suggestions. And maybe Honor could update your hairstyle. You have the potential to be almost as hot as your brother.”
Hogan’s eyes flared, then narrowed.
“Lighten up.” Jason clapped him on the shoulder. “And, Lexie, thanks, but honestly Hogan already has more dates than he can handle.”
“Now, that is fascinating,” Lexie said.
“He does both,” Colt cut in, clearly not anxious to talk about his father being out on the market. “Uncle Jason, I mean. You asked about the truck?”
Lexie gave Colt a genuine smile. “So I did.”
“He does body and engine work. But this time Uncle Jason’s just tricking it out some.”
Honor watched the back-and-forth conversation, noting the indulgent way Jason looked at his nephew, while also feeling the growing tension from Hogan. But why?
The quiet smothered her, especially with the palpable acrimony now flowing between Hogan and Lexie. After clearing her throat, Honor asked, “Is that what we interrupted? You were working on the truck?”
Jason shook his head. “Tractor.” He nodded toward the side of the garage. “The owner of the truck is making up his mind between two options I gave him. Today I was repairing the tractor, but it needs a part I won’t have until tomorrow. I’m at a standstill on both projects, so you didn’t really interrupt. I was already done for the day.”
Hogan ran a hand over his face, popped his neck and finally worked up a smile. “He built the garage a few years back.”
“You helped,” Jason reminded him.
“By help, he means I followed directions. No idea where Jason got the knack, because our dad wasn’t the handy sort. But if there’s an upside to us staying with him right now, it’s that he’s teaching Colt.”
“And Colt does appear to have the knack,” Jason added.
Both she and Lexie looked at the garage with new eyes. Wow. Just...wow.
Honor said, “It’s unlike any garage I’ve ever seen.”
“You should see the shed he did for Sullivan,” Colt bragged. “And the gazebo for Nathan.”
“Sullivan and Nathan?” Lexie perked up with interest.
“Other neighbors,” Honor said before Lexie could get started. She pushed to her feet while saying, “This was really wonderful. Thank you again, all of you.”
When she started to pick up their paper plates, Colt took over. “I got it.”
Unbelievable. She’d never known such a polite young man. “Are you sure?”
He grinned, looking like a younger version of his uncle. “Positive. It all just goes to the can.” He gathered up everything and walked off.
Honor turned to Hogan. “You did an amazing job with him.”
“Thanks. He’s always been an easy kid. Smart, friendly and self-motivated.”
Again, Honor wondered about Colt’s mother. Had she taken a hand in molding such an impressive young man?
Hogan said, “I need to take off now, too.”
“Big date?” The way Lexie asked that, it was clear to one and all she didn’t expect it to be.
“Actually,” Hogan said, “yes.”
In an effort to stem new hostilities, Honor stepped in front of her friend. “I hope we didn’t hold you up.”
“Nope. I have a few minutes yet.” His frown moved past Honor to Lexie. “Guess I need to go change, though.”
Laughing, Lexie asked, “Need help?”
His dark expression morphed into a reluctant grin. “I think I’ve got it covered.”
She nodded while yawning. “I need to get going, too.”
“Gotta catch up on your beauty sleep?”
Honor almost groaned...until Lexie laughed again.
“Good one,” she said, and then she held up her palm, leaving Hogan no choice but to high-five her. To Jason, she teased, “The differences aren’t just in looks, I take it.”
Jason lifted a brow. “No, they aren’t.”
Without comment, Hogan headed off for the house.
“Well.” Honor watched everyone depart. Hogan went into the house from the back door. Lexie headed off to the rental truck. And Cody hadn’t returned from taking away their trash.
She and Jason were alone and with every fiber of her being, she felt it. Hoping not to be too obvious, she took a step back, then another. “I should get going, too. I need to drop off the truck tonight so I can get my car back. After I run Lexie home, I need to stop at the grocery. It’s going to take me a few hours to get back here, and I still have to get things set up for the morning.”
“What kind of things?”
“Alarm clock, coffee and I have to unpack enough clothes to get ready for work in the morning.”
He had been looking down at the ground as they walked to the curb, but now his head lifted and he stared at her. “You have to work tomorrow?”
“Yes.” But it wasn’t a matter of having to. “I’ll be taking all the hours I can get for a while. There are so many things I want to do to the house, but it all takes funds.” Funds she didn’t have. What money she’d saved would go to dire necessities, so overtime helped to pay for the extras she wanted.
“You have to be tired.”
“A little.” She rolled her aching shoulders, but resisted the long stretch. “I’m both excited and exhausted and I don’t know if I’d be able to sleep in anyway.”
“Excited?”
There were a hundred different reasons for her excitement, and one of those reasons was standing before her. Jason Guthrie was about the sexiest man she’d ever met. His careless hair, strong features, dark eyes and that body... Yup. The body definitely factored in.
But she also liked his intense focus, the way he smiled with pleasure at his nephew and his up-front honesty. That honesty had stung a little, since he clearly felt she was out of her league. Then again, he’d pitched in and done what he could to make her move-in easier.
How could she not admire him?
Naturally she wouldn’t say any of that to him, so instead she shared other thoughts that would hopefully reaffirm for him that she was here to stay. “The move, the house—now that it’s officially mine and I’m here, there are a million things running through my mind. What to do first, how much money I’ll need, how to do it and when to do it.” Forgetting her reserve, she whispered, “Tonight, I might just dance around and enjoy it all.”
“Yeah? Since you don’t have curtains yet, that could be interesting.”
Heat rushed into her face. “After I get the windows covered, then I’ll dance.”
Amusement curled his mouth. “Spoilsport.”
Their shoulders touched, electrifying Honor. She took a step to the side, ensuring that it wouldn’t happen again. Remember that he wants you gone. Remember that he wants you gone. Remember...
“I get it,” Jason said. “First big night in your own place.” Lifting a brow, he added, “And yeah, curtains might not be a bad idea. Or at least tack up a sheet or something.”
Maybe, Honor thought, he didn’t dislike her as a neighbor as much as she’d assumed.
Stopping in the side yard, well out of range of everyone else, Honor looked up at him. Way up because he was so much taller than her.
He stopped, too, his expression attentive.
She shouldn’t ask, but she had to. “When we first met...when I hit your trash can?”
“I told you, no big deal.”
“I know, but...is that why you kept staring at me?”
Those gorgeous dark eyes caressed her face. He glanced toward Colt, then over to watch Lexie climb into the passenger seat of the truck.
Finally his gaze came back to hers, and the impact took her breath.
“For one thing,” he said, low, “you’re attractive.”
Without thinking about it, Honor smoothed her ponytail and tucked a few loose tendrils behind her ears. “Um, thank you. But I’m such a mess today.”
His gaze warmed even more. “Messy and a mess are two very different things.”
That deep voice made her pulse race. She was so unused to compliments from men she wasn’t sure how to respond, so she just nodded and said, “Okay.”
A fleeting smile teased his mouth before he grew somber. “I also recognize trouble when I see it.”
She tucked in her chin. “Trouble?”
“You.”
“Me?” The question emerged as a squeak.
“You don’t fit the mold, Honor Brown. Not even close.”
A rush of umbrage helped to steady her voice. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“A certain type of person moves here. Not just to the area, but to this particular block. Mostly single men who can handle themselves. Men with some contractor skills, with time and ability to do the repairs needed. What we don’t generally see are young women—”
“I’m twenty-nine!”
“—who are completely alone, setting up house here.”
It hurt to know he was right, that for all intents and purposes, she was alone now. She had Lexie, but that wasn’t the same as a significant other, or family who cared.
“You’re in over your head,” he continued. “The work that needs to be done would be daunting for a man, but for a woman? Especially a woman like you?”
Sexy—and sexist. She firmed her spine. “Like me?”
“Small,” he explained. “Soft.”
“I’m not.”
“You most definitely are. Playing house is all well and good—”
“I’m not playing.” She was dead serious about it, all of it. She had to be.
“—but it’ll take more than that to make it work. A hell of a lot more.”
Honor huffed, then deflated with the truth of her situation. “Well, this sucks.”
He hesitated, but finally asked, “What does?”
Putting her nose in the air, she stared into his beautiful brown eyes. “I haven’t even finished moving in, and already I dislike my neighbor.”
On that parting remark, she turned and strode away. But her heart was thumping and her hands felt clammy and her stomach hurt.
She was never that rude, especially when she knew someone acted out of concern. What in the world got into me?
Right before she reached the truck, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Jason still standing there, hands on his hips, that laserlike gaze boring into her.
Damn it. She turned to fully face him. “Jason?”
His chin notched up in query.
“I apologize. I didn’t mean it.” Immediately she felt better—even with Lexie now laughing at her.
Jason’s hands fell to his sides and he dropped his head forward. She saw his shoulders moving.
Laughing? She wasn’t sure.
But she smiled and started to turn away again.
“Honor.”
She peeked at him and found his hands were back on his hips.
“You’re still trouble, no doubt about it. But if you need anything, let me know.”
Sure. When hell froze over. She smiled sweetly, waved and finally got in the truck.
More than ever, she was determined to do it all on her own. In the process she’d be nice to her caring, helpful, gorgeous neighbor—and she’d absolutely prove him wrong.
* * *
A week later, in the middle of painting her small bathroom a cheery yellow, Honor’s cell phone rang. Since she didn’t have the luxury of ever ignoring a call, she always kept the phone on her.
Juggling things, she dug it from the pocket of her sloppy pajama pants, saw it was Lexie and put it on speaker so she could leave it on the sink. “Hey, Lex.”
“Dare I hope you’re breathless for a good reason?”
“Painting.”
Lexie blew a loud raspberry into the phone. “Not a good reason at all, damn it.”
Honor shook her head. Lexie, more than anyone else, knew just how seldom she got breathless for the “good” reason. “With all this rain I haven’t been able to get much done outside, so I’ve been painting everything inside. I have most of the rooms done now and tomorrow I’ll start on the baseboards and doorframes. I want them to be a nice, bright white.”
“Uh-huh,” Lexie said, not real excited over paint ideas. “How’s that hunky neighbor of yours?”
“Which one?”
“Love it when you play dumb.” She laughed at her own joke. “One was too young for me to reference without feeling pervy, and the other was gorgeous but a complete pill. That leaves Jason.”
“You didn’t think Jason was a pill?”
“I thought Jason was awesomely concentrated.”
True, and it had intimidated her just a little. “Well, doesn’t really matter which one you meant, because I haven’t seen any of them.”
“Then you need to break something,” Lexie suggested. “Or buy something, stand in the driveway and look helpless.”
“In the rain?”
“What’s a little rainwater if he offers his help?”
Not in this lifetime. “I don’t think so.” Honor was all about looking self-reliant, not needy. That had been her core desire all along, but now, on top of that motivation, she desperately wanted to prove Jason wrong.
Unaware of Honor’s inner turmoil, Lexie said, “Well, you could just ask for his help. I’m sure there’s something around the house that he could assist with. Maybe something in the—” fake cough “—bedroom?”
“You’re impossible. Stop trying to be my pimp.”
“Pimps get paid. I just want to see you glow.”
A crack of lightning made Honor jump. She had to admit that Jason’s warnings had her spooked. For most of her life she’d been an insomniac, but after him predicting doom and gloom and making it sound like she was a sitting duck to all sorts of despicable crimes, she could barely doze. There were a lot of unfamiliar sounds in her house and even though she’d reinforced every entry, she still went on high alert every time she heard a squeak.
“You didn’t hang up on me, did you?”
“Nope.” Honor climbed down off her stepladder and set the brush across the top of the can. “But you already know I don’t want to ask for his help.” Jason thought she was trouble, assumed she’d fail and expected her to somehow cause problems.
“C’mon, honey. Think about how much quicker you’d get things done.”
She’d also prove Jason right, that she couldn’t handle it on her own. No, thank you. “I’m happy doing it all myself.”
Lexie blew out a breath. “That’s a shame, because I was planning to visit tomorrow and lend a hand, as I’d promised. I’d have been there sooner, but we were restocking this week.”
“I don’t want to work you, but you know you’re more than welcome to visit.” Luckily Lexie lived and worked only half an hour away, in the downtown area. The salon where Honor worked was in the opposite direction, but not very far at all. “I wouldn’t mind chatting with you while I get things done.” Lexie was the ray of sunshine in her otherwise dull world.
“I promise to actually assist. What time will you get home?”
For too many years now, Lexie had been fighting her way around Honor’s barriers. She knew from experience that it did her no good to resist.
Smiling, Honor said, “Around six—” and then her phone beeped. When she glanced at the screen, dread went through her bloodstream. “Shoot, I have to go. That’s the facility.”
“Of course it is,” Lexie groused. “Don’t let them wear you out. I’ll see you tomorrow at six-fifteen.”
Honor switched over the call, and while she listened she headed to her bedroom to change. She already knew what the call meant, what she’d have to do.
Looked like she’d be making a trip out in the downpour. The painting would have to wait. It’s only paint, she reminded herself.
But it felt like so much more.
It felt like...her future.
* * *
Her curtains did nothing more than tease. Jason stood at the window, watching the storm. Or at least he had been. But as soon as Honor’s bedroom light came on, his gaze shifted from the dark sky to her shadowy form...undressing.
The woman kept the strangest damn hours, heading out for work in the early morning, coming home after six, then regularly leaving again, sometimes in the middle of the night. On the quiet street he often heard her car door open and close. Other than those times, with the storms keeping everyone inside, he hadn’t seen her.
Would her roof leak? Were the windows sealed? His gaze shifted to one of the big trees in her backyard. The wind pulled at dead branches that could do a lot of damage if they landed wrong.
So much for her to do, and yet it seemed she was never home long enough to get to any of it.
“Spying again?”
Jason didn’t bother to turn to Hogan. “It’s really coming down.”
“Right. Never knew the rain fascinated you so much.”
“The creek might flood.” He glanced at his brother, took in his clothes and knew the answer even before he asked. “Going out?”
Hogan rolled one shoulder. “Yeah.”
Running. Always running. From one meaningless date to the next. Jason understood, at least to a degree. The past year had been hard on his brother.
But damn it, it had been hard on Colt, too.
He didn’t want to judge, but right now it seemed Hogan had his head up his ass and was blind to everything except his own damaged ego. A million dates with easy conquests wouldn’t fix anything. But how did he tell Hogan that?
He couldn’t. Not yet anyway. So instead he concentrated on other, more tangible and less emotional issues. “How’d the interview go?”
“Same as the others. I’m fucked.”
It was an awkward thing, being in the position of advising his older brother. For so many years Hogan had been the settled one. Gorgeous wife, check. Awesome son, check. Nice house, nice bank account and respectable job with benefits, check.
But over the last year, everything had changed and there were times Jason wondered if they’d ever get back to normal. He’d never been in love, never had a son and never lost his livelihood, so he couldn’t pretend to know how Hogan felt.
But he loved his nephew and he knew, eventually, Hogan would have to get his priorities straight. He was a good dad, always. But lately he’d been far too absent, physically and emotionally.
Running a hand over the back of his head, Jason said, “The bankruptcy?”
Disgusted, Hogan curled his lip. “Who wants to hire an accountant who was unable to manage his own finances?”
A definite problem. “Did you explain?”
That made him laugh. “Right. What would I say? That I didn’t know my wife was boning two different guys while going through our money like water through a sieve? That elevates me from a bad accountant to a total moron.”
Jason blew out a breath. Tough to go from six figures with elite and exclusive clients to unemployed without prospects. “Something will turn up.”
“Maybe.” Pulling on a wind breaker and turning up the collar, Hogan said, “If the night goes well, I’ll be home in the morning.”
“That’s what you want me to tell Colt when he asks?”
Without meeting his gaze, Hogan said, “He won’t ask.”
No, Jason thought, watching Hogan dart out into the rain. Colt already knew his dad cared more about chasing tail than manning up and facing the reality of their situation.
But Jason wished like hell it was different.
Needing a new focus, he returned to the window. Earlier, Honor had been painting. Two at a time she’d carried in cans of paint from her car, getting soaked in the process. At this rate, the whole house probably had a fresh coat. He wondered at her color choices. Was she a bold primary kind of girl, or soft pastels? A continuous color like this house, or a rainbow of hues, each room different?
He’d bet on the rainbow.
A few minutes later when Honor’s front door opened, Hogan was already gone. Propping a shoulder on the window frame, Jason watched her as she stepped out, locked the door and double-checked it.
Smart.
She wore skinny jeans, sandals and an oversize top that mostly concealed her figure. Before stepping off her rickety porch she opened an umbrella—one that sported wide, bold stripes in every color imaginable.
Yup, rainbow colors.
He’d like to see the progress she’d made inside the house, but just as the rains had kept her inside, they’d kept him away from the yard. He’d worked either inside his garage or not at all. Probably for the best. If he got inside her house and saw her workload, he’d want to help.
He and his nephew were alike that way. But she’d already made it clear that his help was unwanted.
As Honor darted into the rain and to her car, he tracked her every move, and nodded.
Trouble—with a capital T.
* * *
Hours later, as Jason lay in the dark trying to sleep, he heard her pull in to the driveway. Her headlights cut across his window, briefly illuminating his room before she turned them off. She didn’t slam her car door, but the sound of it closing echoed over the quiet streets. He glanced at the clock and saw it was 2:00 a.m.
Without giving it much thought, he threw back the sheet and strode to the window to look out. He had a better view from his dining room, with that view directly facing her front porch, but he was naked, so he stayed in his bedroom and lifted aside the curtain.
Sometime during the night the rain had stopped. Black clouds parted and moon shadows danced over the yard. The faint glow of her porch light showed the exhaustion visible in every line of her body. At the bottom step of the porch she paused and looked up, staring at the skinny crescent moon for a very long time.
While Jason stared at her.
His heart beat heavily and he felt unfamiliar things, things that only partially involved lust. Every day for a week he’d thought about her, watched for her, worried over her situation.
He wanted to lend a hand. It went against his nature not to. But she’d been pretty clear on her preferences.
Finally she lowered her head, rubbed at her eyes, then trudged up the steps and, after fumbling at her door for longer than should have been necessary, she went in.
Telling himself he’d only watch to ensure that she got inside safely, Jason waited.
Lights came on as she walked through the house to the kitchen, then out again when she went to her bedroom.
She must have undressed in the dark.
When all stayed quiet, Jason decided she’d gone to bed.
After a deep breath he dropped the curtain and did the same.
* * *
There were two types of problems.
The type where, if you just told someone, things could work out. People would have answers or suggestions, or they’d offer desperately needed help. You shared and others got involved and things got better. Honor had always considered it dumb when people kept their problems to themselves if sharing could make things easier.
Unfortunately she never seemed to have those types of problems. She had the other kind. The kind where no solutions existed and talking to others equated to whining because you knew they couldn’t help. Sharing only drew them in and made them feel responsible, and then resentful.
Or worse, they felt sorry for you.
She never wanted anyone to pity her.
Once, in a moment of weakness, she’d explained everything to Lexie—and learned a valuable lesson. Lexie had an overprotective streak, which meant she griped nonstop on Honor’s behalf. Even worse, Lexie’s mean-spirited barbs put Honor in the unpalatable position of having to defend her family.
She disliked that almost as much as the pity.
But she loved Lexie. She especially loved that Lexie was coming over that night. She could use a dose or two of laughter to help her stay focused.
She’d awakened late after sleeping through her alarm. Luckily sunshine cut straight though her makeshift curtains, which, as Jason had suggested, were really tacked-up sheets. At the moment, she couldn’t afford real window treatments.
Grateful for the beautiful day, she’d swilled coffee, hopped in and out of the shower, brushed her teeth and hair, forfeited even the most basic makeup and was now rushing out.
After securing all the locks on the door, she turned for the porch steps—and drew up short at the sight of her trash...everywhere.
Oh no.
As she stared in horror, Jason righted the overturned trash can, and then he and Colt began picking it all up. Hand to the top of her head as if to keep her numb brain contained, gaze going everywhere to take in the catastrophe, Honor strode out to the yard. Feeling sick, she asked, “What happened?”
As if it didn’t matter, Jason glanced at her, over her, then answered while getting back to work, “You didn’t have a lid on your garbage can, and winds knocked it over during the storm.”
She was already late. What to do?
Standing, Colt noticed her shock. “Hey, no worries. You can go on and I’ll take care of it.”
Bless him.
But then Jason slanted her a look. It wasn’t exactly condemnation. Truthfully she didn’t know what to call it; she just absolutely knew she couldn’t walk away yet.
Mouth pinched to keep the groan contained, she dumped her purse, packed lunch and keys into the driver’s seat of her small car and started grabbing up garbage. Luckily none of it was the nasty kind. Nothing too personal.
She chased down a piece of paper skipping over the lawn, and almost collided with Jason.
Of course the man was shirtless again.
Did he only own pants?
Rain or shine, he usually worked in the garage and his requisite outfit included some variation on jeans or shorts, athletic shoes or work boots—and no shirt.
Occasionally he wore a trucker’s cap...backward.
When he wasn’t too close, when she only spied on him through a window, she could take it. Barely.
But now, with only a foot between them? Awareness thrummed through her bloodstream, her skin went warm and keeping her gaze on his face proved nearly impossible. “I’ve got it,” she mumbled, and started to reach for the paper.
Jason got to it before she could.
She quickly stepped back—and he followed.
“Honor?”
“Hmm?”
Taking her by surprise, he tipped up her chin and studied her face. “You look tired.”
God, his fingers were hot, a little rough, and they sent her heartbeat into a frantic race. “No.” Her false smile felt absurd. “I’m good.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth, wandered lower—then came back to her eyes. “Yes, you are. Maybe too good—because you can’t lie for shit.” His hand left her chin but only so he could trace a fingertip along her cheekbone. “You’ve got dark circles under your eyes.”
Deadpan, trying to hide her sizzling awareness of him as an ultrahot man, she said, “Yay. Just what I wanted to know.”
His mouth quirked, and he thankfully dropped his hand, allowing her to breathe again. “What time do you need to be at work?”
An innocuous enough question, especially after those light, bone-melting touches. “Twenty minutes ago.” Then, because she never could be short, she explained, “I have clients coming in first thing, but the salon is only ten minutes away and I had time built in to store my lunch, go over my schedule, get my supplies ready, spruce up my area and...” She trailed off at his slight frown. “Sorry.”
“Sounds like you have a lot to do.”
“The salon where I work is small. Every stylist is responsible for her own area.”
“Small, as in lacking business?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Small, as in superexclusive.”
“So you have a lot of clients?”
Was he skeptical? Or just interested? She couldn’t tell. “Don’t judge my own sloppy appearance.” Forgoing modesty, she admitted, “I’m in high demand.”
He murmured, “I bet you are,” while looking at her mouth again.
A rush of heat hit her and it had nothing to do with the humidity rising off the wet ground in waves. At this rate, she’d be mush by the time she got to work.
After clearing her throat, she said, “So...”
“You were out late last night.”
Totally not what she’d expected from him. “How do you...?”
“My bedroom is closest to your house. I hear you coming and going.”
“Oh.” Well, that was embarrassing. Now she’d never be able to sleep for thinking about him that close...maybe listening to her. She didn’t have time to explain, not that she’d know what to say anyway. Lexie’s general explanation, that she was keeper of the zoo, didn’t feel appropriate. “I’m really sorry. About waking you and—” she gestured at the yard “—about the mess.”
“I’ll keep an eye on things until the garbage truck comes by and picks it up in another hour. But you should get a lid for your can. That’ll take care of it.”
“I will.” She searched the yard and spotted Colt. “Thank you,” she called out to him.
Dropping a few things back into her can, he waved her off with a friendly smile.
Honor sighed. “He is such a great kid.”
“Yeah, he is.” Smiling, Jason added, “But he doesn’t much like being called a kid.”
He had the most gorgeous smile that put sexy little dents in his whisker-rough cheeks and crinkled the corners of his dark-as-sin eyes. That smile had the effect of making Honor smile, too. “I’ll try to remember that.” She back-stepped toward her car. “And the lid to the can.”
Jason nodded.
And she’d especially remember to close her car door quietly from now on. Very, very quietly.
