CHAPTER FIVE
GARRETT BLEW OUT a breath. “Honest to God, Zoey, you make me a little nuts.”
She pursed her lips. “Should I apologize?”
He laughed. He didn’t mean to, but damn, she was about as unique as a woman could get. “Don’t apologize, and don’t change.”
She eyed him. “I don’t understand you.”
“Okay, so understand this—I’d like nothing more than to spend the whole night kissing you.” The whole night—what the hell was he saying?
“Yes.”
He’d been about to retrench, to make excuses on why he had to go, but her unguarded enthusiasm made him feel like a coward. While he shied away from his emotions, she embraced hers without reserve.
He knew the truth; in a very short time he’d come to like her too much, think about her too often.
Want her in ways that were only in part sexual.
Would it be so bad if he let things progress naturally? Now that he’d had her, now that he knew how good it was between them, how could he walk away? Especially given that she claimed to feel the same.
And if they grew tired of each other…how could there be hurt feelings when right now, she didn’t have the time or energy for more anyway?
“You’re pondering things far too long,” she complained. “I have my pride, you know. If you’d rather just go, I promise not to kick up a fuss.”
That made up his mind. “It was dark outside.”
“Just the firelight, I know.”
“I’d like to stay. With the lights on so I can see you better.”
Her eyes widened.
“And no threat of mosquitoes or echoes off the lake.”
“Echoes.” She covered her mouth. “I hadn’t even thought of that.” Then with a grimace, “Was I loud?”
“You were so damned sexy, I didn’t get a chance to linger as long as I wanted. You started moaning all deep and hot and I lost it.”
She beamed at him.
“Let’s check on the dog, take him out one more time, then I could use a shower before we turn in.”
“A shower—with me?”
“I was going to ask.” Damn, she pleased him. For now, he’d put his sister’s guilt trip from his mind and take things as they came.
One day at a time—starting tonight.
* * *
SEVERAL DAYS LATER, Garrett was outside with the guys on a quiet, sunny afternoon washing the engines when Amber came to visit him again. She and Zoey were friends, so no doubt she knew how much time he’d been spending at Zoey’s house.
Was she here to give him another lecture?
He rolled his eyes at her purposeful, long-legged stride across the lot…until he realized Noel Poet had zeroed in on her, too.
Deciding now might be a good time to let the new guy know of family connections, Garrett headed over to meet her halfway. “Amber.”
She gave him a double take, then matched his formal tone. “Garrett.”
Putting an arm around her shoulders, he led her to where Noel, shirtless and with his pants soaked to the knees, ran a soapy sponge over a rescue truck. Or more to the point, he held the sponge near the truck. With his attention clearly elsewhere, he wasn’t doing much in the way of actual washing.
When they approached, Noel swiped a forearm over his face and then just waited until they’d reached him, his eyes narrowed against the sun.
He stood an inch or so shorter than Garrett’s six-two. During a recent tour with the elementary school, Garrett had overheard two of the teachers whispering about Noel’s dark blond hair and lean, muscular body. At the time he’d found it funny and had harassed Noel over it later.
Now, with his sister looking at Noel, Garrett wasn’t sure how he felt about it, mostly because he’d heard other things, too.
Like how Noel got around, how he enjoyed variety and how he planned to stay single.
When they reached him, Garrett said, “Amber, this is Noel Poet. He’s new to the station. Noel, my sister, Amber.”
Surprise lifted Noel’s brows. “You’re intro-ing me to your sis? Seriously?”
Damn it, did the man have to make it sound like he’d just thrown Amber on the sacrificial altar?
Amber smiled and stuck out a hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Smile slow and suggestive, Noel transferred the sponge to his other hand and swiped his palm along the seat of his pants before taking hers. “Might’ve been nicer if you weren’t related.” He kept the handshake brief.
Garrett worked his jaw. “I figured since she comes around often enough—usually to give me shit about something—I might as well introduce you.”
Amber leaned in to Noel—which made both his brows go up—to say in a loud stage whisper, “I only give him a hard time when he needs it.”
“Which she seems to figure is twice a week at least.”
For one brief moment, Noel’s gaze dipped over her before he caught himself. “The family resemblance is there,” he told them both. “Wish I’d noticed sooner.”
Amber’s smile brightened more. “Hope you don’t hold that against me.”
Both men stared at her. Garrett because he’d never seen her flirt, and Noel, well… Garrett knew exactly where the man’s mind had gone—and it had to do with holding body parts against her.
Frowning, Garrett took her upper arm. “I’ll let you get back to it.”
Noel nodded and murmured, “Guess I should,” but he continued to look at her.
Uncomfortable for a variety of reasons, Garrett led Amber toward the garage and relative privacy.
“He seems nice.”
No, he didn’t want Amber thinking that, but if he tried telling her what to do, she’d do the opposite just to prove a point. “So what’s up?” he asked, hoping to divert her.
She took the bait. “You and Zoey.”
“Yeah?” He’d definitely been up that morning. The night before, too. But right now, here at the station, he had it under wraps.
That is, unless he started thinking about her too much.
“You didn’t take my advice,” Amber said.
“Advice?” His sister was never that understated. “You mean your order for me to leave her be?”
“Semantics.” She walked over to a tool chest and seated herself. “Zoey said she’s gotten more done on the house in the last week with your help than she would have in a month on her own.”
“Yeah, so? I’m good at repairs.”
“Sounded to me like you’ve been there nearly every day.”
All but one, not that he’d give her details.
Amber stared at him.
“Stop it.”
Failing at the innocent look, Amber asked, “What?”
“You’re patiently waiting for me to spill my guts.” In the past, that silent stare might have worked. But not since he’d hit his twenties. “My relationship with Zoey is none of your business.”
“So it is a relationship?”
An awesome, hot, sexually inspired relationship, which he also enjoyed when they weren’t having sex…but he didn’t want to dwell on that too much. Things were happening fast. Mach-speed fast. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that, and he had no clue how Zoey felt about it.
She loved sleeping with him, that much he knew. And she smiled a lot while they worked on her house. He often found her watching him with a really sweet expression on her face.
But he didn’t know what that expression meant.
Amber pushed to her feet in a rush. “I ask, because Zoey just assured me that it wasn’t.”
As usual, when he started thinking about Zoey, he got distracted. “Wasn’t what?”
“A relationship.”
Ire quickly replaced the confusion. “You were gossiping about me?”
Flapping a hand, she said, “Save that deadly tone for someone who intimidates more easily. I’m your sister and you know I would defend you with my dying breath.”
Mouth twisted over that dramatic statement, he repeated, “Dying breath, huh?”
“Of course.” Smiling, she added, “Because I love you.”
Oh, hell no. “You’re up to something.”
That made her laugh. “I’m just trying to get a lay of the land.”
Noel walked in to grab some dry towels. No one said a word, but Amber tracked his every step, making Garrett frown again. When Noel walked back out, whistling, Amber released a breath.
“So are you or are you not interested in her?”
Sneaky, jumping right back to the topic that way after she’d just ogled a fellow firefighter right in front of him. But how could he answer? He was far beyond interested. Bordering on obsessed. On the downhill slide to falling in love.
He knew it, but that didn’t mean he’d share with Amber.
“Never mind.” She patted his chest. “I know you well enough that I can see for myself.”
He caught her arm before she could leave. “What did Zoey tell you exactly?”
“That you guys were having fun in a no-strings-attached way that worked perfectly for her because—” Amber coughed “—the perks were awesome.”
Nice. “She didn’t go into the perks?”
“She enthused until my face was so hot I had to leave.” After sticking her elbow in his ribs, she said, “A little brother should never be described as a stud. That’s not a direct quote, by the way. Zoey was far more descriptive than that.”
Garrett grinned.
Amber didn’t. “So now, instead of worrying about Zoey, I have to worry about you.” She shook her head. “A sister’s job is never done.”
“Why would you worry about me?”
“Oh, Garrett. You don’t know? The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”
He wouldn’t fall alone, damn it. Zoey would come around. Right?
“If you’re rethinking that no-strings-attached nonsense, you ought to clue Zoey in real soon. Once her mom comes home and her responsibilities double, she just might have to prioritize her time.”
And Amber figured he wouldn’t make the list? Or was she trying to manipulate him again? He’d bet on the latter. “We’re taking it one day at a time.”
“I know.” She looked at him with pity. “And that means that tomorrow could be very different from today. You might want to keep that in mind.”
This time when she started away, Garrett let her. Damn it, he’d been in such a great mood, and now…
Now he felt the need to make himself more invaluable to Zoey. He’d start on that tonight. If by the fireman’s fund-raiser she hadn’t come around, well, then he’d state the obvious to her.
The obvious being that they were good together, and that he fit into her life, whatever her life might be.
But until then, he’d rather give her a chance to tell him how she felt. He’d encourage her at least once a day…and every night.
* * *
LEAVING THE BED UNMADE—why bother?—she and Garrett repeatedly bumped into each other while dressing. It wasn’t the limited space so much as she couldn’t keep her eyes off of him. Fully dressed he was a visual treat. Naked…yeah. She wasn’t missing that for anything.
While trying to step into her shorts, she tripped herself up and would have fallen if Garrett hadn’t caught her.
“Let me.” Going to one knee, he eased up her shorts…while kissing her thighs, her belly, each breast.
She braced her hands on his hard, wide shoulders and sighed.
Though they’d just finished making love, he murmured, “I need another hour.”
Or a lifetime.
Her eyes popped open. Oh, no, where had that thought come from?
“Zoey?” He slowly stood, towering over her. “Everything okay?”
He’d spent the night again.
He stayed over almost every night.
And it was so wonderful that now she wondered how she’d ever be able to sleep again without him spooning her, holding her close. He worked with her, played with her, talked with her… He’d invaded her life in so many ways that now he seemed very much a part of it.
“Zoey?”
She tried to nod yes, but the answer was no, and she ended up sort of waggling her head in a totally indecipherable way.
Garrett grinned. “You are so damned cute.” He kissed the end of her nose, then pulled her T-shirt over her head, smoothed her hair back and just held her face. “Are you worrying about your mom?”
“A little.” That wasn’t an outright lie. She worried about her mom all the time. “I want everything perfect for her when she comes here.”
Garrett sat on the end of her bed and pulled her down onto his knees. “Can I ask you something?”
“You can ask me anything.”
“What does your uncle think about your mom moving here? She’s been living with him, right?”
“He’s okay with it.”
His big hand smoothed over her back. “Amber told me you weren’t welcome at your uncle’s.”
Ducking her head, Zoey wondered how to explain. “He’s still a little mad at me.” As soon as she said it, she felt Garrett’s anger. It was funny, but she could read him so easily. “He thinks I never should have left her. And he’s probably right.”
“Know what I think?”
She tucked her head under his chin and breathed in the warm, masculine scent of his big body. “Yeah, I do.”
He tipped up her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Why didn’t your mom or uncle back you up way back then?”
Seeing him like this, caring, concerned for her, well, she had to kiss him.
He didn’t disappoint her.
Kissing Garrett would never grow old. But when she came up for breath, he said, “Will you tell me?”
There was really no reason not to. “My uncle wanted me to stay and defend myself.”
That surprised him. “He didn’t blame you?”
She shook her head. “Everyone assumes that. But he’d dealt with Gus and knew about his temper. He said he tried to help him work it out in football, but…he wasn’t a very happy guy. It made my uncle furious that, as he put it, I was just going to turn tail and run. Especially since that’d leave my mom…alone.”
As if he knew she needed it, Garrett hugged her tighter.
“Mom is the quintessential free spirit, always has been. She loves me a lot. Back then, I was her whole world. After dad died when I was twelve, she never dated.”
“She just focused on you?”
“Pretty much.” Zoey didn’t want it to sound like her mother was weak, even if that was partially true. “She’d never worked outside the home, so she had a hard time holding down a job. That’s why we were always so poor.”
“Your uncle was counting on you to help her make ends meet?”
“And to be there for her.” She opened her hand on Garrett’s chest, toying with his chest hair, savoring the heat of his skin. “When I left, Mom just…gave up. That’s why my uncle had to take her in.”
“You were a kid, Zoey. Your uncle should have known you couldn’t be responsible for your mom.”
“That’s the thing, though. I had been, ever since Dad died.” She tipped back her head to see him. She needed him to understand. “Now I will be again.”
“Now you’re a grown woman and she’s hurt. Family helps family, always.”
“Yes.”
“Which is why she should have been helping you back then.”
The truth hurt, but she nodded. “Maybe, but she can barely help herself.” As soon as she said it, she winced. “I’m sorry. A daughter shouldn’t say something so awful about her—”
“Shh.” Garrett pressed his mouth to her temple. “It’s just me.”
Just him—the only person she could really share with. Not to another living soul had she ever criticized her mother. “I love her.”
“Of course you do.”
He kissed her again—her ear, her cheek, the corner of her mouth—and she accepted the truth. Damn it, after all her assurances, she’d still fallen for him.
“So your uncle won’t be a problem?”
“No.” Loving Garrett…now that might be a problem. But not her uncle. “He’s annoyed still and holding a grudge. But he’ll come around because he’ll want to visit Mom, and he knows he has to behave when he’s here.”
Rough fingertips glided gently over her jaw. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“Yeah?” She smiled up at him. “Like what?”
He started to reply, but Ticket, as she’d named the dog given the number of ticks he’d had on him when she’d first found him, went into a barking fit.
The dog only barked like that when something scared him.
“You expecting someone?”
“No.”
Garrett set her on her feet and started through the house.
She hurried after him. “What are you doing?”
“Seeing who’s here.”
She trailed him to the front door, where Ticket kicked up a fuss, bouncing up and down and howling like hell had come to call. “You think he heard someone?”
“Ticket is smart.” As soon as he patted the dog, Ticket sat down and stopped barking. “See?”
“But I don’t get any visitors.” And maybe that’s why Garrett looked so protective.
He opened the door…and there stood his father with his fist raised to knock.
The two men stared at each other, and Zoey felt her face go bright red.
After all, it was the butt-crack of dawn, she was badly rumpled, and Garrett wore only jeans. No way could his father misinterpret.
Trying to brazen out the embarrassing situation, Zoey said, “Mr. Hudson, good morning!” She peered around Garrett’s bare shoulder. “How nice of you to visit.”
Garrett choked.
Morgan, big beast of a man that he was, gave a slow grin and clapped his son on the shoulder. “I’m not going away, so you might as well invite me in.”
Silent, Garrett stepped back, opened the door wider and gestured for him to enter.
Ticket, the little rat, was the only one thrilled for the company.
* * *
GARRETT CALLED THE station to say he was running late, pulled on his shirt, socks and shoes and joined Zoey and his dad in the kitchen. He got there just as the coffee finished.
Giving one last pat to the dog, his dad gave him the once-over. “I was just telling Zoey how nice the place looks.”
Garrett glanced at her, saw the high color in her cheeks deepen and had to smile. “We’ve been working on it.”
“You don’t say.”
“Dad.” He accepted a mug of coffee from Zoey and handed another to his father. “You’re embarrassing her.”
They both looked at Zoey, and she froze.
“Oh, no,” she spluttered. In a too-high voice, she said, “I’m fine,” and froze again.
Garrett pulled out a chair for her, urged her into it and bent to kiss the top of her head. “You remember my dad, Zoey?”
She bobbed her head hard. Reacting to her uncertainty, Ticket sat next to her chair and kept a watchful eye on things.
Yeah, Morgan Hudson had that effect on a lot of people. He’d been sheriff for a long time, and if the stories Garrett had heard were true, a badass longer than that. Few realized that overall, his dad was a big softie.
Not that anyone would believe him if he told them so. In his early sixties, his dad was still a brick wall of a man: tall, solid, unfaltering in his role as protector.
All in all, the best of dads.
“He used to be the sheriff back when we were kids,” Garrett told Zoey. “Now he’s the mayor.”
She bobbed her head again. “I know. Amber caught me up.”
“I knew you were a friend of Amber’s.” He nodded at Garrett. “Didn’t know about this, though.”
“Dad…” Garrett warned again—not that it would do him any good.
After sipping his coffee, Morgan asked, “You remember me as a fair man, Zoey?”
“Of course.”
“Good. That’ll make this easier.”
Garrett wondered if they’d dealt with each other back when Gus died. Likely. For as long as he could remember his dad had been a pillar of the community. Whenever something happened, Morgan Hudson was there taking control and working out problems.
Was it a problem that had brought him here today?
Muscles tensing, Garrett put a hand on Zoey’s shoulder. “Don’t let him make you nervous.”
“No, of course not.” Her smile was about as nervous as it could get.
His dad gave him that look, the one that said all kinds of shit a son didn’t want to hear, especially when he was full-grown and well past needing lectures.
“Did Amber send you here?”
Folding his arms on the table, his dad said, “No, why would she?”
“No reason.” Interesting, that Amber hadn’t told their dad about him seeing Zoey. Maybe she still had hopes of him backing off.
If so, she was doomed to disappointment.
Garrett straddled his own seat. “So then why the visit?”
Instead of answering, he told Zoey, “I’m here on unofficial business. Do you want Garrett here, or would you rather talk privately?”
Stiffening from his toes to his ears, Garrett scowled. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Not up to you,” Morgan told him.
Garrett turned to her…and saw her stricken expression. “Zoey?”
Eyes closed, she whispered, “Someone complained about me being here?”
“Complained—and made some accusations.”
“The Donahues,” Garrett growled. Damn it. What was wrong with those people?
Morgan ignored him. “I’m here as a courtesy, okay? To you, not them.”
She nodded, swallowed. “Thank you.”
“You’re going to open shop?”
The switch threw her. “Pet grooming.” Straightening her shoulders, she met Morgan’s gaze. “Everything is legal, all my permits in order, everything to code.”
He looked around again. “I assume you plan to live here, too?”
“With my mom.”
Garrett had no doubt Morgan already knew about her mother being hurt, but he briefly filled him in anyway. “She should be able to come home by the end of the month.”
“I’m glad she’s doing better.”
“Thank you.” Zoey shifted with impatience. “I don’t mean to be rude, but why are you here exactly?”
After turning his coffee cup, giving himself a moment to think, Morgan looked at each of them. “There was some trouble at the grocery?”
Dropping back in her seat, Zoey laughed.
Garrett didn’t. “I was there.”
“Really?” Raising his brows, Morgan said, “I must’ve missed that part.”
“I don’t want any trouble,” Zoey said. “Not with anyone. I’m just here to take care of my mom.”
Garrett felt a pang in his heart. Yeah, he knew that was why she’d returned. But hopefully she’d want to stay…for him.