Green Mountain Collection 1 by Marie Force (27)

Nolan was out of the SUV so fast he almost tripped over his own feet in his haste to open her door.

“Hey, boss,” Skeeter called from the bay on the far left side of the garage where he did his bodywork.

“Not now.”

“But—”

“Not now!”

“Well, alrighty then.”

Hannah laughed softly as he took her hand and half dragged her into the main reception area on the far right side of the building. He led her around the counter and into his office, closing the door behind them. Spinning around to face her, he found her looking up at him expectantly.

Nolan wished he’d brought her somewhere classier than his dirty garage, but desperate times called for dirty garages. He backed her up to the closed door, and her hands landed on his chest. All he could see were her sweet, pink lips, and he had to remind himself to take it slow.

Then her hand curled around his nape to drag him down to her, taking the lead in what quickly became the hottest, most sensual kiss he’d ever experienced. When her tongue darted into his mouth, he forgot all about going slow. He cupped her bottom and lifted her right off her feet, groaning when she wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her heated core against his throbbing erection.

The phone rang, and he ignored it. Skeeter called for him, and he ignored him. A huge crash sounded from the garage, and he ignored it. His world had been reduced to the sweet taste of Hannah’s lips, the erotic tangle of her tongue with his, the heat between her legs and the tug of her fingers in his hair.

He could drop dead right now, and he’d go happy. Except he’d never do that to her after what she’d already endured. Nolan planned to live a good long time so he could kiss her this way every single day of what was left of both their lives.

The rumble of voices right outside the door had him reluctantly ending the kiss. He leaned his forehead against hers, both of them breathing hard.

“He’s in there,” Skeeter said. “I don’t know what he’s doing, but I wouldn’t bother him right now if I was you.”

“I’d like to see him,” a familiar voice said. “I’ll wait.”

Nolan let out a moan when he realized Hannah’s twin brother was out there. “This day gets better and better.”

“Is my sister in there with him?” Hunter asked.

“Um, I don’t know nothin’,” Skeeter said. “I’m just the hired help.”

Nolan was going to kill him the second he got the chance.

Hannah began to giggle uncontrollably, and Nolan decided right then and there that whatever abuse the Abbott family intended to toss his way was worth it if it made her laugh harder than he’d seen her laugh in more than seven years.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” he muttered, taking another kiss while he could.

“I’m sorry. They’re totally out of control.”

“You said it, not me.” He held her hips until she was standing. When she reached for the door, he stopped her. “Not yet.”

“Why not? You know Hunter. He’s not going anywhere until he gets what he came for.”

“And what’s that? A piece of my hide?”

“Perhaps,” she said with a coy grin that got his motor racing all over again.

“Are you enjoying this?”

“It is kinda funny. You have to admit it.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Can I open the door?”

“Not yet.”

“You never said why.”

“Do I really have to spell it out for you?”

Her eyes traveled over him, stopping abruptly when they landed on the bulge in the front of his pants. “Oh. Oh.”

“Don’t do that. You’re not helping anything.”

“What am I doing?”

“You’re looking at it.”

She rolled her lip between her teeth as if she was trying not to laugh again.

He furrowed his brows in annoyance. “Don’t you dare laugh.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” She moved toward him, and Nolan took a step back out of self-preservation.

He bumped up against his desk, which was covered with discarded coffee cups and paperwork he hoped to get to before the next millennium. “Hannah, knock it off. Your brother is on the other side of that door, and if I know him, he’s got his ear pressed against it listening to everything we’re saying.”

“Before I go, I just wanted to say . . . thanks.”

The incredibly sweet way she looked at him as she said that didn’t help his “condition.” He cleared his throat. “For what?”

“For being a good sport, for putting up with my family and for that kiss against the door, which was amazing.”

“It was pretty good, wasn’t it?”

She smiled as she nodded, and then she surprised the living shit out of him when she leaned in and pressed her lips softly and chastely against his. “I’ll see you later.”

His head was still spinning when she casually walked through the door, as if she hadn’t just rocked his world. And then he came out of the fog to realize Hunter was still out there, talking to his sister at the moment and no doubt here to add to the Abbott family day of torture. Nolan scrambled around the desk and sat, grateful for the barrier between his raging erection and his old friend, who also happened to be Hannah’s insanely overprotective twin.

He picked up a pen and pretended to be interested in the invoice from the company that provided gas to the station, which he really needed to pay one of these days, and was still staring blankly at it when Hunter strolled in and shut the door. As usual, he looked like he’d just stepped out of an issue of GQ magazine. He was on the receiving end of an endless amount of abuse from their group of friends for his snappy style sense, but Hunter took it all in stride and ignored the bullshit. Nolan had always admired that about him and considered Hunter and Will Abbott among his closest friends.

But one look at his old pal told him today’s visit was anything but a social call.

“What can I do for you, Hunter?”

Hunter eyed the visitor chair in Nolan’s office and wisely refrained from sitting. Some substances even the best of dry cleaners couldn’t remove from twill trousers. “I’d like to know what’s going on between you and my sister.”

“Don’t mince words.”

“Why bother when we both know why I’m here.”

“I’m trying to figure out why you feel it’s any of your business.”

As expected, Hunter’s dark eyes narrowed with anger. “Are you seriously asking me that?”

“Yeah, I am. You know me, Hunter. Do you think I’d ever do anything to hurt her? In a million years, do you think I’m capable of that?”

Hunter blew out a deep breath. “I don’t think you’d hurt her intentionally.”

Nolan held his steady gaze, refusing to back down.

“Does she know about the racing?”

The question caught him off guard. It was about the last thing Nolan expected him to say. “I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t heard about it.”

“She hasn’t.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because if she knew, she wouldn’t have been making out with you in your office just now.”

“We weren’t making out.”

Hunter rolled his eyes. “Get real. No one knows her better than I do, and all I had to do was take one look at bright eyes, swollen lips and pink cheeks to put three and three together to get making out.”

Nolan absolutely refused to blink. He wouldn’t give Hunter the satisfaction.

“Nothing to say to that, huh?”

Nolan shrugged. “I wouldn’t dare pretend to know her better than you do.”

“You have to tell her about the racing.”

“Why is that so important to you?”

“Because she needs all the facts before she gets too far down the road with you. She needs to know about your so-called hobby.”

“It’s more than a hobby, Hunter. You know that.” Their stock car team raced in a recreational league and had attracted the attention of a few sponsors. They had the potential to reach the next level but only if everyone on the team was committed. Nolan was as committed to the team as he was to anything in his life, but Hunter’s concerns had given him pause.

“I do, and that’s exactly why you need to tell her. She’s had enough loss in her life. If she’s going to date a guy who gets off on driving in two-hundred-mile-an-hour circles just for fun, she needs to know about the risk she’s taking.”

“It’s not a risk. You know how safety conscious my whole team is. I’ve been at this for years, and I know what I’m doing.”

“You haven’t been driving for years. I’m well aware of how good you are, but she knows nothing about it. She couldn’t be more removed from such things if she tried, so you have to tell her.”

“Not yet.”

“Soon. Before this goes too much further.”

“You won’t say anything before I do, will you?”

“Not if you do it soon.”

“I don’t appreciate being bullied into telling her something I’m not ready to tell her.”

“I’m not bullying you, Nolan. I’m looking out for my sister who’s already suffered through a lifetime’s worth of grief. That’s all I’m doing.”

“Fair enough.”

“For what it’s worth, I like you two together. You’d be great for her, but you’ve got to come clean about the racing. She deserves to know what she’s getting herself into.”

“I understand, but I need some time.”

“A week. You’ve got a week to tell her, or I will.”

Even though the ultimatum made him angry, he couldn’t argue with the rationale behind it. Hunter loved his sister and didn’t want to see her hurt. Nolan felt the same way about Hannah, and what Hunter said made sense even if it scared the living shit out of him. He couldn’t see Hannah sticking around for long after she found out what he did for fun when he wasn’t working.

Satisfied that he’d made his point, Hunter turned to leave.

“Hunter.”

He turned back to face Nolan.

“We both want the same thing, you know. We want to see her happy again.”

Hunter nodded and stepped out of the office, closing the door behind him.

For a long time after he left, Nolan stared at the classic Mustang calendar from two years ago that was pinned on the wall. He knew Hunter was right, but he couldn’t picture himself telling Hannah the truth about his racing obsession. Not yet anyway.

Hunter left the garage feeling oddly out of sorts. Earlier in the day, his dad had told him what’d happened at Hannah’s that morning. For once, his father wasn’t being gossipy. He was concerned about Hannah and wanted Hunter’s take on her and Nolan.

It didn’t bother Hunter that she’d spent the night with Nolan. He loved Nolan. They all did. There wasn’t a more stand-up guy to be found anywhere. He was a good friend, fun to be with, loyal to the end and as trustworthy as all hell, even if he’d always been a bit secretive and closed-mouthed about his dysfunctional family. All that said, Hannah was his sister, his twin, his closest confidant, and Hunter would do harm to anyone who caused her a moment of pain—friend or not.

After his conversation with Nolan, Hunter had intended to go back to work but found himself heading toward the diner instead. He was nothing if not a glutton for punishment. As he pushed open the door, he immediately sought her out, his gaze homing in on her as she poured coffee at one of the booths and then turned to face him.

The impact of that face, those eyes, the high cheekbones, the bow-shaped pink lips, the long ponytail of dark blonde hair, the full breasts hit him like a punch to the gut every damned time.

“Oh Hunter,” she said. “I was hoping you’d stop in today. I need to talk to you.”

It took a second for his tongue to untie itself so he could reply to her. She wanted to talk to him? And why oh why did his foolish heart have to stand up and do a happy dance all because Megan Kane was happy to see him for once? Right in that moment, Hunter actively hated himself and his pathetic dancing heart, but he took a seat in the booth Megan gestured to and waited for her to pour him a cup of coffee.

“I’m taking a break,” she called to her sister, Nina, who owned the place with her husband, Brett.

“Sure, no problem,” Nina replied, waving to Hunter.

Megan slid into the booth across from Hunter.

He got busy stirring cream into his coffee—anything to keep from staring at the creamy complexion and big blue eyes that haunted his dreams night after night after night. While he was feeling hateful, he added his subconscious to the list of things he hated about himself.

“I have to know if it’s true,” Megan said, her tone full of urgency that immediately put Hunter on alert.

“If what’s true?”

“That woman, the one from New York . . .”

“Cameron?” he asked, suddenly not liking where this was heading. “What about her?”

“Tell me she’s not really moving in with him.”

The utter devastation on Megan’s face stunned him. If this whole thing weren’t so ridiculous, it would be funny. Here he was crazy about a woman who was crazy about his brother who was crazy about someone else altogether. Funny, right? Yeah, not so much . . .

“Megan . . .” As much as he wanted her for himself, he didn’t have it in him to break her heart. “What am I supposed to say?”

“So she is moving in with him.”

“Yes.”

Her sharp gasp and the immediate flood of tears made him feel helpless. “Thank you for telling me the truth.” She attempted a stoic expression that failed miserably. “I just don’t get what he sees in her. They have absolutely nothing in common.”

Hunter had no clue how to reply. Did he dare attempt to spell out what Will saw in Cameron, or was he better off saying nothing? Before he could decide, she continued.

“I mean, I guess she’s not ugly or anything.”

Hunter choked on his coffee. Cameron was gorgeous and funny and warm and loving and fascinated by the Abbott clan as well as their business. He’d never seen his younger brother so happy or more in love.

“I want to understand, but I can’t. She swoops into town and next thing we know he’s totally gone on her? What do we even know about her other than the fact that her dad is totally loaded? Is that what he wants in a woman?”

Hunter could no longer hold his silence. “That has nothing at all to do with it, Megan. She doesn’t live off her father’s money, not that it’s any of your business or even mine. Why does anyone love anyone?”

Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “He loves her? Like he’s told you that?”

Hunter wanted to shoot himself for throwing that grenade into the conversation. “Not in so many words, but it’s pretty obvious to all of us that he’s . . . you know . . .”

“What?” she asked in barely more than a whisper.

“In love. Deeply in love.”

Moaning, she dropped her head into her hands. “Why her? Why not me? What did I do wrong?”

He was stuck in the middle of a nightmare of his own making with no escape plan. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes things just happen, and there’s no explaining why.”

She glanced up at him with a tear-stained face that killed him. As far as he knew, other than a random encounter years ago when they were right out of high school, Will had never encouraged her affections nor had he ever led her on. His brother’s lack of interest hadn’t deterred Megan from carrying the proverbial torch all these years. “Thank you for being honest with me. I appreciate it.”

“I’m sorry it wasn’t what you wanted to hear.”

She shrugged. “I suppose I’ll have to get used to it if she’s actually moving here and he’s in love with her.”

The idea struck him out of nowhere and was pouring from his mouth before he could question the wisdom. “You know what might make you feel better? If you went out with someone else.” To his knowledge, she hadn’t dated anyone else in all the years she’d held out hope that Will might one day change his mind about her.

“How would that help?”

“It might get your mind off Will and give you something fun to do.”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I’ll think about it.”

He swallowed hard and went for it before he could talk himself out of it. “I’d be happy to take you to dinner sometime. Any time. You tell me when.” Oh my God! Could he sound any more pathetic?

“That’s really nice of you, Hunter, but I don’t want your pity. I’m not that desperate. Not yet anyway.”

Staring at her, his mouth agape, he tried to get his spinning brain to form the words. “I don’t pity you,” he said, sputtering. “That’s not it at all.”

She shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t see how it would be a good idea for me to go out with Will’s brother to get my mind off him. You understand I’m sure.”

He understood a little too well. She’d never go out with him because of who he was to Will. Awesome. “Sure.” Hunter tossed a five-dollar bill on the table. “I understand perfectly, but consider it a standing offer if you should change your mind.”

As he got up, she pushed the five across the table to him. “The coffee is on me.”

While she was still focused on the money, he said, “I don’t pity you, Megan. Not even a little bit.” Filled with despair, he left the bill on the table, walked out of the diner and crossed the street to return to his office above the store, all the while thinking it might be time to take his own advice and go out with someone else.

Except the only one he seemed to want wanted his brother.

Sometimes life was truly a bitch.