by Tory Baker
A Love to Cherish
Tory Baker
Contents
Title Image
1. Lyla
2. Colton
3. Lyla
4. Colton
5. Lyla
6. Colton
7. Lyla
8. Colt
9. Lyla
10. Colt
11. Lyla
12. Colton
13. Lyla
14. Colt
15. Lyla
16. Colt
17. Lyla
18. Colt
19. Lyla
20. Colt
21. Lyla
22. Colt
23. Lyla
24. Colt
25. Lyla
26. Colt
27. Lyla
28. Colton
Epilogue One
Epilogue Two
Author Links
Also by Tory Baker
Copyright © 2020 by Tory Baker
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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To the friends that become your family
1
Lyla
“Just because I work from home now, doesn’t mean I don’t work!” I yell through the phone at my oldest brother, Silas. He’s such a jerk. Ever since I started my job working from home as a freelance clothing merchandiser, it’s been him and my other brother, Nash, calling non-freaking stop. The one saving grace is that Reed, my youngest brother, doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the other two.
“Please, one last time,” he begs.
“You owe me, big time,” I grunt, looking down at what I’m wearing. Today was a work behind the computer, glug down coffee, throw your hair up in a high ponytail, not wear a bra type of day. But no, my brother the jerk that he is, he’s calling for my help, again.
“Whatever you want, just name it. I’m elbow deep in a Mustang right now, go to Colt’s for me, please? He only has one part and you know it’ll fly out of his stockroom with the car show coming up this month,” Silas grouses.
“Whatever, it’s going to be a while though. I was planning on working from home all day, my hair isn’t even brushed yet,” I blow a breath of air out, exasperated with my family lately. I love them, I really do. The only one that understands how much work it is to work from home is our Mom. Even our dad is calling me once a week asking me to help with something at the shop.
Silas, Nash, Reed and our father own a mechanic shop here in town. Our father opened it before I was born. Being the oldest, he tried to teach me how to do certain things with a car. I got the basics down — like changing a tire and changing the oil. Other than that, I wasn’t into cars. I was more into my best friends, barbies, and dolls.
“That’s fine, let Colt know I sent you,” Silas states.
“You are aware I don’t even know who he is?” I ask.
“I’m aware, sis. I’ll call him and let him know to be expecting you,” he grumbles, and then we both end our call.
“So much for working from home,” I mumble to my empty bedroom. “I really did not want to put a real bra on today.”
I get dressed in my signature outfit of ripped up boyfriend-style jeans, a scoop neck tee, and canvas sneakers. My family is really going to owe me. It’s either that or I’m going to have a long overdue discussion with my mom and have her set them straight.
2
Colton
I’m in my office looking at the next project I’m interested in working on when the chime from the front entrance goes off. Silas told me his sister was coming to pick up a part, but he didn’t tell me just how drop dead fucking gorgeous she is.
He’s mentioned that Lyla’s working in town now, not traveling like she used to. But, with the frown that’s marring her face, I’m guessing she wasn’t expecting to be here today. Lyla doesn’t look like she works in the fashion industry like her brothers once said. Hell no, she looks down to earth, in the way she carries herself. With not a speck of makeup on, she’s naturally beautiful. Her raven hair doesn’t even look like she’s brushed it, just threw it up in some haphazard method. Hell, her shirt is even wrinkled.
Yeah, Lyla is a secret I’d love to unwrap, layer by layer.
“Hello.” Her voice is soft and sweet.
“Hey, you must be Lyla. I’m Colton Montgomery, you can call me Colt though. Your brother mentioned you’d be picking up a part.” I hold my hand out to shake hers.
Lyla’s sharp intake of breath tells me everything I need to know. “Yes, that would be me. It’s nice to meet you. I hate to admit it, but I have no idea what kind of part I’m supposed to be picking up. Besides Silas saying he was working on a Mustang, I’m clueless.”
“Silas mentioned you didn’t take the path your brothers took,” I reply with a chuckle.
“Hey, I can do the basic things, but no. I didn’t want to go into the family business. While the boys were getting greasy, I was busy looking through magazines and putting together inspiration boards full of design ideas,” Lyla says in one breath. All I can do is smile, I know once she takes the part from me, the chances of seeing her are slim. Well, unless I come up with some kind of crazy scheme.
“Nothing wrong with that. I hear you’re back for good?” Her eyes are a deep chocolate and I can’t tear my own off of her.
“Yeah, but a whole lot of good it’s doing working from home. I swear between Silas, Nash, Reed, and even my own father, I haven’t been able to work a full day. If something doesn’t change, I’ll have to set up shop in another town,” she says with a laugh.
“Well if you need a place to work without interruptions, I have an extra office here. It’s sitting empty, you’re more than welcome to it.” I know I’m offering something up that no one else would without a hefty rent fee, but if it means getting closer to Lyla, I don’t give a damn. It’s not like I need the money. This one chance meeting has my mind coming up with all kind of ideas, not to mention I can see her every single day.
“Are you sure? I really may take you up on that.” I think she may take me up on the offer though.
“Positive.You know where to find me if you want it.” I hand Lyla the part, not wanting to hold her back from her work any longer than necessary.
“Thanks, Colt. Let me think on it?”
“Whenever, babe. It’s just sitting empty.” Lyla’s smile reaches her eyes, I smile back at her. When she leaves, I watch her until she’s inside her two door Lexus. I bet she bought a foreign car to piss the men in her family off.
3
Lyla
After leaving Colt’s, I went directly to the family garage, Dylan’s Auto. My dad named it after himself, but after I tear into these knuckle heads, they have to know I mean business.
“Dad, Silas, Nash, and Reed!” I yell out to the area where they have cars up on lifts.
I hear a chorus of “what, yeah, and just a minute,” before I finally see them.
“Family meeting, now,” I’m pissed as hell. I’ll have to stay up till well after ten o’clock tonight, and I love my sleep. I love my family, don’t get me wrong, but I can’t keep being their errand girl.
“What’s up, baby girl?” My dad asks.
“What’s up? Dad, do you realize between the four of you, I am barely getting my own work done. I can’t keep doing this, every day this week. It’s Lyla this, Lyla will you, Lyla I need you. Do you know what I need? I need to be able
to do my own job,” I basically growl out. I make contact with each of them and my father — he has no idea my brothers have been using me as their errand girl.
“Fuck, I had no idea.” Dad looks pissed. He had me bring him lunch one day, but all of my brothers are asking for me to literally go from one side of town to the other.
“It’s okay, Daddy. I just can’t keep doing it or I’m going to be working all night. I don’t want to miss out on the weekends now that I’m finally home,” I tell him, reaching up to kiss him on his cheek.
“It’s not, I’ll talk to your brothers. They won’t be doing it again or they’ll be the errand boys for the shop,” Dad grunts while looking at each of them.
“Thanks,” Dad kisses my forehead. “I’m going to get back to work. If I’m late coming home again this week, your Momma may make me sleep on the couch and I’m too old for that shit.”
My parents started out young with having children. Then, they didn’t stop until Mom put her foot down. I seriously think Dad would have kept her barefoot and pregnant until they had a full baseball team.
“Love you, Daddy,” I tell him.
“Love you more, baby girl,” he responds, and then turns to head back to the garage bay he was working at.
“You met Colt, huh?” Silas says with a glint in his eye. He’s my oldest brother, but I’m the oldest out of all four of us.
“Yeah and?” I question.
“Nothing, just saying.” He holds his hands up, and it’s then that I know he’s scheming something. “You’re still a little shit like you were in diapers.”
Silas walks away whistling a tune, and it’s then I know I’ve been had. I think back on my meeting with Colt and how when our hands touched it felt like a sense of familiarity came over me. His tousled dirty blonde hair, the emerald of his eyes, the flex of his arms as he handed me over the part Silas needed.
I walk out to my car, immediately grab my phone and dial Presley and Callie.
“Hey,” Presley answers breathlessly.
“Hiya!” Callie’s voice is coming over loud and clear through the phone.
“Hey, have you guys met Colt before?” I ask trying to gauge their reaction.
“I think Lincoln has, but I haven’t. Hold on a second, let me switch you to speaker,” Pres states.
“Nope, but I’ve heard he’s drop dead gorgeous,” Callie replies.
“How am I just now hearing about him and seeing him? I can confirm he’s hot as hell too.” I have the girls on through the handsfree car app my Lexus has as I drive back home.
“I think we need to have a look ourselves,” Presley says with a laugh.
“Well if shit doesn’t stop going sideways, I may rent an office from him just to get away from my brothers,” I grumble.
“Do it!” Callie exclaims, she’s usually the quiet and reserved one, but lately it’s as if she’s come out of her shell more and more.
“Okay, I’ll keep you guys posted. I’m pulling into my driveway now and I have got to work. Love you!”
“Love you guys,” Presley says and then clicks off.
“Love you all. I have to go anyway the boss from hell is back now.” Callie ends the call too.
4
Colton
It’s been three days since I’ve seen Lyla. I figured for sure she’d be back the next day but with no way of reaching out to her, I did what I do best — I buried myself in work. The shop has been slammed, and I don’t see any of us slowing down anytime soon.
I’m just coming back in from working on a rusted out Chevelle when I see the woman that has my thoughts jumbled up.
“Hey, Colt,” Lyla says, her hands loaded down with so much I’m surprised she can hold it all.
“Hey, babe,” I say and go to grab some of her stuff.
“I hope you don’t mind me taking over the office you mentioned. I really tried. I even had a family meeting, but my brothers have taken to not only calling and texting, but now they’re stopping at my place while they run errands.” I can hear the annoyance in her voice. From what I hear, she may be the oldest of the four siblings, but her brothers protect her pretty fiercely.
“Not at all. I was going to call you to see if you wanted it but didn’t have your number. Come on back, I’ll show you the office.” Her office will be adjacent to mine, so every time I’m in my own office I can see her. When I first bought this place, I was reluctant and wanted to take out the glass walls and doors. Now, though, fuck am I thankful I didn’t do that.
I set down her books and paperwork on her desk as she comes in, “Wow, this is huge and so quiet. How much are you looking at for monthly rent?”
“Nothing, it’s been sitting empty for over a year now. Someone may as well put it to good use.” I’m not lying either. Plus, if I have it my way, she’ll be beside me in every way possible.
“Are you sure? I feel like I’m taking advantage of you.” She’s standing behind what is now her desk, wearing cut off jean shorts, a tank top that’s giving me a glimpse of the cleavage I really want to see unbound and in the palms of my hands. Fuck, I’m getting hard imagining every way I could take her, here in this office.
“Positive. I’ll let you get to it. I’ll be in my office if you need anything. Glad I could help you out, Lyla.” I step into her space, my thumb finding the apple of her cheek, and I run it along until I have to back away. If I start this right now, my hand would be wrapped around the nape of her neck and my mouth would be owning hers.
“Thank you, Colt,” Lyla breathes out, then I turn around and head to my own office.
I take one last look at her and say, “Any time, Lyla.”
5
Lyla
I have to say, working at Colt’s office has me more productive than ever before. Not to mention, when he’s in his own office I sneak glances at him every chance I can. I even caught him checking me out once. The best part though — I don’t have to dress up, wear enough make up to have highlighter and bronzer on to get his attention. I spent well over a year having to dress perfectly, have my hair just so, and not to mention makeup. The best part about this job is wearing what I want while scoping out the next hottest trend.
Yesterday, I caught Colt’s eyes on me. I’m not the type that blushes, but I felt the heat come over my body when our eyes caught. He just smirked, licked his lips, and then proceeded about doing his paperwork.
I take a break from my work and make my way to his office. I knock and wait until I hear Colt say, “Come on in.” His eyes clocked me as soon as I got up from my own desk.
“Lyla, babe. You don’t have to knock to come into my office,” he says as I open the door.
“Oh, okay. Well, same goes my way then.” I grab my hair in my hand pulling it over to one side. Colt’s eyes track everything I do with it. I’m wondering if he’s thinking what I am. I can imagine being on my knees in front of him, his hands holding my hair back as I use my mouth on him. My mouth salivates at wondering how he’ll taste, what his size is, and just how fast I can bring him to his knees from pleasure alone.
“Is everything okay?” Colt asks. I shake my head to clear my thoughts of my dirty fantasy and say, “Oh yeah, everything is perfect, thank you. How do you feel about having a kid here at your shop every now and then?” The wheels are spinning in his mind.
“It’s my niece, Callie’s daughter. We all try to help out. Sometimes her boss calls her in for an emergency meeting and between us all, we try to help out.” I rattle on.
“I don’t mind. I can show her around the shop if you get stuck on a call. Maybe introduce her to a classic car or two that I have here.”
“Are you insinuating my car isn’t a classic?” I laugh. When I went out and bought my two door Lexus, I got so much shit from my father.
“Babe, you look damn good driving that car, but it’s not a classic by any stretch of the imagination,” Colt states. His eyes glide down my body.
“Thanks, but you know I love my car. Best thing I bou
ght myself so far.” I stand up from the chair, now that I’ve gotten the okay, I need to get a few more things taken care of and then I can head home.
“You’re welcome. Are you heading home for the night?” Colt asks.
“No, I have a few more things to do, are you?”
“Yeah, I need to go look at a Camaro that’s for sale. You want to go with me?” He asks.
“Sure, can we get food while we’re out? I forgot to eat lunch and if I don’t eat before too long, I’ll get angry and then you’ll probably kick me out of here.”
“What the hell, Lyla. Why didn’t you eat?” Colt asks.
“Time got away from me?” It’s the truth. If I’m involved in my work, I forget to take a break and actually eat something, I literally wait until I’m miserably hungry and ready to gnaw off my arm.
“We’re leaving in ten minutes, food and then the Camaro,” he grunts, clearly pissed off I forgot to eat.
“Colt, I promise I’m okay.”
“Not taking that for an answer, ten minutes, babe.” He runs his hands through his hair. Something I want to do for myself.
“Okay,” I turn around and leave. I hear the rush of breath he lets out. It lets me know that he feels this thing that’s been brewing between the two of us, too.
