Know Me Well

by Kait Nolan

  Never mind the fact that Molly Montgomery could’ve given any Brigadier General a run for his money.

  He’d been going slowly crazy ever since.

  “You ran out of projects at your mama’s, didn’t you?” A knowing smile creased Reuben’s dark face.

  “Cleaned out the garage, the attic, repainted the house, replaced the gutters, and wiped out her entire honey-do list going back to everything Dad had been meanin’ to get around to for the last five years.”

  “Damn, son. We gotta find you a proper job.”

  “Been lookin’ since I got back, but I haven’t found anything that would be more than just killin’ time. I just can’t figure out what I want to do. Meanwhile, Mom’s decided she wants to rent out that apartment above the pharmacy, so I’m digging in to start demolition on that this week.” He checked his watch. “I probably ought to get on myself. If I can get some of the noisy work done before start of business, Mom and Riley would probably appreciate it.”

  The sun had just cleared the horizon when Liam caught sight of a familiar POS Honda parked on the shoulder, with an even more familiar set of full-figured curves peeking out from beneath the lifted hood. He pulled his Dad’s pristine ’69 Mustang onto the opposite side and stepped out, appreciating the view.

  Her voice floated back to him from where she leaned over the engine. “Now Jo, I know you’re tired, girl, but this is not okay. I need you to pull yourself together.”

  “Who you talkin’ to, Riley?”

  She jolted, banging her head on the hood. “Son of a monkey!”

  Liam wisely swallowed down his amusement as she swung around, eyes shooting daggers.

  “Where do you get off sneaking up on people?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “What are you even doing here?”

  “Oh my way home from the gym. As nice a scenic stretch as this is, I didn’t figure you’d be on the side of the road having a heart-to-heart with your car at this hour just for the hell of it.”

  “How would you know? I might. Jo and I have had a long and meaningful friendship.”

  Given his dad had been working on her car since she got it at sixteen, Liam knew this to be true. The bigger shock was that the thing still ran at all.

  He ducked under the hood himself to take a look, aware of Riley edging back. “Did you check your gas gauge?”

  “I didn’t run out of gas. It’s not my battery or my spark plug wires. Your daddy taught me that much.”

  He ignored the affronted tone. “Doesn’t ever hurt to start with the basics. What was she doing?”

  Riley said nothing.

  Glancing over his shoulder, Liam found her glaring at him, arms crossed, every inch shouting irritated female. The fact that he found it attractive rather than off-putting either made him a perverse bastard or was evidence of the incredibly long dry spell he hadn’t broken since he came home.

  “I didn’t ask for you to come rescue me.”

  No, Riley Gower didn’t ask for help. Ever. Even when she needed it.

  “Would you be this ornery at an offer of help from anybody, or is it me in particular you object to?”

  She dropped her arms, face momentarily stricken. “I don’t object to you.”

  He didn’t know what made him push rather than leaving it alone. “Really? Because your default attitude toward me since I got home has been dialed pretty much consistently to pissed off.”

  Riley closed her eyes, and he had the distinct impression she was praying for patience. “I’m sorry. It’s not you. I’ve hardly even seen you since you got back. And when I have, it hasn’t been under the best of circumstances. It’s been…a stressful year.”

  Liam wondered what that meant but decided not to press the issue.

  Riley continued to babble. “And I was on my way into work to prepare the monthly reports because they’re late, and my accountant needs them so she can prepare the quarterly taxes on the pharmacy. Taxes. At 6:30 in the morning. And there’s no coffee.” She finished in a tone that suggested this was acceptable grounds for homicide, let alone a little bitchiness.

  “You gave up coffee?”

  “God no. I’d sooner give up sex.”

  So if I brought you coffee, there’s a chance… Liam mentally slapped himself. Bad idea, boy-o. She isn’t for you.

  Why was he even thinking of her like this at all? For twenty years, she’d just been his little sister’s best friend. Sweet, tender-hearted Riley. A kid he had the urge to protect.

  Except that was the thing, wasn’t it? Once that urge to protect had become necessity, it had changed things between them, added a dynamic they’d never discussed. Liam didn’t know how or even if he should bring it up now.

  Either way, she definitely wasn’t a kid anymore. And his feelings toward her were decidedly not brotherly since he’d come home and found that she’d matured into a 1940s pin-up model. That combination of inherent sweetness and guileless, oblivious sex appeal had fueled more than one fantasy and had him turning down offers for companionship any other man would’ve taken without hesitation. Damned if he understood why, since he knew he couldn’t act on this insanity. She had no business showing up in his dreams like some silver screen sex goddess.

  Liam realized he was staring and that Riley’s cheeks were flushed, her expression pinched with embarrassment.

  “Christ. I don’t have a functional brain without coffee. No filter. Please, just go on about your day. I can take care of this.”

  He turned back to the engine. “In the military, not asking for help when you need it is a good way to get yourself killed.”

  “I’m not in the military. And this is hardly a life or death situation.”

  “Given the age and shape of your car, I don’t know that your assessment is accurate. Go crank it.”

  “Really, I’ve got this.”

  Liam straightened, deliberately using his full six feet, two inches to loom over her. “Get in the car and crank it, Riley.”

  For three long seconds, she stood toe-to-toe with him, chin lifted toward his in challenge. The stubborn cast of her lips had him wanting to back her against the car for a good long taste. Before he could give in to that lunacy, she broke eye contact and scurried around to the driver’s side.

  Get a grip, Montgomery.

  The Honda’s engine coughed and sputtered, something in the internal workings giving an ominous grind before it wheezed back to silence.

  “Okay, stop,” he called.

  Riley hopped back out as he closed the hood. “What is it?”

  “Nothing I can fix on the side of the road. Get your stuff. I’m taking you in to work.”

  “But—”

  “And then I’m coming back with the truck and trailer to haul this home for a closer look.” Though Liam was positive she wasn’t going to like whatever he found.

  “But I don’t—”

  “Riley, don’t argue. You can’t fix this. You said yourself, you have things to do. I’m giving you a ride.”

  Liam’s brain took a sharp left turn into fantasy territory that had him handling a whole different set of curves than the ones he preferred to hug in the Mustang. His body stirred. Since his basketball shorts would do nothing to hide his reaction, he didn’t wait for Riley’s acquiescence, just strode toward his car.

  Safely blocked by the driver’s side door, Liam called back to her, “You comin’?”

  With an exasperated look to the heavens, she grabbed her purse and a second bag out of the passenger seat, then stalked around to the front seat of the Mustang. “You’re bossy.”

  He made a U-turn back toward town. “You’re welcome.”

  Chapter 3

  At the tap on the front door of the pharmacy, Riley happily abandoned the spreadsheets currently fueling a tension headache. On the other side of the glass, Autumn Buchanan lifted an extra-large General Burke from The Daily Grind and made hurry up motions. Riley unlocked the door and tugged it open, grabbing the coffee in one hand and her friend in
the other, yanking both inside.

  “Whoa. Take my arm off, why don’t you,” Autumn said with a laugh

  Riley took a long swallow, feeling instantly steadier with her favorite stimulant in hand. “I love you. Thank you for bringing me coffee.”

  “It was no trouble. Since they cut my hours at the library to the bone, I’m not due in until noon.”

  “They cut your hours again? What are you going to do for income? And Jesus, let me pay you back for the coffee.”

  Autumn waved that off. “I’ve got savings. Things aren’t dire yet. I’m doing some freelance editing of dissertations for grad students at Ole Miss and MSU. That’s making up the difference for now. And keep your money. This is complete bribery for gossip. How is it that the very sexy Liam Montgomery brought you to work this morning?”

  Because the Universe hates me.

  “Jo broke down on my drive in. He just showed up and started ordering me around, telling me what was going to happen. ‘Get in the car, Riley.’ ‘I’ll pick up your car later, Riley.’ ‘Stop being so damned stubborn, Riley.’”

  “Did he actually say that?”

  Riley scowled. “He might as well have.”

  Autumn sipped at her own coffee and pursed her lips. “Might I point out that most women would have absolutely no problem with the likes of him ordering them around? Preferably in bed?”

  Well hell. She’d only just managed to turn that thought off. At Autumn’s remark, the whole fantasy started up again in high definition, on repeat.

  “Liam Montgomery is not interested in me. Never has been, never will be.” Not sure she could control her face, she headed back to the spreadsheets and ledgers.

  “Is that why you’re so irritated with him?”

  “I’m irritated because my stupid car ended my quite successful streak of avoiding him.”

  “It’s a small town, Riley, and you still work part-time with his mom. It was bound to happen sometime.”

  “Later would’ve been better than sooner.” Though never would’ve been preferable.

  “You ever going to tell me why it is you’re so hell bent on avoiding him?”

  “Not today.” And maybe not ever. Her reasons for staying far, far away from Liam Montgomery were no one’s business but hers. That embarrassment did not need to be spread any further than Liam himself.

  And who needed old embarrassments? She’d already started adding new ones after less than two minutes in his presence this morning, with all that babble about coffee and sex.

  Stupid.

  “So he’s going to fix your car?” Autumn prompted.

  “Apparently. I tried to tell him I could call a tow, but he just rolled right on over me. Forget what I want. Liam knows best.”

  Never mind that Liam probably did know more about cars and engines than the mechanic who’d taken over care of Jo after Uncle John died.

  “Well, I think it’s awfully nice of him.”

  It was nice. The overgrown Boy Scout. More than nice, it was exactly what his father would’ve done, and probably either of his brothers. But none of them made her nervous. Grown adult Liam wouldn’t be as oblivious to that fact as teenage Liam had been. Being around him made her feel fifteen again—gawky and awkward with a terrifying desire to depend on him. She’d been able to do that once, but going back there would be a mistake of epic proportions. That she even thought about it just pissed her off. Riley knew she’d been ungrateful and rude in her haste to get away from him. But she’d deal with the necessary apology later.

  “I don’t want him to be nice,” she groused. “I don’t want him to be anything but out of my hair.”

  Which was a complete and total lie. She wanted Liam any way she could get him. God, this had been so much easier when all she felt was the impassioned hero worship of her early teens. Adding sexual awareness to the mix was killing her.

  “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

  Unwilling to rise to the bait, Riley closed the ledgers and carted them back to the safe. Clearly she wasn’t going to finish these reports before start of business.

  Naturally, Autumn followed. “You like him,” she drawled.

  “You are an incurable romantic and want to see love everywhere.” Ledgers stowed, Riley went into the storeroom to grab the next box of stock.

  “That doesn’t make me wrong. Remember, I’m the librarian. I know your reading preferences. He pretty much fits your hero type to a T.” She gave Riley a knowing smirk.

  Riley pointed a finger at her. “You know perfectly well that’s confidential. You’re supposed to be like a priest.” She marched past Autumn to the appropriate aisle. Nobody else need know about her penchant for steamy romances with Marine heroes.

  “Why don’t you just ask him out? You’re both available.”

  Riley attacked the seal on the box with more force than necessary and managed to slice open several packages of Band-aids. She set the box cutter aside before she created reason to use them. “Look, it’s complicated. We have a history.”

  “Oooooooh. Dish, girlfriend.”

  “Not that kind of history. The known each other forever, and he’s never going to see me as anything but another little sister kind.” Or maybe it wasn’t that he saw her as a little sister but as a victim. “You, of all people, should know how that can get in the way.”

  Autumn’s long and complicated history with Judd Hamilton had certainly seemed to do more to ensure that they stay permanently in the friend zone rather than catapulting into connubial bliss, despite everyone’s expectations to the contrary.

  “Then maybe it’s time you made him see you as something else,” Autumn declared. “You are a confident, sexy woman.” She waved her hands in an hourglass motion. “A real woman’s woman. Men love that.”

  Riley fisted both hands on her hips. “And how, pray tell, do you suggest I show him that? Dance on a table in my corset?”

  “Well, that would do it. But no, I had something a bit less revealing in mind. Drool Night.”

  “What, pray tell, is Drool Night?”

  “It’s a relic from my college days. An excuse to dress up in all your finery and go out on the town. It’s a ritual all about female empowerment and favorite dresses. And if it also serves to show the guys exactly what they’re missing, so much the better.”

  Riley could see the appeal. There was no confidence booster like a favorite dress. “Unless you’re planning to kidnap him to make sure he’s wherever we decide to go on Drool Night, I fail to see how this is a viable plan.”

  Autumn waved that away. “Details. There’s also the time-honored tradition of just planting a big one on him. With tongue. Because if you lick it, that makes it yours. Be hard to look at a woman as a sister after that.”

  In that case, Liam had a lot of inches she wanted to lick. So. Not. Happening. She shook her head to clear the image. “No, then he’d just think I was a crazy person.”

  The bell on the door jangled.

  Riley turned to say good morning to Jessie, but the words died as she saw Liam striding her way.

  Why didn’t I lock the door?

  He’d changed out of the workout gear that had so wonderfully displayed his muscles in the early morning light. Not that the cargo shorts and plain black T-shirt did anything to hide his impressive physique.

  “Morning, Autumn.”

  “Liam.” Autumn nodded a hello in his direction. “I’m just gonna leave you two.” She waggled her eyebrows at Riley and skedaddled out the door before Riley could come up with a reason why she shouldn’t be left alone with him.

  Damn it.

  And then it was just the two of them.

  Before she could do anything stupid, like reach out to run her hands over his pecs, Riley blurted, “Please tell me you have good news.” He opened his mouth, but she kept right on talking. “That is not your good news face.”

  Shut up, Riley.

  “I’m afraid you should probably be planning funeral arrangements
.”

  Riley closed her eyes against that blow. She’d known it was coming. Jo’s cantankerous heart had broken when Uncle John died. But God, she’d thought she had a little time to recoup her savings after the latest string of disasters had completely wiped it out. And that was before she’d brought her bank balance too low to buy a cup of coffee in order to rescue her mother. Again.

  “I can’t afford a new car, Liam. Isn’t there anything you can do? Something you can cobble together? Duct tape? Prayers?” It killed her to ask, but desperate times.

  When he said nothing, she opened her eyes. He had his wrestling with a problem face on. It hadn’t changed since he’d taken AP chemistry in high school. She would know. They’d had the same study hall that year, and she’d spent countless hours watching him instead of doing her homework.

  “I could probably manage something. But whatever I do is going to be borrowed time and it’s really throwing good money after bad. You’re gonna have to start making some kind of arrangements for a new one in the not distant future.”

  “Any time you can buy me is appreciated.” And maybe she’d have pulled off some kind of miracle to bring in extra income to pay for it by then.

  Knowing she needed to keep her hands busy, Riley picked up the carton of Band-aids and went to put it away again. Never mind that she hadn’t actually put any on the shelf. She added it back to the pile and turned. Liam had followed her into the storeroom, and the already over-crowded space suddenly shrank.

  Riley took an instinctive step back and stumbled. Her feet snagged, sending her flailing. Before she could crash into the piled up junk, Liam’s hands closed around her hips, yanking her flush against him. All her soft parts were pressed up close and personal against all his hard parts and, oh dear God, she couldn’t breathe.

  “Careful.”

  The rumble of his low voice vibrated that magnificent chest, which she felt because hers was plastered up against him. Her nipples went instantly, painfully hard. She couldn’t speak or move, so she just stood there, staring like a complete moron, waiting for him to let her go. Except he didn’t. His hands tightened on her hips, as if getting a better grip. Instinctively, hers tightened on his arms and, yep, they were every bit as hard and cut as they looked.