Zero to Sixty

by Marie Harte

  He nodded and gave her another kiss. “Yeah. I’m not gonna say I haven’t been around, but a condom was always a must. With you, I don’t want anything between us.”

  And he wanted a special night for it to happen. Such a sweetheart. What guy wanted to wait to make it memorable? Sam could have had her any way he wanted her tonight. But he wanted to make it right. Could she lo—like him anymore?

  The other L-word unnerved the crap out of her, and she once again cautioned herself about getting in too deep too fast with him. But a part of her wondered if it was too late.

  She gently extricated herself from his embrace and petted Cookie. “I’m going to get dressed. Then we’re going to clean up this mess—”

  “We?”

  “And try again. I have enough peanut butter that it’s not a problem.”

  “I’m always game for making cookies with you, Ivy.” He winked at her.

  Feeling extremely naked all of a sudden, she hurried away into the bathroom to do a quick cleanup. She dressed in pajamas and returned to the living room to see her guys sitting on the couch together, waiting for her. Sam, unfortunately, sat, dressed, stroking Cookie’s head in his lap.

  They both looked up when she cleared her throat.

  My guys.

  Feeling a ball of emotion lodge in her chest, she swallowed it down under the need to take it slow. To not scare either one of her guys away. “Well, since the cookies will take no time, how about seeing what’s new and goofy in the world of sci-fi while I put a new pan in?”

  Sam gave her a slow, panty-melting grin. “Great minds think alike.”

  So you’re wondering if you’re falling in love with me too? She gave him a smile, prayed he didn’t see the panic in her eyes, and whipped up a fresh batch of cookies before sliding a tray in the oven. All while Sam watched and teased, commenting from where he played with Cookie.

  Oh boy. Ivy had gone down this road before, and it never ended well for her. But watching her man with her dog, she wondered if she had the will to resist falling in love.

  Chapter 14

  Sam enjoyed the ferry ride to Bainbridge Island with Ivy. She never sat still, always hungry for sensation. Her eyes danced as they sat huddled on the top deck, watching the sky darken from light blue to indigo. The setting sun made the clouds overhead appear orange, and the sky looked like an otherworldly painting.

  “It’s like the mother ship is up there, waiting to beam us into the hold before they suck our brains out.” She wiggled her brows. “Am I right?”

  He shook his head, trying not to grin. He’d been too damn happy lately. Everyone at the garage kept talking about it. Lou had given him an especially difficult time today, made worse because Sam had asked a favor. It was more like doing Lou a favor, letting his baby sister, Rosie, watch the dog, but trust the bastard to make things difficult.

  “You want me to watch your joint-custody canine?” Lou had asked, a smug grin on his face.

  “Look, your sister told me Rosie wants a dog. Think of this as a trial run.”

  “Which sister?” Lou’s eyes had narrowed. “You flirting with Stella, asshole?”

  “Don’t be a dick. She texted me because she knows I rescue animals.” But yeah, the sexy twenty-two-year-old had a crush on him, one he’d been trying to end without hurting her feelings. “How about you let Rosie watch Cookie for a day or two to see if she can handle it?”

  “A day or two, huh?”

  “It’s no biggie if you can’t. I have a bunch of people who could watch him for me.”

  “Like Ivy, you mean?”

  “She and I have a date.” He’d felt an inordinate amount of pride admitting that.

  “No shit? You get a good girl and get all soft and cuddly.” Lou had chuckled, but his gaze had narrowed. “First a dog, then dates, you smiling—where’s it gonna end, Sam?”

  A good question.

  Sam shot Ivy a look, saw her gazing at the water, and swallowed a sigh as he stood next to her, offering warmth and a buffer from the oncoming wind.

  Sam had dated women before. Everyone acted like it was an act of God that he was seeing a “good” girl. Just because the women he’d happened to previously date had liked to take their clothes off for money didn’t mean they weren’t decent chicks. But those relationships had been superficial at best. He’d wanted sex and not much more than that.

  His last squeeze, Shaya, had been friendly and sweet. And temporary—which they’d both known going into the relationship.

  Hell, now that he thought about it, Sam hadn’t seriously dated anyone since high school. And look at how that had turned out. Prison for him and his best friend. Maybe there was something to Eileen and her thoughts that the experience had scarred him, made him shy away from a meaningful relationship with a woman.

  His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out to see the number that always caused dread to pool in his stomach. Yeah, and maybe he’d always be scarred from having a loving connection to a female. Because he’d been born that way.

  “Who is it?” Ivy asked. Then she frowned. “Are you okay?”

  Ignoring the summons to return the call, he muted the thing, pocketed it once more, then erased his frown. “Nothing that can’t wait. I’m good.” He hugged Ivy tighter. “I’m glad you came. It’ll be fun. You’ll see.”

  “Of course I had to come.” She rubbed his belly under his jacket, and he tensed, aroused so easily around Ivy. “What would I do without my human heater at my side?”

  “Funny girl.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him, and he smiled despite his unease. Lately, he’d had more calls from Louise than he normally received. She liked to remind him of his worthlessness as a human being every couple of months. Considering she’d brought him into the world, he knew he owed her—especially if he didn’t want her screwing with the few people he did care about.

  Nothing she did would be major. The occasional slashed tire, graffiti, trash cans set on fire. Making crass phone calls to his friends’ places of business. But the personal intrusion, knowing he’d be the one responsible for her damage, that he couldn’t handle.

  Besides, Sam was a man who paid his debts. It should have been more difficult with Louise, considering how nasty she’d been for so long. But the thing was, Louise, though a real witch now, hadn’t always been a shit to him.

  Foley and Eileen hated her, he knew. But they hadn’t been there for those times when she’d wiped his tears after he fell. Or made popcorn over the stove with him before they’d watched a movie together. She’d once collected pebbles with him, making memories, and showed him how to jump rope and ride a bike. Hell, she’d even baked him cookies a few times.

  Some good stuff buried underneath years of abuse he wanted to but couldn’t forget.

  Ivy’s arms felt snug around him, safe, and brought him back to the present. In Ivy, he saw someone his mother could have been if certain events hadn’t transpired. If she’d eased off the drugs or sought counseling. If she’d seen her little boy as something to be thankful for, and not a curse she’d been doomed to bear.

  He shook off his quiet despair, focusing instead on the important women in his life: Eileen, who treated him like a son, and Ivy, who treated him like a man worthy of affection. He saw her studying him when she didn’t think he noticed. She looked the way he felt—uncertain, joyful, and feeling things that made no sense considering their short time together.

  God, he knew her. So well. He couldn’t wait to see what Eileen thought though. The woman cut through bullshit faster than Foley running through quarters at the garage. Nothing and no one could sway Eileen when it came to her kids. And she did consider Sam her son. Sometimes that warmth was the only thing keeping him from going off the deep end—knowing Eileen and Foley would genuinely grieve his loss. And then he’d met Ivy.

  “There it is,” she said as they
neared the island. She acted like a kid at Christmas, all energized and excited to hop on dry land.

  “You have been here before, right?”

  “Yes, but it’s been a while. Heck, it’s been years since I’ve been here. The last time, I breezed through Bainbridge to Port Townsend.” Her excitement dimmed, and he had a feeling that last visit might have been with Max, her prick of an ex.

  What kind of guy used a woman like Ivy? Hell, she was bolt of fucking sunshine. Anger on her behalf didn’t surprise him. He’d been wanting to smash Max’s face in ever since she’d told him about her sorry ex.

  “Yeah? Maybe we could take a weekend trip sometime,” he offered, wanting to put a smile on her face. “Just you, me, and Cookie.”

  A grin brightened her once more. “I’d like that.” She stepped away from him, and he wanted to haul her back. An announcement came over the ferry speakers. Ivy tugged him by the hand. “Come on, we need to get to the car. We can’t be late.”

  “Relax. We’ve got another ten to twenty minutes at least.” Amused at her panic at the thought of being late, he tried not to smile. Ivy liked rules, and she had a bad habit of trying to make him and the puppy conform to them.

  Sam, who’d been bucking the system straight out of the womb, shouldn’t have had much in common with the worrywart. But to his surprise, he did.

  Between silly movies, a love of dogs, caring for those who needed it, and liking each other a lot, they didn’t seem to have much to argue about. He knew a fight would come sooner or later, and he wondered how they’d handle it. He didn’t see Ivy as a rager. More a quiet withholder maybe? Would she ice him or lay into him? Throw shit at him or storm away and never see him again?

  He didn’t like that thought much. “Ivy.”

  “Yes?” She pulled him with her down the stairs.

  “If, ah, when I piss you off, what are you going to do?”

  They came to the bottom of the stairs before she answered him. “Do?”

  “Yeah, like, will you bitch me out, do you think? Give me the silent treatment? What?”

  “You know, we haven’t had our first fight yet.” She yanked him with her toward the car. “Although we might if you don’t get the lead out.”

  He chuckled.

  “I don’t know. I guess it depends on why we’re fighting. Did you lie to me? Try to cheat on me? Because we haven’t exactly discussed it, but if we’re seeing each other and fooling around, there’s only you and me. No one else.”

  “Uh, yeah. I know that.” That was a given. Sam didn’t do infidelity. Eileen had influenced him while growing up, and he could only thank God he’d found her and Foley when he had.

  He squeezed Ivy’s hand. “I’m not talking something unforgiveable. I mean, like, if I say something stupid.”

  “You do that all the time.”

  He sighed. “I’m serious.” She was humoring him, he could tell.

  “Sam, why worry about a fight until it happens? For the record, unless you break my heart, I’ll talk to you about any problems. I don’t like to stew on things. When I’m hurt, I tend to get talky.” She shrugged her pretty shoulders. God, everything about the woman seemed delicate overlying an inner strength. “I might get mad or cry.”

  “Christ, don’t do that. I’d rather you were just quiet.”

  She smiled. “And that’s why I like you, Sam. You act all tough, but you’re really a big softie.”

  “Shut up, Ivy.”

  She snickered. “Yeah, one big old, gooey marshmallow covered in bitter chocolate.”

  He raised a brow as they got into the car. “Bitter? Baby, I’m nothing but sweet.”

  “And bad for me,” she added. “You’re the kind of guy who’s all temptation and peer pressure. And before you know it, a girl’s gained five pounds.” She looked depressed at the thought.

  “Um, I’m not sure how I’m causing you to gain weight by being myself.”

  “It’s a metaphor.” She sounded all highbrow, then ruined it by admitting, “I think. I’m not sure. Is that the right word?”

  “You’re asking me?” He started the car along with everyone else, and they listened to the radio for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. “So, you’re okay with tonight, right? I mean, you seemed kind of nervous before.” He’d worried she might jet right after he’d picked her up. But then she’d relaxed once on the ferry. “I told you. Foley and me, we bring home friends all the time. It’s not like I’m announcing to the world I’m doing you. Not yet.” He winked.

  “I’m good. It’s just, I know Eileen is important to you. I want her to like me.” She glanced out the window at the other cars. “Parents can be a tough sell.”

  “Nah. Not Eileen. Look, she put up with my crap for years. You’re nothing but easy.” He paused, thinking that didn’t sound right.

  “I’m easy?” Her lips quirked.

  “I meant to say you aren’t anything to worry about.”

  “So now I’m a nobody?”

  He scowled and followed the guy in front of him off the boat. “No, damn it. Quit putting words in my mouth.”

  “See? We’re having a mini-fight right now, and I’m not quiet or furious. I’m talking to you.”

  “This is a mini-fight?”

  “Not really. I’m trying to ease your tiny mind.”

  “You’re pretty funny all of a sudden.” Yet he found himself grinning. “Smart-ass.”

  “Hey, I’m just trying to keep up with you, Sam Hamilton.” She did that a lot, said his full name to mess with him, constantly reminding him of Willie. “And on that note, when are we going back to Willie’s? I kind of liked her…minus her upstairs bedroom.”

  He chuckled. “She’s an acquired taste, but I like her too. Never tell her that though.”

  She twisted an invisible key over her lips and tossed it over her shoulder. “Our little secret.”

  Every time she said our or we, he got a thrill. He constantly thought in terms of them, so to hear her doing the same eased his concern she’d tire of him too soon. If Louise would quit calling him, he’d probably stop worrying so much. But her presence was too much a reminder of what little he had to offer anyone, that Foley and Eileen pitied him, accepting him out of a sense of compassion. Loser that he was, he’d take it.

  Ivy, well, she was so new, what she felt for him was barely more than like or desire.

  Sam had no qualms about admitting to good looks and a strong frame. Women dug a man with muscle, and it protected him from getting his ass handed to him. But he had to wonder. If he were fat and ugly, would Ivy be interested in the guy buried inside all the tats?

  He didn’t want to know.

  “You’re too quiet. Now I’m nervous again.” She blew out a breath. “Tell me about Eileen and… What’s his name? I forget.”

  “Jacob Wynn, dentist to the stars.”

  “Huh?”

  “That’s what Foley calls him behind his back. Jacob’s actually a good guy. We like him for Eileen. He’s calm and good with people, though I think I freak him out. He always looks at me like he’s waiting for me to punch him.”

  “Have you hit him?”

  “Hell no.” He scowled at her as he turned toward their destination. “Dude is in his fifties. I don’t hit old men.”

  “Or kids, dogs, or women. I know. I was teasing you.”

  He blinked. “Oh. Right. Well, Jacob’s a lot like Eileen, except he doesn’t swear and he has a lot of money.”

  “He’s rich?”

  Sam heard her discomfort. “Yeah, I felt the same way when I first met him. I mean, his bathroom is almost bigger than my bedroom.”

  “It is?” Her green eyes widened.

  He had to force himself to look back at the road. No sense in having an accident because he was too stupid to look away from his girl. “Well,
maybe not. But it’s big. He’s got a friggin’ chair in it. I mean, come on. The only throne you need in a bathroom is a toilet, right?”

  Ivy chuckled. “Unless you’re in a restroom in a fancy hotel or restaurant. I’m really curious to see this house.”

  “We were there for Christmas. He had the brunch catered. And yeah, I said brunch. It was all fancy and shit. Freaked Foley the hell out. That was funny.”

  “What happened?”

  “Foley has been Eileen’s focus for a long time. Then she meets and falls for Jacob. He’s a nice dude. Has money, classy clothes, a cool place. And he thinks she walks on water. Trust me, Eileen is no saint. One of the best women I know though. She’s real, and she’s true. You could trust her with Cookie, your car, a million bucks. The woman is loyal to the bone.” He nodded. “Anyhow, Jacob’s no dummy. He fell for Eileen hard. Back at New Year’s, they were in a car accident.”

  “How awful.”

  He swallowed, not wanting to remember how scared he’d been. Like being a lost little kid again with nowhere to go, no one to love him. Eileen anchored him in a way Louise never had. “Yeah, well, she broke her leg. Jacob felt responsible, but he wasn’t. It was during the bad ice storm.”

  She nodded. “That was a terrible time to be on the road. We actually closed the shop for a few days because of all the ice.”

  “Right. Anyway, Eileen recovered, but man, she was so bitchy getting better. I’ve never seen her hurt like that, and you totally don’t want to be around her when she’s sick. She was a mean patient. But Jacob, he stuck to her like glue. Got her whatever she needed and never left her side. Look, I love the woman, but Foley and I both left her to Jacob. Eileen might be little, but she can be scary.”

  “You’re not making me feel any better about our dinner.”

  “She’s better now. All healed up.” Just psycho about her wedding.

  “Well, she’s nice to you, so that’s something.”