Zero to Sixty

by Marie Harte

  She realized he’d stopped looking through the binder and was staring straight at her. More like through her. Wow. How did he do that? Bring so much concentration and intensity, she felt as if his gaze reached out and wrapped around her, holding her still?

  And why, when confronted with all that masculinity, did she want to stammer and obey any darn thing he said? She had to force herself to be strong, to speak. But she just stared, mute, at so much male prettiness.

  His smile deepened. “And your name would be…?” God, a dimple appeared on his left cheek.

  A dimple. Kill me now. Breathe, dummy. You can handle this. It’s business. “Oh, right. I’m Joey.”

  “You don’t look like a Joey,” he murmured.

  Her heart raced, and she forced herself to maintain eye contact. “Short for Josephine. So the flowers. Did you find anything you like?”

  A loaded question, because his slow grin widened as he looked her over. Then he turned back to the binder and shook his head. “Nah. I need something original. Do you design bouquets?”

  “Yes.” More comfortable on a professional level, she nodded. “We have some amazing florists and—”

  “No. You. Do you put flowers together?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I want you to do it.” He shrugged. “Del, my boss at Webster’s, you remember her?”

  She nodded. How could she forget the woman with the cool gray eyes, tattoo sleeves, and funky ash-blonde hair braided in twists? The same woman she’d made friends with not long after meeting. Heck, she’d attended Del’s wedding.

  “She said you were amazing. My sister needs something amazing right now.”

  The flowers were for his sister. Oh man. He’s sexy as sin, has a body to die for, and now he’s buying flowers for his sister?

  She softened toward him. “Do you know if she has a favorite flower or color? A scent maybe? Did you want sophisticated or simple? How old is she?”

  “Ah, something cool. I don’t know. She’s gonna be twenty-three.” He rattled off a few ideas, and she made quick notes.

  “I can have this for you by…” She paused to check the computer. “Tomorrow. Would that work?”

  “Hell. I really need them today. Her birthday isn’t until Friday, but she got some shitty news, so I wanted to give them to her when I see her later. I’m willing to pay extra, no problem.”

  Adding charming and thoughtful to the Lou List, Joey did her best not to moon over the man and keep a straight face. “Well, if you can wait until the end of the day, I’ll try to fit them in. We close at seven. Is that okay?”

  He broke out into a relieved smile. “Gracias, Joey. You’re doing me a huge favor.”

  Ignoring his smile, she called on her inner manager. “Well, you’re doing something nice for your sister. And I know all about crappy days.”

  “Yeah?” He leaned closer and she caught a whiff of motor oil and crisp cologne, an odd blend of manly and sexy that nearly knocked her on her ass. “Who tried to ruin your day, sweetheart? I can fix that.”

  She blew out a shaky breath and gave a nervous laugh. “Ah, I just meant I’ve had those kinds of days before. Not now. It’s just a regular Monday for me.” A great Monday, considering her promotion.

  He didn’t blink, and she felt positively hunted.

  “Well, if anyone gives you any trouble, you let me know and I can talk to them for you. Nobody should mess with a woman as pretty and nice as you.” He stroked her cheek with a rough finger before she could unglue her feet from the floor and move away.

  Then he glanced at the clock behind her, straightened, and said something in Spanish.

  “Sorry, Joey.” Her name on his lips sounded like a caress. “Gotta go. I’ll be back at seven to pick them up, okay? Thanks. I owe you.”

  “You don’t owe me anything,” she said. “But I’ll probably have to charge you extra for the short notice. It’s a rush order,” she blurted, not wanting him to think she was giving him special favors.

  “I’ll pay, no problem.” He slid a card toward her. “My number in case something comes up with the flowers. Or a customer bothers you.” He nodded to it. “You’re a sweetheart. I’ll see you soon.”

  He left, and she could breathe again. Still processing the overwhelming presence that had been Lou Cortez—mechanic, paint expert, and all-around heartthrob—Joey tried to calm her racing heart.

  One of their regulars plunked a few items on the counter, her blue eyes twinkling, her white hair artfully arranged around her face. “Don’t know how you let that one get away. If I was a few years younger, I’d have been all over him.” She wiggled her brows. “Then again, he looked like he might be open to an octogenarian with skills. Think he’d mind if you gave me his number?”

  They both laughed, even as Joey tucked the card into her pocket and rang up Mrs. Packard’s items. The thing burned in her pocket, a link to a man she knew better than to step a foot near. She’d throw it away after he picked up his flowers. Joey had made mistakes with a charmer a long time ago, and she had no intention of ever going down that road again. Nope, not ever.

  Coming October 2017

  Now for a peek at book one in Marie Harte’s hot new Donnigans series

  Chapter 1

  Worst day of the friggin’ year. Seattle had its doozies, but this one by far smacked of depression. In addition, it had been overcast and miserable all day, with rain continuing into the early evening. A glance around the surprisingly crowded gym made Landon Donnigan wish for a return to the scorching heat of Afghanistan. Better that than the danger of desperate singles looking to hook up on Valentine’s Day.

  God save me.

  Though life in the Marine Corps had been fraught with risk—and not the bullshit emotional kind of risks—he’d enjoyed his time both overseas and in the States. During his service, he’d thought a civilian life behind a desk would be worse than anything he might imagine. Now he took his current job in stride, pleased to be useful once more.

  But Valentine’s Day surrounded by flirting singles, in a gym no less? Sacrilege. He did his best not to make eye contact with anyone, especially the small group of women who kept looking his way. With any luck, they hadn’t noticed him, their attention on his supposedly charming younger brother standing next to him. He placed the hand weights he’d been using back on the rack, figuring he’d cut himself a break on his workout, just this once.

  His brother glanced over his shoulder at several of the staring women. “Is it just me? Or do you feel almost hunted right now?” Gavin waved, and they waved back. “I mean, I have to be here. I’m a trainer. But shouldn’t all these women be out with their significant others celebrating with flowers and chocolates? I thought lonely women on V-Day stayed at home, sobbing into their Earl Grey and fighting their twenty-plus cats for bonbons. Kind of like you on any night of the week—alone and lonely.”

  “You’re an ass.”

  Gavin chuckled. “Yeah, I am. I’m kidding…about the women.” He ignored the finger Landon shot him. “Seriously though, most of the women I know are either out with friends or pissed off at men in general and sitting at home.”

  “Like Hope, you mean?” Landon drawled. Their little sister had supposedly broken up with her latest dickhead boyfriend yesterday. God willing, the next guy she dated wouldn’t be so toxic.

  “Yeah. Like Hope.” Gavin nodded. “No worries, Bro. Hope’s situation will work out.” Gavin took after their father in looks and temperament. Dark-haired, too laid-back, and for some reason, well-liked by the ladies, who continued to watch him.

  Landon followed his brother’s gaze to the attractive group. “They seem interested. Why not go ask ’em out?”

  “No way in hell.” Gavin frowned. “We don’t fraternize with clients. Mac’s orders.”

  “Really? Because you’ve got a mess of opportunity right over th
ere.”

  “That group is way too loaded for my blood. And by loaded, I mean richer than shit. They’re looking for a boy toy to play with. And rumor has it they break their toys.” Gavin glanced around him, then murmured, “Mac didn’t actually say I couldn’t date gym members. But when I tell them that, they leave me alone. I mean, they don’t want to get me fired from my job.”

  With any luck, Gavin would hold on to this one for a while. The last two jobs hadn’t gone well. Landon wasn’t the only one adjusting to civilian life after the Corps. He subtly leaned closer to Gavin. Good. No scent of alcohol on little brother’s breath tonight.

  “Smart excuse,” he said, trying to cover the sniff check.

  “Smart. That’s me.” Gavin didn’t do smug as well as he thought he did. Not like their youngest brother, who’d come out of the womb smirking at life in general. “But why are you here? I’d have thought you and Claudia would be getting romantic. Hell, man, it’s Saturday. You can’t use work as an excuse.”

  Landon shrugged and retrieved his towel and water bottle from the floor. “I thought I told you we broke up. We were never more than friends anyway.” Intimate friends. He’d been smart enough to end their casual relationship two months ago when Claudia had been hinting about changing their status to something much more serious. He’d been getting bored, and her constant neediness grated on his last nerve. As if Landon had time for more trouble when he had so much work to do fixing his dysfunctional family.

  “Yeah? That’s not what I heard.” A pause. “From Claudia.”

  Crap. “She’s been to the gym lately?” She’d quit when they’d broken up. Landon had only seen her once since then. Just last week. They’d exchanged a pleasant greeting, nothing more.

  “Yep. Heard her talking to Marsha about you yesterday, as if you two were still an item. Then she told me to say hi from her.” Gavin smiled wide. “So hi.”

  “Shut up.”

  Gavin snickered.

  Landon glanced around, praying the woman hadn’t arrived tonight. He hated hurting anyone, and he’d been surprised she’d taken their “friend” breakup so hard. Which only reinforced the notion he’d been right to sever the relationship in the first place. Dating should be fun, not a minefield. He’d had enough of those to last a lifetime.

  He scowled, feeling hemmed in. Jameson’s Gym was supposed to be his refuge in this chaotic, civilian world. Landon appreciated the hell out of the owner giving his brother a job. Mac Jameson seemed to be a stand-up guy. He’d been a master sergeant in the Marine Corps before doing permanent damage to his knee, ending his time early. They shared that connection—common core values, an appreciation for discipline and order, and medical bullshit ending a guy’s dream.

  “Mac here?” he asked.

  Gavin shook his head. “Seriously? You’ve seen his wife, right? She’s hot as hell. No doubt they’re hanging at home for some ‘alone time.’” Gavin sighed. “I miss uncomplicated sex.”

  At his words, a pretty blond in tights stopped behind him and gave him a toothy grin. “Hey, Gavin. How’s it going?”

  His younger brother cringed, then turned around and gave her an insincere smile back. “Oh, ah, hi, Michelle. How are you?”

  “Great. I just finished my workout.” She eyed Gavin the way a lion would a helpless gazelle. The comparison made it hard not to laugh, especially with the hunted look on Gavin’s face. “Shouldn’t you be out with your girlfriend tonight?” Michelle asked, her voice breathy. “Hope, right?”

  “Hope’s my sister.”

  “Oh, so you are single then. Megan and I were talking.”

  “I’m single, yeah, but I don’t mingle with—”

  Michelle grabbed him by the arm, her sharp nails a bright pink. “How lucky for me you’re here. I could really use a spotter.”

  “I thought you said you were done with your workout.”

  “I mean I’m almost done.”

  Gavin couldn’t rightly refuse to help Michelle train. Landon ignored the beseeching look his brother shot him and subtly stepped away.

  “Ah, sure.” Gavin blew out a breath. “Are all of you training together?” he asked, staring at the three women watching them.

  “Yep. We need someone to show us the proper way to use some of the equipment.” The same equipment she’d been using for as long as Landon had been coming to the gym. She tugged Gavin with her. “Then after, maybe you and I can do a casual dinner.” She blinked at Landon. “How about you, Landon?”

  Gavin hemmed, “Well, I don’t know. My brother and I were supposed to—”

  “Go ahead, Gav.” Landon almost felt sorry for him. Then he remembered what Gavin had said and smiled. “Sorry, Michelle. I have plans. I’ll be at home drinking Earl Grey and playing with my cats.”

  Gavin scowled at him. Michelle shrugged, her claws still hooked into Gavin. “Oh well. Gavin, I know there’s a no-dating policy, but it’s not a date if it’s just dinner. Or dessert,” she purred.

  Knowing his brother could take care of himself, at least when it came to women, Landon headed for the men’s sauna before Michelle’s rabid pack of singles decided not to take no for an answer. Not that he considered himself God’s gift to women, but he’d been doing his best to avoid several of her friends since he’d been coming to the place. He’d never hurt for bed partners, blessed with his parents’ good looks and a body built from constant exercise.

  He didn’t spend his free time at the gym to hook up. He wanted a workout.

  As he sat in the sauna, he struck up a conversation with some other poor fool with nothing better to do on Valentine’s Day. At least Landon wasn’t the only guy not all that keen on hearts and flowers.

  “Yeah, well, don’t feel bad for not getting all the hype about V-Day, man. Frankly, I’d rather soak in here than deal with trying to figure out what women want.”

  “Or what men want,” his companion griped.

  “Amen.” Landon chuckled, not surprised that any relationship could give a guy a headache. “Time for me to go. Later.” The guy nodded, and Landon left to grab his stuff and head home.

  The house he—and now Gavin—rented sat in the heart of Queen Anne. He lived close to his aunt and uncle and a bevy of annoying cousins, but a neighborhood over from his parents, who had a big home in Fremont. Since moving back to Seattle, he’d already been to an engagement party and had invitations to three weddings.

  At least his cousins were getting married and growing up. To hear Linda Donnigan tell it, her own children could take lessons from their McCauley cousins. The Donnigans were seriously screwed up.

  Frankly, Landon agreed.

  He entered the house after locking up his car and grimaced at the mess Gavin had once again left in the kitchen. After doing the dishes and straightening up the living room, Landon took his things into his bedroom and put his laundry away before taking a quick shower.

  Yeah, his mother had it right. She was a type A workaholic, balanced by his mellow father who thought the world would be all right with a little more love. Landon snorted. If love came in the form of some hand-to-hand combat or a grenade, then yeah, he agreed. It never failed to amaze him that his father had served as a Navy corpsman, taking care of Marines in combat, with that peace-love attitude. But while Van Donnigan didn’t worry about much, Linda and Landon stressed for the lot of them.

  Landon finished his shower and dressed in comfortable sweats, dwelling on the mess his family had become. Gavin had a bad case of PTSD he was trying to drown in booze. Hope kept bringing home clones of Jack the Ripper, and Theo had his head buried up his ass, in denial that high school was over and he had to grow the hell up.

  With a groan, Landon settled on the couch and pulled up a kung fu movie on television. After the week he’d had, he deserved the break. Though he’d been relieved to find transitioning to civilian life a lot easier than he’d
anticipated, his job had taken some getting used to. No longer able to take long runs during lunch or bark orders at his subordinates, he’d gotten back into the swing of business management, landing a sweet job thanks to an employment recruiter and some old friends. Being an officer had its perks, even on the outside.

  He could manage the employees of D&R Logistics with his hands tied behind his back. His biggest challenge had been learning the company’s mission and getting on board with their management structure. That and convincing his buddy Daniel to stop treating him like a friend and act like a boss.

  With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his cropped blond hair, aware it had never been so long, not in over thirteen years. But a high and tight haircut in Seattle, during the winter, was sheer idiocy.

  He grabbed himself a beer and settled in for some amazing martial arts. Between one blink and the next, the show had ended, the room seemed much darker, and the front door opened. Gavin stumbled in. A glance at the clock on the mantel showed a glowing two in the a.m.

  “Yo, Bro,” Gavin slurred and chuckled. “What a night.”

  Landon sighed. “I thought you were done drinking.”

  “I was. But it’s Valentine’s Day! A night for lovers.” He walked out of his shoes, dumped his bag on the floor, and tripped into the couch, sprawling next to Landon. “Michelle’s a real snob, but she sucks better than a Hoover.”

  “TMI, Gavin.” Landon shook his head, concern for his brother growing. “You didn’t drive, did you?”

  “Nah. Took a cab.”

  Thank God for small favors. “Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”

  “Sure.” Gavin grinned and closed his eyes. “Not gonna dream tonight. I’m plastered.”

  Landon dragged him to the nearby bathroom and nagged at him to piss. Then he half carried the idiot to his bedroom and covered him up in bed. Hopefully Gavin would get a decent night’s rest. Then tomorrow, Landon would arrange for the family to plan that intervention his little brother needed, before it was too late.