A chill ran down her spine. Someone would notice, wouldn’t they?
She shook it off. Of course, they would. She had clients scheduled every morning and every afternoon. If she didn’t make it in, they would have to be assigned to someone else or rescheduled.
Would her supervisor or the office manager assume she was sick and try to call? What would happen if they couldn’t reach her through her phone? How long would it take for someone to actually come looking for her?
Probably days, her inner voice answered. Just like the poor woman on the news.
With that depressing thought, Tori took her dishes to the sink and gave them a quick wash, leaving them in the drainer to air dry. Maybe heading out to the river trails alone wasn’t such a good idea after all.
If you don’t do things alone, you won’t do anything at all.
Well, there was that. She would just have to be especially vigilant.
She turned off the television and grabbed the things she’d need for a morning of biking the trails along the river: backpack, bottled water, protein bars, phone, and helmet, then pushed her bike out the door and carefully navigated down the external staircase. Keeping the bike in her second floor apartment was a pain, but she didn’t have much choice. Secure storage wasn’t provided as part of the monthly rent, and it was a decent enough bike that it would probably be stolen within hours if she left it chained outside.
She was nearly at the bottom when the bike was suddenly lifted from her grasp by a pair of strong arms.
“Here, let me help with that.”
Startled, she looked up into the bright blue eyes of Brian McCain. She hadn’t even seen him standing there. So much for being vigilant. “What are you doing here?”
Brian set the bike down on the ground and turned to her. “I wanted to thank you personally for the awesome play list.”
“Oh, you’re welcome.”
“And... I was hoping you’d let me tag along with you.”
“Why?” she blurted out. She remembered the way his full male lips had turned down in a scowl when she’d told him she planned on riding alone. “Is it because I said I was going to go by myself?”
“Sort of.”
“Sort of,” she echoed, wondering if he’d seen the morning news, too.
“That’s part of it,” he clarified. Her eyes were drawn to the way the snug workout shorts hugged his muscular legs and the way the cotton tee couldn’t hide the hard lines of his chest. “The trails are generally safe, but some of them go pretty far back and if you take a wrong turn, it might be hard to find your way out. I know every one of them, plus a couple of great spots that aren’t on the guide maps.”
She remained at the bottom of the steps. “What’s the other part?”
“What?”
“You said that me going alone was part of the reason you were here. What’s the other part?”
“Oh.” He scratched the back of his neck and averted his gaze as if searching for the right words. His uncertainty was oddly attractive.
“I, uh, wanted to apologize.”
“You already did that.”
“Yeah, about that... For the record, I’m really not sorry I kissed you. But I did handle things badly, and that’s what I’m apologizing for.”
She didn’t disagree. That didn’t mean she was going to make a big deal out of it. “Apology accepted.”
He grinned. “That’s it? No groveling required?”
It was impossible to be upset with him when he turned on the boyish charm. She shrugged. “Not my style.”
“That’s one of the things I like about you, Tori. You’re very easy to get along with.”
He said ‘one of the things’. That means he likes other things, too.
Shut. UP.
“But...?” she asked aloud. “I sense a ‘but’ there somewhere.”
“But... I don’t want to give you the wrong impression. I’m not looking for a relationship.”
Yeah, she’d already figured that out for herself. “Good. Neither am I.”
That seemed to surprise him. “You’re not?”
“Well, I am, but not with you.” As his scowl deepened, she hastened to explain. “What I mean is, I like being with you, too, but I don’t have any expectations.” Hopes, yes. Expectations, no. “I don’t even know if I’m going to be around in six months, so it doesn’t make sense for me to get involved with anyone at this point.”
“Then I guess we’re on the same page.”
“I guess we are.”
“Does that mean I can go riding with you this morning?”
She pretended to think about it. “I guess. I mean, how many girls get their own personal trail guide?”
He grinned. “Great. And since we need to go through town, how about we drop your Jeep off at Sean’s garage on the way? He can take a look at it while we do the trails.”
Sneaky, sneaky man.
He pulled out his phone and dialed quickly. Tori opened her mouth to protest but he held up his hand and spoke into the cell. “Hey Sean, Brian. A friend of mine is having trouble with her Jeep and I was wondering if we could drop it off this morning for you to take a look... Yeah... Cool, thanks.”
Brian disconnected the call and grinned. “He said it’s cool.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“It’s not a big deal. That’s what friends do, right?”
“Why do I feel as if I’ve been played?”
His grin widened. “I really have no idea what you’re talking about.” He rolled her bike over to his Jeep and lifted it onto the big rack on the back with his.
She got into her vehicle and followed him to Callaghan’s Garage. A familiar looking man came out. Tori was about to say hi to Shane when a gorgeous, dark-haired woman came out behind him and stood next to him, sliding her hand into his back pocket in an intimate gesture.
“Tori, Sean and Nicki Callaghan. Guys, Tori Donovan.”
“Sean Callaghan?”
The woman laughed and held out her hand. “You’ve got that oh-shit-this-is-awkward look. You’ve already met Shane, I take it.”
“And Lacie,” Brian added.
“I thought so. Sean and Shane are identical twins. A Callaghan man would never cheat on his croie.”
Well, that made more sense than Shane seeing someone behind Lacie’s back. The little bit Tori had seen of them together made her think they were the real thing. “I hope this is okay,” Tori told them. “I know it’s Sunday.”
“It’s no problem,” Nicki said, giving her man a pat on the backside. “Working on cars is like foreplay to us. Nothing like a sexy man with a big tool in his hand to rev my engine.”
Tori felt the heat rise in her cheeks. What did one say to something like that?
The guy—Sean—asked Tori a couple questions about the problems she was having. He didn’t seem to think it was a big deal and told her they’d have an answer for her when they returned around midday. Tori thanked him and handed over her keys, then climbed up into Brian’s Jeep.
“They’re an interesting couple,” she said as they drove away.
“They are at that,” Brian agreed. “Good people, though. All the Callaghans are.”
Something about the way Brian said that suggested there was more behind that statement, but he didn’t expand on that and she didn’t ask.
It was a good twenty-minute drive before Brian pulled off into a gravel parking area and unloaded the bikes. A few vehicles were already there.
“Good idea coming early,” Brian told her. “In another hour or two, this place will be packed, especially with rain coming this afternoon.”
A large trail map was set between two panes of clear plastic bolted to four-by-four posts at the end of the lot. A brief perusal showed five main trails. Brian suggested they take the one that ran along the river, saying it was the most scenic.
And scenic, it was. The trail was wide enough to ride side by side, except when they encoun
tered someone else, then Brian took the lead. A canopy of trees allowed sunlight to shine through in shafts, giving the forest an ethereal, otherworldly feel. The breeze coming off the river kept things cool, the smell of damp earth clean and refreshing.
Not only did Brian know the trails like the back of his hand, he was also well-versed in local history. He sometimes led her off the trail to point out something interesting or historically significant.
He was a gifted storyteller. According to him, the valley was originally inhabited by Native Americans, and when the colonists started moving in, there were intense and bloody battles over the fertile land. In one instance, he showed her a massive boulder where legends said the local tribal chief had the heads of captured settlers smashed with rocks. In another, he pointed to a rocky outcropping across the river, where a soldier escaped by diving three hundred feet into the icy waters below, only to be re-captured and taken to the rock.
Four hours passed by quickly, and before she knew it, they emerged back into the lot just as the first drops of rain began to fall.
“Perfect timing.”
“Perfect,” she agreed, and she wasn’t just talking about the timing. The whole morning had been wonderful. “Thank you so much. I wouldn’t have had nearly as good a time if I came by myself.”
He grinned, and she felt it all the way down in her toes.
The skies opened up just as they made it back to the garage, forcing them to make a mad dash into the office. Tori’s Jeep was in the bay, but there was no sign of Sean or Nicki. Brian called out, and within a few minutes, Sean emerged from the back. His short hair looked messy, and his T-shirt was on inside-out. Apparently, Nicki hadn’t been kidding about the foreplay comment earlier.
“So, here’s the deal,” Sean said, waving them over. He spoke directly to Tori, not to Brian, which she appreciated. “Your battery connectors were corroded so your alternator wasn’t getting the backup power it needed. We cleaned up the contacts and replaced the cables.”
“Thank you! How much do I owe you?”
He shrugged. “Ten bucks.”
“It has to be more than that.”
“Not really. Took all of five minutes. But just an FYI – it looks like you’ve got some rust on the undercarriage.”
She pulled out a ten from her wallet and handed the money to him. “Is that serious?”
“Didn’t look too bad, but I’d need to get it up on the lift to do a thorough check.”
“It’s due for an inspection in the fall. Can I bring it back then?”
“Sure, as long as you take care of it before winter. Rock salt can really do a number on it if it’s not treated properly.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Brian shook Sean’s hand. “Thanks, man.”
“Anytime.”
Chapter Thirteen
Brian was in good spirits when he pulled up in front of Tori’s place. The morning had been a series of wins, starting with Tori’s easy acceptance of his apology and her willingness to have him accompany her on the trails. She’d even been a good sport about taking her Jeep to Sean’s – something that allowed some of those protective instincts of his to take a breather. And the ride itself – well, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed a Sunday morning so much. The fresh air, the physical exercise, and Tori’s company made it fun. Fun wasn’t something he experienced much of these days.
He didn’t want it to end.
But it will end, his dark voice reminded him. She’s already told you she doesn’t plan on sticking around.
Her earlier confirmation that she wasn’t interested in anything more than a short term friendship didn’t seem to be as much of a positive as it had a few hours ago. He told himself that nothing had changed; the slight wave of disappointment he felt when thinking ahead was simply because he had enjoyed the morning more than he’d expected to. Knowing that it was temporary had not only taken some of the weight off his shoulders, but had made him appreciate it more, too.
He parked along the curb and waited until Tori pulled into the driveway, then got out and unhooked her bike from the rack. The deluge had let up somewhat, now more of a fine mist, but the dark purplish gray of the clouds promised more torrential downpours soon.
“Want to leave it down here until it dries?” he suggested, rolling her bike to the base of the steps.
“No, chances are it won’t be here tomorrow if I do.”
He frowned at that, but withheld comment. The idea of Tori living in an unsafe neighborhood bothered him as much as her driving around in a temperamental vehicle or riding the back mountain river trails without a buddy. Living arrangements weren’t quite as easily changed, however. While Tori might have good-naturedly agreed with Sean checking out the Jeep and with him inviting himself along on her ride, he didn’t think she’d appreciate his thoughts on her choice of housing or locale. He hadn’t earned the right to say anything about it. Not yet, anyway.
Tori went up the stairs ahead of him to open the door. He might have glanced at her backside as she did. In his defense, it was a very nice backside. Curvy. Nicely rounded. The kind of ass that was perfect for filling large male palms.
Like his, for example.
His hands flexed at the thought, a slow burn igniting down below, reminding him that it had been a while since he’d found pleasure in a woman’s arms. Something told him he could find a lot of pleasure in Tori’s, and give her plenty in return.
The curtains on one of the downstairs apartment windows shifted, and another pair of eyes followed Tori’s progress up the stairs. Brian immediately registered the pertinent details: male, Caucasian, mid-twenties to mid-thirties, dark hair and eyes. Eyes that were so intent on watching Tori they didn’t notice him.
Anger and irritation washed over him, despite the fact that he had just been appreciating the view himself. Brian paused in front of the window and glared back until the guy saw him. The gawker’s eyes widened, then the curtains were quickly pulled shut.
“Want a hand?” Tori asked, oblivious to the little showdown that had just taken place. She turned and started back down the steps to help.
“Nah, I’ve got it.” He lifted the bike and continued his upward progress. “What do you know about your downstairs neighbor?”
“Simon? I’ve only spoken to him once, briefly. He seems harmless enough, though he does like to watch me climb the stairs.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
“I’m not thrilled with it, but on the plus side, no one is getting up my steps without him seeing them. He doesn’t miss much.”
Brian supposed that was something. A small something, but something. “Do you always look for the good in people?” he asked as he reached the top.
“Not really. But I recognize another lonesome soul when I see one.”
He wondered what she saw when she looked at him, then figured he probably didn’t want to know.
Brian lifted the bike over the threshold, taking some pleasure in the fact that Tori’s eyes latched onto his arms as he did so. Judging by the way her eyes dilated and darkened, she liked what she saw. That made him feel a little better about staring at her ass. Clearly, he wasn’t the only one experiencing a physical attraction.
That slow burn he’d felt earlier intensified. He ignored it, pausing just inside the door while Tori went to get some towels. He glanced around, taking everything in in a matter of seconds.
The apartment had the look of an older place, as evidenced by the ten-foot ceilings and large, rope-and-pulley windows encased in hardwood frames. The walls were painted the neutral creamy-white preferred by rental property owners; the doors and trim a dark walnut. Area rugs in shades of browns and beige covered hardwood flooring that had seen better days. The furniture, what little there was of it, was on the shabby side.
What he didn’t see was just as telling as what he did. There were no photos on the wall or in frames. Very few personal items. Nothing that said ‘Tori lives here’. He recog
nized it for what it was: a transitory space.
“Don’t judge my decorating skills too harshly,” she said, returning with two folded beach towels. “The place came furnished.”
She laid the towels down and Brian placed the wet bike on them. “I wasn’t judging.”
“I know. I was just teasing. Are you hungry? I could make us some lunch.”
“I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”
“It’s no trouble. I’ve got to cook for myself anyway, and it’s no big deal to throw another burger on the grill.”
Did he want to stay and prolong his time with Tori? Yes. Should he? That was debatable. Sure, they’d had a great morning together and they were getting along well, but this unexpected attraction he was feeling could be detrimental to a potentially good friendship. After all, finding a woman to hook up with was a lot easier than finding a woman he wanted to hang out with. He might be better off quitting while he was ahead.
She interpreted his hesitation as a refusal. “Hey, no worries. Maybe another time.”
Perhaps it was the false cheer in her voice, or the way she avoided his eyes when she spoke, but Brian found himself throwing out his logic and saying, “Now is good. And burgers sound great. Can I help?”
Her eyes met his, and once again, he felt as if she was looking deeper than most. He only hoped she wasn’t too disappointed in what she found.
“Sure,” she said finally. “If you take care of the burgers, I can take care of the fixings.”
“I’m your man.”
She turned away quickly, but not before he caught the sudden flash in her eyes. It probably should have bothered him more than it did.
The kitchen space was small and cozy, which meant there wasn’t a lot of room to move around. Tori pulled some homemade patties out of the fridge and put them on a plate, directing him toward an electric grill on the counter, the kind that cooked from both the top and bottom.
“It can only do two at a time,” she said apologetically.
“One for each of us. How many did you think I was going to eat?”
“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “You look like a guy who eats a lot of protein.”
Not Quite Broken: A Callaghan Family & Friends Romance Page 8
