Hope Burns

  He shrugged. "I think that's just your standard go-to, because it's what you've always done. Why not deviate from the norm? Or better yet, consider Hope your next stopover point in your trip around the world."

  She was at a loss for words. "I don't know what you mean."

  "So you still feel like traveling, like picking up and moving every few months, finding that next new place to live and that next new job, right?"

  "I . . . guess so."

  "Okay, fine. Why not make Hope your next new place to live, and a job with me your next new job?"

  "But--"

  "Then, when wanderlust strikes again, you can pack up and move on."

  He looked so sincere, with a glint in his eye that she read as just a bit of a challenge. As if he expected her to say no, that it wouldn't surprise him in the least if she did.

  Well, dammit, maybe she would surprise him. Maybe she'd shock the hell out of all of them and stay. Wouldn't it amaze Carter, and this entire damn town, if she didn't take off as soon as her mom was able to move around without help?

  What if she did stay? At least for a few months. God knew Carter could use the help, and who better to organize his work life than her?

  It would be a challenge, and she loved a job that presented an opportunity to learn. She'd streamline his operational systems and create a dynamic sales and marketing plan for him that he'd be excited about.

  Then, once she was satisfied--or when the itch to move on became too great, she could do just that, move on, like she always did.

  Only this time, she'd leave Hope on her own terms. She wouldn't be running. Not like last time.

  "You're serious about the job offer," she said.

  "I wouldn't have made it if I wasn't."

  "Then I'll take it."

  His brows rose. "Really?"

  "Yes, really. Does that surprise you?"

  "Maybe a little."

  "Okay, that was honest. But I'll still take it, because I think you'll benefit from my expertise."

  "And I like your confidence in your abilities, so I'll hire you."

  She studied him, wondering what instigated his job offer. Maybe she was second-guessing his motives, but she figured he'd been baiting her, that he'd never imagined she'd agree.

  Too bad. Now he was stuck with her.

  She liked the idea of it, though. And she intended to show him that she was damn good at a job. She might not have stayed long at all the other jobs she had, but she left each company in a better place than they were when she'd started.

  She'd do the same for Carter's company. She'd swoop in, take over his paperwork headache, organize his systems and develop a sales plan. Then, when she was satisfied everything was in working order, she'd leave.

  By then, she'd be easy to replace with someone competent enough to take over for her. She'd done it countless times before. It was easy.

  Though as she looked over at Carter, the thought of working closely with him warmed her.

  And the thought of leaving him behind left anything but an easy feeling in her stomach.

  Better to stay in the here and now and not think about the future. Staying in the present was always best.

  She'd worry about tomorrow and the next day . . . later.

  Chapter 24

  CARTER SPENT EARLY Saturday morning sitting across the desk from a man he never would have thought he'd hire as his next body guy.

  Brady Conners was overqualified, had just come back to Hope after a long absence, and he didn't know a whole lot about him other than the family connection. Carter had known Brady's older brother, Kurt, from high school, but they hadn't hung out in the same circles. Brady had left Hope after high school--like Molly. And he hadn't come back.

  Until now.

  "I was sorry to hear about Kurt," Carter said. "He was a good guy."

  Brady nodded. "Thanks. And yeah, he was."

  Carter could tell Brady didn't want to talk about his brother. Most guys didn't want to get into the emotional stuff, and what had happened with Kurt had been awful.

  "Is that why you're back in Hope?" Carter asked.

  "Partly."

  The guy didn't have much to say. Then again, his work spoke for itself. And if he wasn't too chatty, that was good. He'd rather have Brady focused on the work and not on bullshitting in the garage.

  "You've mainly done a lot of custom motorcycle body paint."

  "Yeah. But I started out doing body jobs and worked my way into the custom work. I can handle what you need."

  "I know. I talked to some guys you worked with in Memphis. They said you're the best body guy around."

  A smirk was all he got in reply. That showed confidence, though, and Carter appreciated a man who knew he was the best.

  "I heard you're interested in starting up your own custom paint place."

  "You heard right," Brady said. "But I need cash for that, and I'm strapped at the moment. I figure working for you for a while will give me a head start."

  Carte appreciated Brady not hiding that from him. Upfront and honest he could deal with. "Are you intending to leave Hope anytime soon?"

  Brady shook his head. "No. I'm gonna plant it here for a while."

  He wasn't going to ask why, but that's the answer he needed.

  "You got a place to live?"

  "I'm looking into it. Not exactly interested in staying with my parents."

  Carter smiled. "Imagine that. I might be able to hook you up. There's an apartment above the shop here if you're interested. I could cut you a deal on the rent, and you could work your custom jobs here during your off-hours."

  Brady studied him, then frowned, no doubt suspicious about Carter's motives.

  Carter could understand that. After all, Brady didn't really know him.

  "Why would you do that?" Brady asked.

  "Because before you dump and run and start your own business, you'll agree to find and train your replacement here. And I want at least a year out of you."

  Brady let out a short laugh. "I can manage that."

  They worked out the details, and Carter showed him the vacant apartment upstairs. He'd stayed there himself before he'd bought his house. The apartment was serviceable, had a few pieces of furniture, like a bed, a couch, and a crap table in the small eating area off the kitchen. There were a set of dishes, utensils, towels, and stuff. Enough for Brady to survive. Anything else he needed, he could get for himself.

  For a single guy, it would do, which was exactly what Brady said once he'd looked it over. He took it on the spot, and Carter told him rent wouldn't be due until next month.

  One major problem resolved. He filed Brady's application and paperwork, and was looking forward to him starting work next week.

  After that was finished, he headed home, changed into his old jeans and a T-shirt, and decided to wreck the guest bathroom. He had already ordered the new countertop and bought new fixtures, so instead of spending time at the gym today, he decided to get his workout in by tearing up some things.

  He pulled out the sink and faucets, took out the cabinets and tossed them in the back of his truck since they were rotted out and of no further use. Then he got to work chipping away at the hideous tile. He was dripping with sweat when he heard footsteps.

  "I can't believe you're having this kind of fun and you didn't call me."

  He swiped at his brow, then grinned at Luke. "Shouldn't you be with your wife on your day off?"

  "Emma had a couple unexpected surgeries this morning, so she's going to hang out with the furry kids for a while longer this afternoon. I thought I'd drop by here to see if you wanted to have some beer and watch football. This looks like more fun."

  "You keep calling it fun. I don't think you know the meaning of the word."

  "Come on, man. If Emma had gotten off work on time, we would have been at the mall." Luke grimaced. "Trust me, this is better."

  "You asked for it. Go grab a pry-bar and a wrench and start chiseling some tiles."


  "Now you're talkin'."

  Two hours later, they had the tile down and were taking a beer break in the garage when Molly drove up. She looked good in a pair of skinny jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.

  "Lazing the day away drinking beer and watching football?" she asked as she made her way into the garage.

  "Would I be sweating like this if we were watching football?"

  She gave him a close look. "You are sweaty. And filthy. What are you two up to today?"

  "Working on tearing up the guest bathroom."

  "Carter promised it would be fun," Luke said.

  Carter shot Luke a glare. "I promised no fun. You insisted on helping."

  Molly laughed. "I'm going inside to take a peek. Is Emma here?"

  "She's still at the clinic, looking after some post-surgery patients."

  "Okay."

  After Molly disappeared inside, Luke took a long swallow of beer, then turned to him. "How's it going with Molly?"

  "Good, I guess. She's skittish, with one foot out of town already. But I offered her a job."

  Luke arched a brow. "No shit. Did she accept?"

  "Yeah."

  "You're going to try and get her to stay."

  "I don't think anyone can convince her to stay. If she does, it'll have to be her idea. I just figured she might want to linger for a while. Test the waters of Hope."

  "And then you'll get her to stay."

  Carter shrugged. "We'll see."

  "I like you two together. So does Emma. She thinks the two of you are destined to be together, or some such female bullshit."

  Carter liked him and Molly together, too. As far as destiny? He didn't much believe in that. Molly was going to do what Molly decided was best for herself. He knew better than to interfere in that. He was just offering her something to do while she was here.

  And hey, it benefited him. She was organized, and he needed that. He refused to think his offer of a job was a way to keep her in town. His heart knew better.

  The door opened and Molly came out.

  "You've got a great mess going on in there. And you got a lot accomplished."

  "Yeah, the demo is pretty much done."

  "Too bad. I would have liked to wield a sledgehammer."

  He cocked his head to the side. "I'm not sure you can pick up a sledgehammer."

  "Oh, now you're challenging me. Give me something to destroy."

  Luke nudged him. "Yeah, Carter. Give her something to destroy."

  Carter raked his fingers through his hair. "Okay."

  They went into the house, and Carter took a look at the bathroom, then at Molly.

  "How do you feel about pulling up floor tiles?"

  She grinned at him, then rubbed her hands together. "Excited."

  He shook his head. "Now you sound like Luke."

  "Don't listen to him," Luke said. "It's fun, dirty work."

  "That's what I'm thinking. I just need one of your old shirts, since this one is one of my favorites."

  "Right side of my closet," Carter said.

  "I'll be right back."

  Carter shook his head, and in a few minutes Molly came back wearing one of his oldest, paint-stained T-shirts, which was miles too big and too long for her, but he had to admit, she looked damn hot in it.

  In fact, he'd like to see her wearing just his T-shirt and nothing else, but that was a thought for some time when Luke wasn't giving him an I-know-exactly-what-you're-thinking look, so he shrugged it off and handed her some tools and work gloves.

  It turned out Molly was fairly adept at pulling up floor tiles, and between the three of them they had the floor up in an hour. Then they cleared out the debris and swept the room clean.

  "If I'd known it was going to be this easy, I'd have called you both over when I started."

  Molly blew a stray hair out of her eyes and leaned against the wall. "Luke's right. That was fun."

  "See?" Luke said. "Told you."

  "You're only saying that because you haven't had to do an entire house," Carter said.

  "Emma wants to redo the guest bathroom at our house, so this was good practice."

  "Did I hear my name?"

  Luke stuck his head out the bathroom door. "You missed it. There's nothing else to destroy in here, so don't ask."

  She laughed as she surveyed the wreckage of what was once a bathroom. "Looks appropriately demolished in there, and I'm not about to volunteer. I'm exhausted after spending the day with a post-op dog and cat."

  "How are they doing?" Molly asked.

  "They're both fine, and their owners picked them up, so now I'm free."

  "You look like you could use a glass of wine," Luke said. "I should take you home."

  "Or, we could all get cleaned up and go out to dinner," Carter suggested. "It seems like everyone worked hard today."

  "I like that idea," Emma said. "We should probably stop at home and check on the dogs first."

  "How about we meet somewhere in an hour?" Molly suggested.

  Emma nodded. "That sounds good to me."

  They made dinner plans, and Luke and Emma left. Molly scanned the bathroom, then turned to Carter. "Clean slate. Does it give you ideas?"

  "Always. I want to do a big shower in here."

  She shook her head. "I disagree. You already have a big shower in the master. You have to think about your future, and guests. You need a tub/shower combination in here, so someone can take a bath. Plus . . . future kids will be sharing this bathroom. And you need a bathtub to bathe your babies . . . you know, whenever you have them."

  He thought about it for a minute, reconsidered. "You're right. Double sink vanity, a lot of cabinets. One of those rain showerheads."

  She smiled. "I like that idea. And deep sinks, but spaced out nicely in case you have more than one girl."

  "Yeah." He leaned against the wall, staring at her. "Want to go shopping with me?"

  "For bathroom stuff? I'd love to."

  "Good. How about tomorrow?"

  "That sounds fine to me. I can get away on the weekends when Dad is around." She swiped her hands on his shirt. "I should go home and take a shower."

  He pushed off the wall. "Or, you could shower here. You have a toothbrush here now. And some of your shampoo and bath stuff. Plus, you didn't get your shirt dirty."

  "I do have another pair of jeans in the car, too."

  "Then you're good to go."

  She tilted her head back to look up at him. "You just want to see me naked."

  "Purely a side benefit."

  She laughed, then pushed at his chest. "I'll grab my stuff from the car."

  Once she'd retrieved her clean clothes and makeup bag from her car, she headed toward the bathroom, giving Carter an impish grin over her shoulder. "I get the shower first."

  Carter shook his head. "The hell with that. The shower is big enough for two."

  He was only a minute behind her, shrugging off his clothes while Molly turned the water on. He caught a glimpse of her sweet bare ass as she stepped into the shower. He grabbed a couple of towels and set them on the vanity, then opened the door.

  She had the jets primed and the water set at a nice, steamy hot temperature. Since there were jets at both ends, he let the water beat at his sore muscles for a minute or two while he admired the view of Molly washing her hair. Then he grabbed the soap and scrubbed his body clean of the day's grime.

  "Thanks for buying my shower gel," she said, pouring some into her hand. "Though I wouldn't want you to read too much into having some of my things here."

  "First sign of too much comfort and routine for you, I'll toss those right in the trash."

  Her lips lifted. "That's reassuring."

  She soaped her body, and that was a visual treat, watching her sweep her hands over her breasts, down her rib cage, and between her legs.

  His dick hardened in a hurry, and he moved toward her as she rinsed the soap off.

  "Touching you there is my job," he said, pulling her against
him and cupping her neck, holding her steady as he took her mouth.

  Desire snapped hard like a whip inside him. He had to leash it, but he wanted Molly with a need that always made him feel like he was losing control. When he skimmed his hands down her arms and his fingers bit hard into her hip, she whimpered.

  "Sorry. Too hard."

  "No. Harder," she said, lifting her leg over his hip. "I want you."

  He groaned against her lips, that leash loosening just a little, and he pushed her against the wall of the shower and slid his hand between her legs, delving into the silken softness of her.

  She arched into his hand, her body moving in rhythm to the strokes of his fingers. His cock, hard and heavy, rubbed against her hip while he pleasured her, and her fingers wrapped around his length, stroking until he thought he might drop.

  He kissed her, lost in the sensation of his fingers inside her, of the movements of her hand, the taste of her. It was damned intoxicating--she was like a drug, and he couldn't get enough.

  And when she came, he was the one shuddering, trying to hold back, but she gripped him like a vise, and in the end she was his undoing and he went with her, slamming his hand against the wall as he let go.

  His breath came in rasps. He had a death grip around Molly, and he was sure there were spots in front of his eyes. And he knew for damn certain he couldn't move. Not for a minute or so, anyway. But he finally shut off the water and led them out of the shower.

  They dried off, both of them sneaking hot glances at each other.

  "You keep looking at me like that we'll never make dinner."

  "Too bad I'm so hungry."

  "Yeah," he said, giving her a hot look. "I'm hungry, too." But not for food.

  Her lips lifted.

  As he got dressed and ran a brush through his hair, she gave him a sexy smile in the mirror.

  "That was nice as round one," she said, putting on her eye makeup. "I'll expect round two after dinner."

  "What? You want me to perform after all the physical labor I did today?"

  "Damn straight. And if you can't, I'll be very disappointed."

  He came up behind her, letting her feel how very performance ready he was.

  She grinned. "I knew I could count on you, Carter."

  Chapter 25

  AFTER A DOCTOR'S appointment this morning, Molly's mom was in the best mood she'd been in since Emma's wedding.

  "You watch, Molly," her mom said. Molly held on to her mother as she practiced walking--albeit extremely slowly--around the living room. "With this new walking cast, I'll be out and about in no time."