by Karen Booth
“Sure. Ask me anything.”
“How do you do what you do after going through a big breakup and a canceled wedding? I don’t see how you can stand to be around these happy couples. The reminders are everywhere, aren’t they?”
Autumn looked down at the sidewalk for a moment. Funny, but this all made perfect sense to her. “It doesn’t make me feel bad to be around people who are in love. If anything, it reminds me of the possibilities. It reminds me that love exists and it’s still worth holding out for.”
Every bit of his expression, from the half frown to the raised eyebrows, said that he wasn’t buying her answer. “So you’re not traumatized by everything that happened? It doesn’t make you scared?”
“I’m not saying I wasn’t hurt. Of course I was. But I’m not scared. It’s fine. I’m just busy moving on.”
“How is that possible? It’s only been a few months, right?”
She understood what Grey was trying to get at, and Molly had taken a similar tack with her, but Autumn didn’t want to put her life on hold while she waited for her heart to heal. Sitting around was simply not in her wheelhouse. “It’s possible because I’ve decided that it is. I’m ready to fall in love today. Right now.”
“You can’t think your way out of this.”
“So says the incredibly smart guy who tries to look at every situation analytically.”
“I don’t think you’re over it. Over him. You say you are, but I don’t see how you could be.”
The light of the moon hit Grey’s profile just so, and Autumn was overtaken by an impulse that was impossible to ignore. She wanted to kiss him. She needed her lips all over his, if for no other reason than to prove him wrong. She was over her fiancé. Completely. More important, she was alone with an undeniably sexy man on a warm summer night. Everything in her body was saying that a kiss was the only logical conclusion to this conversation. “Maybe you’ll see this.” She rose up onto her tiptoes, dug her hand into his hair and placed her mouth against his. Her heart was pounding as she waited for him to push her away and tell her no. It would make their work dynamic difficult, but she’d dealt with far worse.
But he didn’t do that. He didn’t push her away.
Not at all.
To her great surprise, his strong hands gripped her rib cage and he went all-in on the kiss, his lips parting and his tongue teasing hers, sending a flutter of excitement through her. Did he want her like she wanted him? Had he thought about this, too? His reaction made it seem like he had. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. Her chest pressed to his, hips met hips. He was so solid and firm, but there was something surprisingly soft about the kiss. It was gentle. Passionate, but not forceful. But then he slanted his head and took the kiss deeper. That made her rethink the part about passion. He was heat and spark and fire, and even after everything she’d been through, she wanted to be burned.
But then she realized what they were doing. Kissing on her front stoop. Where anyone down on the street could see them. She pulled back, breathless. “We shouldn’t be out here.”
He gazed down at her, mouth slack and eyes pleading. She took some consolation in the fact that he seemed disappointed. “What? Why?”
“You either have to come inside or go.” She squinted and scanned her front yard, but it was dark and her eyesight was terrible.
“I don’t understand.”
She sighed. “Sometimes people take pictures of me.”
“They do?”
“Yes, Grey. To sell.”
“Oh.” Grey straightened and adopted a posture like he was on high alert, surveying the landscape of her lawn. “Seriously? Like hiding in the bushes?”
“I know. It’s crazy, but it happens. They try to catch me doing something terrible like bending over in unflattering sweatpants to pick up a piece of mail I dropped. That actually happened, by the way.” That had not been a fun day. “It’s just part of being my father’s daughter. It’s gotten a lot worse in the last year. Every new bit of salacious info about my dad brings them out of the woodwork.”
“I’d think you would be immune to that here.”
“I thought so, too. And I was for the first year or so after I moved. But then people figured out where I live. I even had a tabloid reporter pose as a bride and pretend to be interested in my wedding planning services. They’ll do anything.”
He returned his attention to her. “I’m so sorry you have to deal with that.”
“Thanks.”
“Also, for what it’s worth, I’ve seen you bend over and I can’t imagine it looking bad.”
She playfully hit his arm. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to take that as a compliment, but I will.” Autumn really wanted to kiss him again, but there was this nagging voice in her head telling her that wasn’t wise. She was supposed to be making all three Holloway brothers happy, not just one. “I should probably go inside. I’m exhausted and you have to drive back to Moonlight Ridge. I’m sorry I kissed you. I know I just made things awkward.”
“Please don’t be sorry. It was nice.”
Autumn feared that he was only saying that to be kind to her. He knew how badly she’d been hurt and however cold and analytical he could seem at times, she knew now that there was a feeling man under his hard exterior. His core was thoughtful, and his words were those of a man who was putting her feelings first. “You don’t have to make excuses for me. We’re working together. You’re practically my boss.”
He reached down for her hand. “I’m not your boss. And we’re only working together until Moonlight Ridge’s wedding bookings get on track. I’m helping you.”
It still felt as though Autumn had crossed a line she shouldn’t have. Even though she’d really wanted to. “I should still probably go inside. Good night, Grey.”
He sighed. Whether that was exasperation or frustration, Autumn wasn’t sure. “Good night, Autumn. And thank you for today.”
Autumn made her way inside, closing the door, then flipping the latch. Her fluffy orange tabby cat, Milton, expressed his disdain for the hours she was keeping. He hadn’t been fed. She scooped him up, padded into the kitchen, and filled his food dish. She leaned against the counter, exhausted, the memory of Grey’s kiss still humming on her lips. He was a mystery to her, and she still wasn’t sure what made him tick, but one thing was undeniable—she wanted more.
Milton finished up his food, and Autumn flipped off the kitchen light, walking back to her bedroom. Just outside her door, her phone beeped with a text.
Be my date to M&M’s engagement party Friday?
Autumn grinned at her phone like a fool. The invitation suggested he was just as into that kiss as she’d been. You shouldn’t text and drive.
At a red light.
She smiled even wider. I’d love to go.
Perfect. Good night.
Night.
Autumn flopped down on her bed and stared up at the ceiling in the dark. As exhausted as she was, she wouldn’t be getting any sleep any time soon. There were too many sexy thoughts of Grey Holloway tumbling around in her head.
Six
Grey hadn’t seen Autumn in days. In fact, it had been all week. It hadn’t been his choice, but his more pressing responsibilities had eaten up all his time. The renovations of the brewery had begun, but it was already proving to be a difficult project. The building was old and the contractor was running into problems he hadn’t expected. Then there were the still unfinished plans for the new spa, a project that was quickly sliding to the back burner. He had to deal with Opal, the forensic accountant, about the secret audit of Moonlight Ridge, and manage his business in New York from a distance. That last part was becoming a real headache. He was knee-deep in a contentious negotiation to hold on to his most prized employee. In short, he felt like he didn’t have a minute to breathe.
That didn
’t mean he hadn’t been thinking about Autumn. Part of the reason he was behind on everything was because he kept finding himself daydreaming about her. It didn’t take much to transport him back to that moment when she’d kissed him at her house the other night. She had once again surprised him, but that time, it hadn’t been by showing up unannounced or rescuing a wedding. Instead, a kiss. Out of the blue. He’d thought about it several times before that moment, dwelling on the sight of her lips for a few too many heartbeats. But in his head, he’d imagined he would make the first move. Instead, Autumn had broken what little ice was left between them, and the kiss itself had melted it. Every gorgeous feature she possessed was incredible to look at, but even better to touch. And to think, he’d only had a taste. When she’d talked to him about temptation the first day they met, he was convinced he could resist anything. Now he knew that Autumn was poised to become his biggest weakness.
To make up for his absence all week, he’d invited Autumn to come over a half hour before Mack and Molly’s engagement party. He wanted the chance to enjoy a glass of wine with her before heading over. Even though he’d worked for much of the day, it had been a beautiful day for July Fourth and he hoped for an even nicer evening, complete with fireworks over the lake. If he was lucky, there might even be a few fireworks with Autumn. But he didn’t want to get ahead of himself.
He rushed outside as soon as he heard her car door, arriving in time to see her rising up out of her silver BMW. She was wearing yet another dress apparently designed to knock the breath out of him. Again it was lace, but this one was red, and unlike the one she’d worn to the wedding last weekend, it had skinny straps that showed off her lovely shoulders and shimmery skin. As she got closer, his eyes were drawn to the sexy neckline, which dipped low between the swell of her breasts. The sight made everything in his body run hot.
He greeted her at the end of the driveway, gently gripping her elbow and loving the silkiness of her skin. “You look absolutely beautiful.” He kissed her cheek and breathed in her sweet scent, the perfect complement to the aroma of wildflowers already in the air.
She grinned at him. “What happened to not laying it on too thick?”
Grey wanted to kick himself for the stupid comment he’d made in her office the other day. “I was trying to be professional. But now that we’re not on the clock, I don’t see any reason why I can’t say that you and that dress are a knockout.”
“You look pretty amazing, too, just so you know.” She eyed him up and down in a way that made his chest squeeze tight. Was she thinking what he was thinking? That they needed to explore everything that logically came after a kiss? Clothes being cast aside and hands skimming over bare skin? Just the thought of that moment with Autumn had him ready to jettison every plan and obligation he had. If it wasn’t his own brother’s engagement party tonight, he would have canceled without a second thought.
“Thank you. How’s your car running?” They made their way across to the patio where he’d left out a chilled bottle of white wine and two glasses.
“Great. You were right. It was the battery. Quick fix.”
“I would’ve gladly come to pick you up that next morning.”
“I used a ride app. I didn’t want to interrupt your push-up schedule.”
He laughed as he opened the wine bottle and poured two glasses, handing her one before taking his own. “To many more weddings at Moonlight Ridge.”
“The most ironic toast in the world considering the person making it. But I still like it. Cheers.” She clinked her glass with his and took a sip. “Mmm. Delicious.”
There was something so sexy about the way she reveled in everything—food, wine, the world. She was so much better at living in the moment than he was. “I’m so sorry about not seeing you this week. I’ve been incredibly busy.”
“It’s okay. I was super busy, too.” She peered up at him, managing to put him on notice with the warmest brown eyes he’d ever seen. “Of course, it did make me second-guess what happened in front of my house the other night. A week of you being so busy that you couldn’t pop by my office isn’t a great reaction to a kiss.”
“I really was busy. It wasn’t a line.”
“And I was super busy, too. It doesn’t mean I didn’t have a spare ten minutes in there to say hello or catch up.”
He was officially an idiot. Grey hadn’t really thought through how Autumn would react to his absence. “Oh, God. I’m sorry. That’s not what happened. I swear.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” She took another sip of her wine, seeming unconvinced.
“I wouldn’t have invited you for a glass of wine if I hadn’t enjoyed the kiss. You were the one who stopped it.”
“I was being careful. I wanted to preserve your privacy. It’s not fun being in the spotlight I occasionally find myself in.”
He hated that she had to live like that. He hated that she would ever question herself, or his own inclination to spend time with her. “Let me prove it to you.” He set his wineglass on the table and placed his hand on her jaw, his fingers sliding along the side of her graceful neck. His other hand landed on her hip, the lace fabric silky under his touch while her warmth radiated into his skin. She gazed up at him, seeming amused, a smile playing at the corner of her tempting lips. As much as he wanted to drink in her beauty, he also wanted to immerse himself in the kiss. So he let his eyes drift shut as his lips met hers. For a guy who had a hard time turning off his brain, every thought he had blurred. Her lips were so soft, her hair so silky as he dug his fingers into it, her tongue so sweet and hot. With every second that ticked by, their bodies pressed against each other harder, the kiss became more urgent, and the pressure of his need for her got a little more impossible to bear.
But once again, she was the one to put on the brakes. “Grey. We’re going to be late. A few more seconds of kissing you and clothes are going to start coming off.” Even though the kiss had ended, they were still in each other’s arms, breathing hard, the attraction between them charging the thick summer air like a thunderstorm was brewing.
“I fail to see a problem with that.”
A quiet laugh left her lips, which were even more full after their kiss. “You’re bad.”
“I can be, if that’s what you want.”
She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Technically, we’re still working together.”
He shook his head. “I’ve been thinking about that. After seeing everything you did last weekend at that wedding, I’m convinced you don’t need any help unless you want it.” Grey had already planned to tell Mack as much this evening. The idea of anyone keeping tabs on Autumn was ridiculous. She had everything in hand.
“I do like having you around. You make my job more fun.” She bit down on her lip, making his thoughts go fuzzy again.
“How about this? From now on, I will pester you purely on a volunteer basis.”
She shrugged. “I liked it when you felt accountable.”
“No, you did not. You hated the idea of me interfering.”
She took another sip of her wine. “That was before we became friends.”
Grey couldn’t contain the smile that crossed his face. He realized then that almost every minute of fun he’d had since he returned to Asheville had been with Autumn. He loved spending time with his family, but there was always a layer of tension. Between the trouble with the business and Jameson’s recovery, there were very few easy conversations. Autumn challenged him, but when she did, it was just about getting to the heart of the matter. And with her, everything was simply more enjoyable.
“I’d still like to remove any constraints of a work relationship.” He drew in a breath, preparing himself for what he was about to say next. “Especially if it’s going to prevent us from getting to know each other on a more personal basis.”
Autumn drifted into him, placing her hand on his chest. “Are you saying
you want to see what comes after the next kiss?”
He swallowed hard. He loved her honesty, even when it put everything on the line. “In a word, yes.”
She brushed the lapel of his jacket and smiled. “Let’s play it by ear. We can start by getting to this engagement party.”
* * *
Jameson Holloway loved having his family around him. He only wished he could keep up with them. “Can I do anything to help?” he asked as Molly, bride-to-be and his future daughter-in-law, whizzed past him. Jameson had been parked in an Adirondack chair out on his patio by his nurse, Giada, the woman driving him to distraction on a daily basis. He was under strict orders to relax. How was he supposed to do that while everyone else was busy with last-minute preparations for Mack and Molly’s engagement party? He’d waited for years for a moment like this, and he’d been sidelined. “Seriously. I’d like to do something here,” he called out to anyone who would listen.
Molly bustled over to him. It was an amazing thing that her curly hair always kept moving even after she’d come to a stop. “You know Giada wants you to stay put. This is a lot of excitement, and the party is set to last for several hours. You want to keep your strength, don’t you?”
Jameson deeply appreciated how much those around him cared for him. He only wished it didn’t feel so damn patronizing. His recovery was taking too long and going too slow for his liking. He didn’t want to sit in a chair while life went on around him. “Yes and no,” he answered. “More than anything, I’d like to feel like I’m a part of this.”
Molly leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re the reason we’re all here, and I think you know that.”
Jameson peered up into Molly’s pretty face. He couldn’t wait until she was his daughter-in-law, but in so many ways, she’d seemed like his daughter for years. “No, no. This is your night. Mack’s night. It’s not about me.” He realized then that he was being an insufferable old man. This wasn’t about him. And he needed to stop dwelling on what he wanted.