Falling for the Wingman (The Kelly Brothers, Book 3) (11 page)

“You are.” He slumped in the passenger’s seat, his gaze fixed on the roof of her truck. “Would saying I’m sorry help?”

She gripped the steering wheel to keep from jumping back into his arms. “I’d rather hear it from you when you’re sober.”

He winced. “So there’s no chance we could continue this upstairs?”

She gritted her teeth and stared straight ahead. Her body was still clamoring to pick up where they left off, but her bruised heart couldn’t bear anymore. “No, not tonight.”

“Then can you at least take me back to your place so I can get my car?”

“Nope. You heard J.T.. Aaron’s on tonight, and he’s the biggest asshole on the force. He’ll jump at a chance to pull you over for a DUI, especially with your Illinois plates.”

“Then what’s going to happen to my car?”

“It’ll be safe at my place until tomorrow. You can walk over around lunchtime and pick it up then.”

A rustle of movement earned a sideways glance from her. Caleb was zipping his shorts back up, all evidence of his arousal gone. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry, Alex.”

Her eyes burned.
Yeah, me too
. But she said nothing as he got out of her truck and walked up the pathway to Miss Martha’s B&B.

Minutes ticked by before she finally started the truck back up and drove home. Her mind warred with itself. Maybe she’d made a mistake. Maybe she’d dodged a bullet. Maybe she was nothing more than the queen of lost causes. It didn’t matter. Because as perfect as tonight had been, she still hadn’t won Caleb’s heart.

At least this will be over by tomorrow
, she told herself as she climbed the stairs to her loft. Tomorrow, Caleb would have his chance to talk to Kourtney, and they’d go from there.

Chapter Seven

Caleb rolled over and immediately groaned. It was bad enough his sleep had been total shit last night, with the constant throbbing in his balls reminding him how he’d royally fucked up with Alex. Now the damned sun threatened to take the current throbbing in his head to a whole new level. Adding to his agony was an additional pounding from the door.

“Yoo-hoo, Caleb, darlin’, time to wake up,” Miss Martha’s overly cheery voice called from the hallway.

He cracked open one eye and spied the alarm clock on the nightstand. 10:39 a.m. No, it wasn’t time to get up. He wanted to sleep all goddamn day until he figured out what the hell he was going to do next.

“I need to get your room ready for the next guest,” she continued. “Do I need to come in and drag you out of bed?”

The doorknob jiggled, and his heart jumped into throat. He bolted to the door to keep the B&B owner from barging in and discovering how easy it would be for her pinch his bare ass. “I’m up.”

Unfortunately, the contents of his stomach threatened to follow the same path as his still-racing heart. He covered his mouth and prayed he wouldn’t puke.

“All righty,” Miss Martha sang in a voice that was way too chirpy for his ears. “Checkout time is eleven. I’ll fix a cup of coffee for you.”

The fading sound of footsteps eased the tension from his muscles, and he sank to the cool hardwood floor, still leaning back against the door. It was Wednesday, the day he was supposed to get answers from Kourtney. Where had the week gone? And more important, did he still want those answers?

He closed his eyes and tried to remember how Kourtney had felt in his arms, but all he could think about was Alex. The softness of her hair. The hint of vanilla on her skin. The fire in her kisses. What would have happened if those drunken words hadn’t slipped from his mouth? Would sex with her be everything he’d imagined? Or would it have been an awkward mistake that would forever haunt him?

One thing was certain—he needed to clarify where he stood in regards to the two sisters, and right now, his mind was as clear as mud. He forced himself to his feet and stumbled to the shower, letting the warm water wash away the fog that surrounded his mind.

By the time the clock read eleven, he was packed, dressed, and feeling a bit more coherent. The aroma from the steaming black coffee Miss Martha handed him when he came downstairs chased away the last remnants of sleep. “How much do I owe you for the room?” he asked before taking a sip.

“Not a penny,” she said with a grin. “Alex and I worked out a deal for your room.”

Crap. One more reminder of how Alex had gone above and beyond to help him out. “I enjoyed my stay and wish I didn’t have to leave.”

“Oh, I do too.” She cast an appreciative glance at his backside. “But I have a feeling you’d have no problem finding a place to stay until the wedding, especially judging by the way you and Alex fogged up the windows of her truck last night.”

He paused, the coffee cup hovering an inch above his mouth. Jesus, didn’t people in this town have anything better to do than spy on him and Alex? When Alex had told him they would have tongues wagging, she wasn’t kidding. He cleared his throat, not wanting to disclose how the action in the truck ended on a sour note. “We’ll see.”

“Save a dance for me at the wedding.” She gave him a girlish wave and headed up the stairs.

Caleb took his bag out to the oversized front porch and sat on the swing to finish his coffee before heading to the garage. He needed to figure out what he was doing before he faced either Leadbetter sister. He pulled out his phone to ask Adam for more advice, but his finger continued down his contact list to his mom’s number. Perhaps it was time to learn the hard truth.

“Caleb, sweetie, I was wondering when you’d call.”

He bit back a groan from the heavy guilt trip her words carried. “Sorry, Mom, just been busy with things.”

“I’m just glad you’re safe and back home. And speaking of home, will you be coming to Adam’s wedding in a few weeks?”

“I’ve already contacted my new CO at Hill and asked for the weekend off.”

“Wonderful! I can’t wait to see all my boys together again.”

He stretched out and leaned back in the swing. “Speaking of Adam, has he told you what happened when I came home?”

“No,” his mother said in a careful voice that revealed her lie. “Care to tell me?”

“Not really.” Besides, it sounded like she already knew most of the details. “What I’d really like to know is why you didn’t like Kourtney when you met her last year.”

“Caleb, I really don’t think—”

“Mom, I want the truth. Don’t hold anything back.”

A pause filled the line. “I know you were crazy about her.”

“I was, but now I’m starting to see a different side to her, and I value your opinion.”

Another pause, followed by a sigh. “I’m not surprised she left you, Caleb. She was probably the most self-absorbed person I’ve ever met, and I got the distinct impression she was more interested in what our family could do for her than she was in you. For example, she asked if I could pass on a photo of her to Gideon’s manager to see if it would get her an audition in Hollywood. And the whole time I was there, she kept saying how she hoped you’d be reassigned to Nellis so she could enjoy the nightlife in Las Vegas. I can only imagine how disappointed she was when you got Hill instead.”

He let his mother’s assessment sink in. So far, it matched what Alex had let slip out. “Then you’ll be happy to know she left me while I was deployed. In fact, she’ll be marrying someone else in a few days.”

“Yes, but Adam told me you’re in her hometown to win her back. Are you sure you still want her?”

He rubbed the side of his face. Sunday, he would’ve said yes in a heartbeat. But now, after spending so much time with Alex and discovering the explosive chemistry between them, he was left wondering the same thing. “I’m supposed to have a chance to talk to her today. Maybe after that, I’ll have a better idea what happened.”

“As you wish.” Which was his mother’s way of saying that she thought he was making a huge mistake. “I don’t suppose you’ll have to time to come up to Chicago on your way to Utah?”

“We’ll see.” If everything blew up in his face this afternoon, he’d have a few days on his hands.

“Okay, sweetie.”

“Mom, I’m not three anymore. You don’t have to call me ‘sweetie.’”

“Nonsense. You’re all still little boys to me.”

A new wave of nausea threatened to overtake him. “I need to get going. I promised Alex I’d meet her at the garage before heading over to Kourtney’s mom’s house.”

“Alex?” Her voice rose a bit higher with curiosity. “Who’s that?”

Adam’s question about taking Alex home to meet Mom echoed through his mind. “Maybe you’ll find out.”

That is, if I haven’t royally fucked things up with her.

“It’s not nice to tease your mother, Caleb.”

“Good-bye, Mom.”

“Bye, sweetie.” She drawled out the last word as though it were payback for not telling her about Alex.

He ended the call and finished his coffee, wondering what else Kourtney had said to his mother when they met last year.

Remember the emails. Just ask her about them, and go from there. If she meant what she said in them…

Crap. Was it too much to hope Kourtney was lying?

****

Alex was bent over the engine of a late-model Town Car when Caleb arrived at the garage. She was so focused on her work, she didn’t notice him, but Jermaine gave him a friendly wave from the interior of the car.

“All right, I think we’ve got it.” Alex straightened and wiped her hands on a rag. A few damp curls had slipped out from under her bandana to frame her face, and a streak of grease on her jaw did little to detract from her appearance. She looked as sexy to him as she did last night. “Start her up.”

The engine roared to life and settled into a contented idle.

Caleb came alongside and assessed her work. The engine looked like it had been completely rebuilt and rumbled like a car fresh off the lot. “Not bad.”

She gave him a proud grin and lowered the hood. “She may not look like much, but in the right hands, she can purr.”

I’d love to make you purr
. The rogue thought ambushed him with such intensity, he had to turn away before she guessed his thoughts. Yep, he still wanted her. The question was—did she still want him, especially after last night’s gaffe?

“How’s your head this morning?” she asked, her eyes never leaving his face.

“Fair enough.” He shifted the bag on his shoulder. “Listen, Alex, about last night—”

“I’ve got to get cleaned up before heading over to Mama’s.” She threw her rag in the laundry bin and started for the stairs. “You’re welcome to come upstairs in the meantime.”

She’d just dissed him. Not a good start to the morning. “Okay. I’ll just put my stuff in the car first.”

When he came back into the garage, Jermaine and the other mechanics all watched him with smiles of barely contained laughter. “Am I missing something?” he asked them.

Jermaine finally erupted with a chuckle. “I don’t know what you did, but you’re in the doghouse with Alex.”

“No shit. And I take it you’re enjoying every minute of it.”

“More like I can’t wait to hear what happens when you get stuck in the middle between Alex and Miss Tight-Ass Kourtney.” He rubbed a smudge off the Town Car Alex had been working on. “I ain’t ever heard of the two of them fighting over a guy, but I reckon there’s a first time for everything.”

“So I’m not completely in the doghouse?”

“She invited you upstairs, didn’t she?” Jermaine gave him a wide grin that looked just like his mother’s. “I’d better get this car back over to Miss Martha. Want to come along?”

Caleb stuffed his hands into his back pockets. He’d escaped without a pinch this morning, but he’d only be pressing his luck if he went back. “Nah, thanks, though. I’d better head upstairs before I make Alex late.”

“Good idea. Kourtney pissed off is bad enough. You throw in Miss Lizzie, and we’re talking one major shit storm.”

“Thanks for the warning.” He bounded up the stairs and opened the door to Alex’s apartment above the garage. Steam billowed out from under the bathroom door, and his thoughts turned to Alex in the shower, of her running her hands over her naked skin, touching herself, getting all warm and wet…

His dick started hardening, and he shook the thoughts from his head before he decided to act on them and join her. As much as he physically wanted Alex, he owed Kourtney a chance to explain herself. And he needed to know the truth about the letters that had made him fall in love with her because if she’d truly meant what she’d said, then he had no business cheating on her with Alex.

He wandered over to the partially refurbished Roadrunner and spent a few moments admiring it before noticing the small workbench off to the side. A divided tray of spare watch parts and gears next to a soldering iron caught his attention. He pushed it aside to reveal a compartment underneath with more than a dozen tiny figurines made from those spare parts.

He pulled out his lucky charm and compared it to the others, noting the similar craftsmanship. None of them had the same expression or the wings, but they were similar enough to all come from the same artist. He squeezed his lucky charm in his palm and grimaced.