Can't Hardly Breathe (The Original Heartbreakers #4)

He stepped to the side, using the phone on the counter rather than his cell phone—making a long-distance call on Thea’s dime. Bet he’d make her pay for half of dinner, too. Bastard.

A few minutes later, Vandercamp hung up and focused on him. “Good news,” he said again. “They hopped in their car after talking to me. They’re already on their way. They’ll reach the inn in about an hour.”

One hour. One more hour with Princess. His chest hurt. He wanted to curse but pressed his lips together. This was a family-friendly environment, and he’d harm Thea’s business if he let loose. But damn it! Princess was his. He’d found her and helped patch her up. He’d taken care of her when she most needed care. He’d cuddled with her and fallen in love, and she’d fallen in love right back. She wouldn’t want to leave him...right?

If she wanted to stay with him, he’d offer the family money. An obscene amount, if necessary. He would empty his savings. Anything to keep her.

Couldn’t keep your mom. Couldn’t keep the friends who died in battle. You think this will be any different?

The pain in his chest only worsened.

Vandercamp’s expression brightened at the same time Daniel caught a whiff of his favorite scent. He whipped around. If he’d been standing, he would have stumbled back. Thea’s dark curls tumbled to her waist. The sides were pinned back, revealing delicate earlobes pierced by silver roses. She wore a pretty top that fit her pinup body to perfection, and short shorts that revealed glorious mile-long legs. Cowgirl boots only added to her appeal.

Tonight her nails were yellow. She was hopeful. Hopeful—for Vandercamp.

Would the guy get to see her tattoo? Her exquisite curves?

Daniel bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood.

Never had Thea looked more like a living doll. The only thing he didn’t like, besides her nail color? A thick layer of makeup masked her freckles.

Hell, maybe the makeup was for the best. The freckles were his and his alone. They set every inch of him on fire.

Would she make Vandercamp laugh tonight? Charm and enchant the bastard?

Her eyes remained downcast during Daniel’s inspection, but it wasn’t long before she gathered her courage and looked up. At him, not Vandercamp. He wanted to cheer. And then he wanted to moan. Sizzling awareness arced between them.

“You look...” he began.

“Amazing,” Vandercamp interjected.

Understatement. “Amazing” didn’t do her justice.

She cast her gaze to her date, causing Daniel’s hands to fist. He could flatten the vet with a single punch...but then he’d have to watch Thea’s features darken with horror.

“Thank you,” she said, and walked around Daniel. She stopped and backtracked, her brow furrowed. “I’ve been meaning to ask. Has anyone called about the reception position?”

He gritted his teeth. “I haven’t set up any interviews.” A misleading answer, yes. But the truth? Also yes. She didn’t need to know there’d been interest. She’d try to get rid of him, and she’d stop saving the money she so desperately needed.

All about the money, he told himself. Had nothing to do with his feelings.

“Dang. Okay.” She brushed her fingers across Princess’s fur as she walked away, but she might as well have palmed Daniel’s length.

Sweat beaded on his brow. Do not touch her. Do not yank her against you.

The good-looking couple strode out the door, out of sight, but Daniel’s hunger only increased.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the man who stole my job.”

The voice came from the door Thea had just vacated. Holly. The sister. The girl who had never deigned to speak to him until now. She’d picked the wrong time. “Had you actually done any work, I’d agree. Since I had to pick up where you never started, I’d say I’m the man who finally did your job.”

She flinched, as if no one had ever dared feed her a taste of her own medicine. Then she flipped him off.

“So mature.” He placed Princess on the floor and filled her bowl from the box of food he kept inside the cabinet above the desk. “Did someone put on her big-girl panties today?”

“Someone is about to find his big-girl panties wedged permanently in the crack of his ass.”

“And now, in the midst of her hissy fit, she spits out threats she can’t possibly enforce,” he told Princess. “Do you think she’s...you know...so dumb she could throw herself on the ground and miss?”

Princess was too busy inhaling her dinner to respond.

“Dumb! I am not dumb.” Holly stepped toward him as she drew back her fist. But she caught herself midway and stopped. “You aren’t welcome here. You need to go.”

“And you certainly aren’t smart. Otherwise you’d be nice to your sister.”

She scowled up at him. “Is this a bonding moment? Because I’d like to pass.”

“Then why are you still here?”

“To make sure you quit.”

“Why would I quit? I promised your sister I’d help out for the next three weeks.”

Holly crossed her arms over her middle, almost as if she were—no, impossible—but...almost as if she wanted to protect herself from an emotional blow. “Why did you promise her, huh?”

“Because I like her,” he said softly. “We’re...” Well, hell. There was no way around it, was there? “We’re friends.”

The girl bristled for no apparent reason. “Do you usually violate your friends with your eyes?”

Wow. Okay. How to answer that?

Needing a moment, he petted Princess behind the ears. She finished her meal and trotted to her pillow under the counter, where she curled into a ball and promptly fell asleep. If only it were that easy for him.

“She’s taken, you know,” Holly said, a tremor in her voice. “She’s still in love with her ex-husband. He’s awesome. The best thing to ever happen to her. He wants her back, and he’ll get her.”

The guy might want her back. Check that. The guy definitely wanted her back—who wouldn’t?—but she wasn’t in love with him. Daniel had held Thea in his arms as she’d told him about her ex-husband’s infidelity. He’d heard hurt, shame and self-recrimination in her voice, but not love.

He straightened and faced Holly straight on. Tread carefully. Do not piss off Thea by spanking the hell out of her little sister. “You’re wrong. But then, you don’t really know your sister. She reaches out to you, and you ignore her or insult her. Those are your only settings.”

Her eyes—so like Thea’s—widened.

Tread care—Oh, who cared. In about an hour, he was going to lose custody of Princess. He would have to play nice with her owners and maybe even smile when they called her Splenda.

Then he would spend the rest of the evening speculating about what was happening between Thea and Vandercamp, and would probably end up blackout drunk right alongside Brock.

“You can’t talk to me like that,” Holly said.

“Oh, but you can talk to me like that?”

“You’re an adult,” she spat at him. “You can handle it.”

“So can you. You’re old enough to know better, so act like it. And cut your sister some slack. I’ve never seen a woman work so hard to please a less deserving person.”