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

TO DOROTHEA’S SURPRISE, Holly was waiting in the lobby half an hour later, as ordered. She was dressed in a black dress with a high neck, long sleeves and a floor-length train. Old-fashioned funeral attire.

She wouldn’t meet Dorothea’s gaze, but she was there. Hope bloomed within her. They might be able to patch their relationship after all.

“Thank you,” Dorothea said, crossing her ankles to accentuate the calf-length skirt. She’d wanted to wear pants, but because Daniel had worn sweatpants for her, she’d gone with a skirt, as he’d requested. Or commanded. Of course, she’d ignored the part about “shortest” as an eff-you to Daniel and his secret-keeping ways. However, she had worn her brand-new thong. Not that he would see or feel it, the jerk...maybe. Probably.

“Whatever.” Holly popped a bubble. “Why are you dressed in church clothes?”

“Maybe I plan to pray for your soul.” With a sigh, she led her sister outside. The sun glared at everyone, obviously ticked off about yesterday’s storm. Daniel’s truck idled at the curb, and he helped them climb inside the passenger side; Dorothea took the front and Holly the back.

“That is your shortest skirt?” he whispered so Holly wouldn’t hear.

“No.”

His eyes narrowed.

“But I’m wearing a thong,” she said, and his fingers jerked on the wheel.

He wants me...

Maybe she should have let him stay in her room last night, rather than kicking him out. Maybe she should have scratched an itch. Even now, she wanted him right back. Despite everything, her desire remained on constant simmer, and oh, how she ached.

Her body said: Make out with him, just once more. What would it hurt?

Only everything! A single slice of pie would not stop a craving for the whole dang thing.

“Your nails are yellow,” he said, changing the subject. “What are you hopeful about?”

Ignoring him—no way to answer that without sounding lovesick—she peered out the window.

He didn’t push her for the deets, and she wasn’t sure if she was grateful he respected her or upset that he didn’t care enough.

When he parked in front of a metal warehouse, he said, “Pick the wood you want and don’t you dare look at price, all right? Promise me.”

Okay, maybe he cared enough. “But—”

“No buts. This is my—” he glanced back at Holly “—you know. And I decide what we do. Plus, the headboard is my contribution to the theme room. That means I pay for it.”

This. This was one of the reasons she loved him. He selflessly gave of himself, his time and his resources.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “That’s very kind of you.”

His gaze finally slid over her, heating and hooding... He looked at her as if she’d created the moon and stars. “Absolutely my pleasure.”

“Why?” Holly barked. “Why is it your pleasure to be kind to her? Are you guys fuc—”

Dorothea slapped a hand over her sister’s mouth.

But she didn’t offer a reprimand. Let Daniel respond.

He smiled, completely unabashed. “No, we aren’t...screwing. I plan to hassle your sister every morning for golden milk, and I want a reason to hold over her head. ‘Remember when I bought all those planks...carved that headboard...’ Also, I’ll be asking a very big favor of her when we’re done here.”

“What favor?” Dorothea asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

“I’ll tell you when we’re—what?—done here,” he reiterated.

Argh! The wait would be torture.

The anger faded from Holly’s features, and she peered at Daniel as if he were a creature from outer space. How many times had she peered at him that same way? Only, replace “creature from outer space” with “sex god from outer space.”

Daniel opened her door for her, but not for Holly, forcing the girl to climb over the console to exit. A difficult task in her dress. Dorothea swallowed a laugh.

What a day! She loved searching through the different kinds of wood. Loved the different colors and grains, even the different scents. A few times Holly shouted out the price, maybe to poke at Daniel, or maybe because her shock was so great.

“This one is three hundred dollars!”

In the end, Dorothea couldn’t resist the black walnut. She adored the dark color and the patina on the pieces salvaged from an old barn.

As Daniel loaded the planks in the back of the truck, his muscles bulged and her heart fluttered wildly. Such a glorious man.

“You’re staring at him,” Holly said quietly. She stood at Dorothea’s side. Willingly.

“I know. I can’t help myself. He’s just so...” Delicious. “Special.”

“Yeah,” Holly said. “The elusive unicorn.”

The fact that her sister was having a real conversation with her, well, tears welled in Dorothea’s eyes. That was the only reason. She would deny any others.

“He likes you, you know.” Holly sounded...sad about it? Why sad?

The answer didn’t require a lot of pondering. Jazz. Holly still rooted for a reconciliation. “He does like me,” she whispered, “but he doesn’t like me enough.”

“Do they ever?” Holly replied.

A pang in her chest. “Did a boy break your heart?”

Holly opened her mouth, seemed to realize how personal the conversation had become and flounced into the truck.

“All right,” Daniel said. He wiped his hands together. “We’re having lunch, and then we’re going to an animal shelter. I’m adopting a dog.” His gaze landed on Dorothea. “Here’s the favor I need from you. See, I have a job in the city next weekend and—”

“What kind of job?” Holly interjected, leaning out of the window. “Are you a contract killer? A stripper? A male escort?”

Rather than acting put out by her rudeness, he kept his attention on Dorothea. “You know Dixie Bell-Lilly, the country singer? Her family lives in Oklahoma, and she visits frequently. This time she’s throwing some kind of party, and we’re keeping the peace for her.”

Dixie Bell-Lilly. A beautiful blonde who would probably fall in love with him and re-create the movie The Bodyguard. Daniel, who wasn’t dating Dorothea, would be free to sleep with her.

And that was fine. Whatever.

Bastard!

He canted his head to the side to study her more intently. “Remember the time I bought those wood planks for you? Remember the headboard I’m going to carve for you? Well, I won’t be able to take a pet with me while I’m working, so...”

“So you want me to babysit.” The words lashed from her. Trusty Dorothea, always the friend, never the sex object.

Uh, isn’t that what I’ve been pushing for?

He blinked in confusion. “Whoa. You’re looking at me like I’m a Yankee spy. If you don’t want to do it, I’ll—”

“No, no. I do. I’m sorry. I would actually love to babysit your dog. I just had a momentary brain blip.” If she couldn’t have Daniel, she could have moments with the creature he loved.

I’m pathetic.

He smiled at her, and dang it, she smiled back, anger and jealousy melting away. He was just so beautiful and so freaking kind.