Page 11 of All Autumn
Having the Hunter brothers as friends was as good has having your very own Property Brothers. But where Drew and Jonathan were cute and adorable, Connor and Adam were downright hot. Before Connor caught me peeking, I left the bedroom door open and climbed back into the bed.
To keep the scene I’d walked in on in Brian’s office from running through my head like a god-awful porno flick, I turned my mind to my appointment tomorrow afternoon. It was a big opportunity. I’d never done a commercial redo, and I’d been excited about the chance. Now I was having trouble finding any enthusiasm for the meeting I had with the property manager of the Blue Ridge Valley Country Club. But I was prepared, and I… Oh crap! All my samples were in my wrecked car. And how was I supposed to get there now that I didn’t have transportation?
Without those samples I would come across as unprepared and unprofessional, and since I refused to look like a bumbling idiot, I had to get them tonight. Because I refused to talk to Brian, it would mean breaking into the fenced lot behind his dealership, where I’m sure the car had been towed, but it was my car and my samples. He’d never even know. All I had to do was get Connor on board.
What did one wear for breaking and entering?
“No, absolutely not,” Connor said when I told him my plan later that night. “And you look like a cat burglar’s poor cousin.”
I glanced down at myself. Okay, so I hadn’t had much inventory in black to choose from. Where clothes were concerned, I liked colors. The black tights had holes in them—some Connor could see, some not—and should have been thrown away years ago.
The two-sizes-too-big, long-sleeved black T-shirt was Brian’s. It almost reached my knees, hiding the hole in the tights at my crotch. Connor had seen more than enough of me there today.
Black rubber boots that I wore when working in the yard completed my ensemble. Oh, and the black knit cap that I’d tucked my blonde hair under. I’d considered putting some of Brian’s black shoe polish on my cheeks to conceal their shine but thought that might be taking things a little far.
“You don’t have to go with me. Just loan me your car.” I almost laughed at the pure panic on his face. Connor and Adam were classic muscle-car nuts. Asking to borrow the whatever-special-year-it-was, whatever-make-it-was car sitting in my driveway was probably akin to asking him to give me one of his kidneys.
“I swear I won’t drive it off the mountain.” He turned green. Guess I shouldn’t have reminded him of my little accident. Right now he was probably visualizing his precious car with a tree sprouting out of the engine.
“No.” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at me.
“Please, Connor.” I wasn’t above using the weapons at my disposal. The chance to land the country club job meant that much to me. I’d never intended to call on an old favor, but I didn’t see that I had a choice. I regretted what I was about to say before the words left my mouth.
“Remember when I didn’t tell Adam you were the one who spread the rumor that he didn’t have a penis?”
“We were in high school, Autumn. The stupid years. Besides, he knew I had a crush on Babs, but he still asked her out. He deserved her thinking he was cockless.”
I sputtered a laugh. “Is that even a word? Anyway, when I told you I knew it was you who started the rumor, you said, and I’ll quote, ‘I’ll owe you big if you keep your big mouth shut.’” I frowned. “And I did not have a big mouth, by the way.”
“Did, too.”
When his gaze landed on my mouth, the weirdest thing happened. I wanted to kiss him, like for a long time. Where in all that was holy had that thought come from? I tore my gaze away from his mouth—and yeah, while I was looking at his, he was staring right back at mine—and said, “You owe me, and now I’m collecting.”
“Collecting what?”
“My favor.” I spied his keys on the kitchen counter and snatched them up.
“Come back here with those,” he called after me.
I ran.
6
~ Connor ~
Autumn Stratton—no, back to Archer now—had hoodwinked me. She’d locked herself in my ’68 Camaro SS, just repainted its original matador red, and was threatening to take off. The woman had wrecked one car today. She sure as hell wasn’t driving mine off on her harebrained scheme.
“Open the door, Autumn.” I pulled on the handle.
“Not until you promise to take me to get my samples.” She slid the key into the ignition. “Or, I’ll just drive myself.”
Exasperated with the woman, I gave in. “Fine. I will.” I’d grown up with Autumn and knew firsthand how stubborn she could be. It was either give up or watch her drive away in a car that had more power than she’d know what to do with on these mountain roads.
“Thank you,” she cheerfully said after unlocking the door, and then she slid over the console, landing in the passenger seat.
She gave me a smile, one that I’d never seen before. Sweet and shy, and with it my irritation evaporated. It was still a harebrained idea, but a harmless one. Or could be that my brain had short-circuited, stealing my good sense the minute I realized just how kissable Autumn’s lips were. How had I not noticed that before?Because she’s your friend, douchebag.
“If we get busted, you’re paying my bail.” I glanced over at her. “Just saying.”
