Nailed (2 page)

Really. I can take care of myself.”

“Just helping out.” A.J. snatched another red company tee from a pile in the truck bed. His chest rippled in fast, hard waves as he slipped it on.

Larry reached over, snagged a shirt and moved past her to open the door of the cab. “Let’s roll, I could eat a horse.”

Slamming the storage lid, Marc locked it, then rounded the truck and got into the driver’s seat. After adjusting his baseball cap, Boston climbed up over the bed of the truck, and tugged on a shirt before stretching out using the pile of leftover tee shirts as a pillow.

A.J. tilted his head toward the cab. “You coming to lunch, baby doll?”

“Sure.” She was part of the crew, why wouldn’t she?

Mandy followed him to the cab. He held the door open and gestured for her to get in. With two big guys already scrunched inside, there was barely enough room for A.J. Marc’s glare almost had her backing out of lunch altogether.

“Sometime today, Mand,” Marc bit out.

She climbed up. A.J. shut the door and his muscled body nestled next to hers, nudging her against Larry.

Because they were crammed like sardines in a can, A.J.

stretched out his arm behind her back.

“See? Little thing like you can fit anywhere,” A.J.

smiled.

“Thanks for making room.”

“You’re one of us now.” A.J. patted her shoulder.

“Where we go, you go. Right, boss?”

“Uh, right.” As soon as Marc started the car, Aerosmith blared from all four speakers. Mandy didn’t miss the teasing smile Marc shot at A.J. as he pulled the truck out onto the street. A truck full of construction workers and she was the only girl? She had a feeling they wouldn’t be dining at Wendy’s.

• • • • •

Five notes off-key, A.J. sang with Steven Tyler as the truck rumbled along. He was the kind of guy who did what he wanted, and Mandy liked that.

“So you work construction because
American Idol
turned you away?” she teased.

He grinned, nodded. “You got it.” And he kept singing.

Marc wore his usual scowl. She couldn’t understand why he seemed so miserable. Like her, he’d wanted to work for their dad’s company. Like her, he’d joined a crew right after he’d graduated from high school two years ago. Now, he had his first crew and his first job as foreman. He was currently girlfriendless, maybe that was the problem. But then his girlfriends never stuck around very long because he was such a grouch. Go figure.

Larry was tuned out. His pearly-blue eyes fixed out the front window as if he was hypnotized by the long stretch of road they were driving on.

Once they had driven out of the residential area of Saratoga Springs, Mandy noticed that Marc was driving them to the newer retail section of town. Good, there’d be a lot to choose from to eat. Pizza was her favorite, but she could handle a double bacon cheeseburger right about now, too.
Mmm.
And a nice, frosty chocolate shake. Her stomach let out a cascade of growls right between Sweet Emotion and Rag Doll.

A.J. tapped her. “You hungry?”

“Yeah, I am, actually.”

“I could eat a horse,” Larry said.

Mandy cocked her head. “Just one? I would have thought you could eat two by now.”

Larry’s eyes shifted to hers.

“They have horses on the menu where you’re taking us, Marc?” she asked.

Marc covered a grin by scrubbing his jaw. “Uh, yeah.”

“
Big
horses,” A.J.’s smile wasn’t any less teasing, and Mandy saw her first red flag.

The new strip mall wasn’t even full of retailers yet, but it had one of Mandy’s essentials: a Barnes and Noble Book Store. She often haunted the place late at night when her friends were working or dating. It’d been a while since she’d been there, busy as she had been with the end of senior year. A dry cleaners, a Payless Shoe Store and a couple of boutique dress shops dotted the mall. The rest of the retail spots were still empty. She couldn’t imagine where the guys planned to eat.

Then she saw it over in the far corner. Of course the parking lot surrounding the place was packed. She let out a smirk as Marc searched for an empty spot to park.

Brown, orange and white, the owl with perfectly round, boob-shaped eyes looked at her, mocking. Mandy took a deep breath. Leave it to Marc. No way was she going to appear ruffled.

“I love this place,” she squealed.

Marc snorted and put the truck in park.

“They have the best…” She had to think for a second. She’d heard her guy friends talk about the chicken. “Wings here.”

“The wings aren’t the reason I come here,” Marc chided, getting out. At least his scowl was gone, that was something.

“It’s why I come here,” Mandy piped, sliding out behind A.J. His teeth gleamed at her. “Yup, love those chicken wings,” she said.

“You’ve never eaten here in your life.” After everybody had piled out, Marc pressed the remote and locked the truck.

“I come here with Cam all the time.”

“Right. This is the kinda place a gay guy would love.”

“Cam is not gay.”

“I have a feeling you’ll do just fine here,” A.J.

grinned.

“Yup.” Mandy took a deep breath.

She was smack in the middle of the four guys as they walked to the entrance. Marc probably hadn’t bought the story about her eating there before—with Cam—but she didn’t care. If they were going to play, she’d play right along.

Marc pulled the door open and in typical brotherly fashion, went inside first. The social faux pas didn’t go unnoticed by A.J., who held the door wide open for her.

“Thank you, A.J.”

The place rocked. Between the loud music, sports-blasting TV’s hanging from the ceiling, and bouncing bosoms of the waitresses in their orange shorts and tight tees, Mandy rated the raucous room about a seven on the Richter scale.

A brunette
Hooter
greeted them with a smile.

“Welcome to
Hooters
. Party of five?”

Marc nodded. He looked amazingly chipper now, Mandy mused. The lot of them walked through the restaurant, passing tables packed with loud lunch diners, most of them men. Though she saw a few females, she felt out of place, and when some of the male diners were brazen enough to glance at her chest, she cringed and crossed her arms.

The
Hooters
’ hostess sat them at a center table.

Super
, Mandy thought,
nothing
like being in the spotlight
.

A.J. pulled out a chair for her and she sat. “Thanks, A.J.

Wow. Nothing distracts you from being a gentleman, does it? That’s nice.”

Because Boston had taken the seat to her left, Larry sat on her right and A.J. sat across from her, next to Marc.

“I grew up with four sisters.” A.J. grinned.

“That explains it.” Mandy opened her menu. She scanned the options, but she didn’t miss Marc elbowing A.J. and pointing to a
Hooters
hottie working a few tables over.

Mandy stole a look. Tiny, blonde and bouncy, the woman was the typical bombshell that always caught her brother’s eye. To her left, Boston focused intensely on the menu. He’d taken off his hat, probably right after they’d walked in, and now his deep chocolate-colored hair was matted against his head in the shape of a cap, the ends curled out and up.

“So, what’s good here?” she asked him.

His onyx eyes slid to hers. “I thought you said you’ve eaten here.”

His voice traveled through her on a slow wave.

He’d said his name earlier when they’d first met, but that hadn’t been enough for her to catch the low melodic cadence.

“Uh, yeah, I have. You just looked so…well, like you’re really making a big decision. I thought you might have some suggestions. Or favorites.”

His expression remained neutral and his gaze went back to the menu. “I like the Chicken Caesar salad.”

Then he closed the menu and set it aside. Chicken Caesar salad was bland for her liking, and Mandy settled on something hot and satisfying.

Mandy found the scene telling. A.J., Marc and Larry sat sprawled in their chairs, watching the waitresses come and go. Boston, on the other hand, sat upright, his serious face forward, his gaze straight ahead and undistracted more like he was seated in a classroom than a restaurant.

Marc was in luck. Blond bombshell wiggled over. “Hi, have you all been to
Hooters
before?”

Everyone said they had.

“What can I get you all to drink to start out with?”

Mandy wasn’t surprised the guys ordered waters and soda. Everyone except Boston who ordered only water.

“I’ll have a chocolate shake,” Mandy said. “And could you add a little bit of roasted peanuts to that, please?”

Boston twirked his head her direction, what looked like amusement played on his face. “What?” Mandy shrugged.

“And for lunch?” The blonde batted her lashes, starting with Marc, who asked her what her favorite menu item was—
Hooters
famous wings—before ordering it. A.J.

wanted the fried chicken plate. Larry asked for a platter of chili fries and Boston ordered the Chicken Caesar salad – dressing on the side.

Mandy didn’t know any guys who liked salad, and stared at him with fascination.

The
Hooters
bombshell cleared her throat.

Mandy looked at her. “Oh, I’ll have a bacon double cheeseburger, fries and coleslaw.”

Boston’s dark eyes swept her with a quick look of disbelief. “Hey,” she said, noticing the look, “some of us like to eat real food.”

The waitress snapped the order on a cable overhead that ran directly to the kitchen, gave it quick tug, and sent it sliding off before she wiggled on her way.

“You really going to eat that, a little thing like you?”

A.J. asked.

Mandy noticed the scowl was back on Marc’s face.

“She’s always eaten like a pig.”

“Marc.” Mandy made sure her tone whipped.

“It’s true.” The glimmer of teasing in her brother’s eyes didn’t bother her, at least he wasn’t scowling. “Ever since we were kids, she’s packed it away like a cow. We have to bring her in every night so she stops grazing.”

“I like a woman who appreciates a meal.” A.J.’s nod was approving. “Too many think they have to eat to impress the men they’re with.”

“She’s still a kid.” Marc’s gaze was now fastened on another waitress. “It’ll catch up with her soon enough.

Check it out. Nice.”

Mandy didn’t like that Marc refused to see her as an adult. One sweep around at the guys’ faces, and she hoped they didn’t all think that way. “I’m not the one with love handles.”

The guys chided Marc, bringing a blush to his tanned skin. “This is steel under here.” He caressed his abdomen in jest. “Pure, hard steel one hundred percent.”

Mandy grimaced. “Ew, too much information.”

A.J. and Larry laughed. To her left, Boston had a smile on his face, but Mandy couldn’t tell if he was laughing or just pretending. “You’re going to have to get used to hearing it raw.” Marc’s expression was cocky.

“You’re one of the guys now.”

“I can handle it.” Mandy plucked her napkin, opened it and set it on her lap. “It’s nothing I haven’t heard before. I’ve lived with you, haven’t I?”

“She’s a sassy one, isn’t she?” A.J. chuckled.

“More than sassy,” Marc sneered. “Pain in the butt is what she is.” Marc’s head turned. “Wow, check it out.

Baaayybee.
Now that’s the way a woman should be built. Perfect. Mmm, yeah.”

Larry licked his lips. “Sweet.”

Mandy followed Marc, Larry, and A.J.’s gazes to a redhead, shaped like a guitar, serving lunch to a table of hungry men two tables away.

She laughed in spite of herself. Guys were guys and there was just no getting around it. She caught Boston’s determined profile. He didn’t even turn around for a look at the redhead, and she wondered why.

chapter fifteen

Mandy fell back against the couch like a balloon with a puncture. She blew out a breath, closed her eyes, and tried to sort one heart between two men. But her heart was not some field flower and she couldn’t choose one man over the other based on which petal was left.

“Where’d A.J. go?”

She opened her eyes. Cam stood in front of her, minus a drink. “He left.”

“He seems cool. You should go for him, Mand.” Cam sat down, slid his backpack off.

“He is cool. He’s super nice, thoughtful, gentlemanly.”

“Not to mention totally into you. I saw him touching you.” Cam unzipped his backpack but shot wiggling brows her direction.

“You saw? I was afraid of that.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it. It was awesome in fact. Like a scene from one of my books, the way he was looking like he could kiss you no holds barred. Sizzled.”

Heat rose to Mandy’s face. “Stop it.”

“You’re going to sit there and tell me you didn’t like it?”

“No.”

“Good, cause if you did I’d call you a liar. You were begging for it.”

“I wasn’t begging for anything.”

“You were practically in his lap!” Cam pulled out a paperback, opened it.

“Okay, maybe I was leaning.”

“You were definitely leaning.”

“Maybe I wanted it. But we didn’t kiss,
as you saw
.”

“Yeah, I was going to ask you why that didn’t happen? I was, like,” Cam let out a dog-like pant and grinned.

“He asked me if I wanted it and…I did, but I didn’t.”

“Still thinking about Boston?”

Mandy nodded. She stuck her thumb nail between her teeth. “He kissed me today.”

“What?! Wait.” Cam tossed his book aside and pulled his legs up on the couch in a cross-legged position.

“Was this a real kiss or another one of his maneuvers?”

“This was real.”

“Listen, I’ve read a lot about this. I know what I’m talking about. This is the classic climax for a triangle. Trust me. Boston is just getting warmed up.”

“You think?”

Cam closed his eyes and nodded. “Trust me.”

“What do I do about A.J.?”

“Hmm.” Cam rubbed his naked chin. “If only I could grow facial hair, I might look older. Girls might—”

“Cam, please.”

“Right. Who do you like more?”

“That’s the problem. I like them both for different reasons. A.J. is really confident. When I’m with him, I feel like…he just makes me feel like I’m the only woman in the world, and he
wants
me. He totally focuses on me. I feel safe. With Boston, it’s more like I know that he cares, but he’s tentative about where he puts his feelings.

That appeals to me, especially with A.J. being more aggressive. Boston makes
me
want
him
. For the first time in my life, I can’t make up my mind.” Mandy fell back into the cushions on a groan. “Why is this happening to me?”

“Because you’re a woman now, as A.J. so astutely put it. This is the big leagues. You’re out there. Consider yourself lucky.”

But having your heart torn in two was not glamorous, fun, or anything like the world portrayed it. It stunk knowing someone was going to get hurt, that she was going to do the hurting.

Mandy closed her eyes and tried to empty the stifling thoughts, but A.J.’s face meshed with Boston’s and both were lodged in her brain.

The darkness and late hour surrounded Mandy like a foreboding tunnel as she drove home. Her trip to the bookstore had done nothing to ease the confusion she’d carried with her since Boston had kissed her, and had only gotten weightier after the visit with A.J.

At the moment, life stunk.

She tried listening to music, but that only made her edgier so she flicked off the CD player and left her mind open.
Whoever comes into my mind first, that will tell me
where my heart is,
she decided, emptying her thoughts.

Boston.

Like a panther he crossed to her, cupped her cheeks, and took that kiss.

Mandy closed her eyes for a moment.

She opened them and searched for the comfort she expected to feel after the end of the little game, but what was in her mind now was A.J.’s face, his earnest eyes searching hers.

Mandy let out a groan and stuffed her free hand through her hair. She couldn’t wait to get home, take a hot bath and sleep.

The familiarity of her street, of home in the distance soothed, giving a small lift to her mood.

Then she saw Boston’s truck parked in front of her house.

She almost stomped on the brakes but slowed instead. Her heart started to tap in her chest as she pulled up by his truck. She’d just said her goodbyes to A.J., and now here was Boston. She wasn’t sure how her heart would respond. He looked over as she idled next to him.

The expression on his face told her she’d startled him, but it vanished quickly.

After she parked in the driveway, she took deep breaths trying to settle her fierce heart, but it was no use.

The thrumming wouldn’t stop.

She jingled her keys in her hand as she walked down the driveway. The warm summer night was silent with the exception of a chorus of crickets hiding in the bushes.

Boston came her direction, his stride so confident the mere sight of his sleek walk caused her to break out in a sweat.

He stopped close. His brown eyes were fathomless in the darkness, staring like black fire into hers. Her whole body hummed. Why had she even doubted her feelings?

Boston was the one she wanted, it was obvious to her now, and as plain as the beauty on his face.

Mandy waited for him to speak first. She doubted she could say a word anyway. Her heart was a hummingbird in her throat.

“Mandy, can we talk?”

She nodded, turned, but stopped when his hand wrapped around her bicep. “Out here.”

“Okay. You want to sit?”

“I’ve been sitting out here since nine.”

“I…I didn’t know.”

“I’m not blaming you. I just wanted you to know that I’ve been waiting because….” He looked away a moment. “Because I couldn’t do anything else until I talked to you about today.”

“Oh.”

His sharp gaze pierced deep. “I kissed you.”

A long silence followed. Mandy wasn’t sure how to respond. Was he asking? Telling? Affirming? “Yes, you did.”

“It wasn’t like that kiss in Taco Bell.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

He was struggling with this, she could tell by the way he shifted his feet. His hands didn’t hang comfortably at his sides, he kept stuffing and unstuffing them into the front pockets of his khaki shorts.

She titled her head at him. “Why did you kiss me?”

He swallowed. “I was…I’d had it. I was sick of A.J.

coming on to you.”

“Even if he was coming on to me—”

“He was coming onto you.”

“It doesn’t mean anything.”

Boston shook his head. “I saw the way you looked at him.”

Mandy’s cheeks heated. “How did I look at him?”

“Like…I don’t know, you were lit up.”

“A very lame tendency I have.”

“It’s not lame. It’s like A.J. says, it makes you irresistible. Jeez. Now I’m sounding like…”

“Finish that sentence, please.” Mandy took a step in his direction, her chest filling with butterflies.

He stared at her long and deep. “I was jealous.”

The admittance sent the butterflies in Mandy’s chest to her fingers and toes.

“Does that surprise you?” he asked timidly. Thrill robbed Mandy of any words but didn’t keep her from breaking out into laughter.

“You think this is funny?” His voice squeaked as he faced her again.

“No, I’m not laughing at you.” Mandy waved her hand in front of her face as if that would help her stop laughing. “It’s just that…” She took a deep breath “I am kind of surprised. I didn’t think…you cared.”

“Why?”

“I saw how hurt you were and I knew you needed to be strong so your heart could heal.”

He grinned and brought himself another step closer.

“My heart healed the day I saw you glaring at me in Barnes and Noble.” Tentatively he reached out and grazed the side of her face with his fingers. “You are…

irresistible.”

The smile Mandy had held back bloomed on her face. “I like being irresistible.”

“Yeah. It stinks for me, though.”

“Why’s that?”

“The bet’s off.”

“You cared about the bet?”

“Not really.” He put his hands on her shoulders and held her steady. Mandy’s body tingled. She drew her lower lip between her teeth.

“I want both of your lips,” he said.

Mandy waited for the kiss with her heart banging. His brown eyes shifted to her mouth and the next thing she knew, his lips were against hers. She closed her eyes, and slipped her arms up around his neck.

Intoxicated by the elixir of a warm night and everything about him, she wanted to dissolve and lose herself, the heady feeling of his possessive arms wrapped tight around her causing joy to race through her and nearly burst from every pore.

His kisses grew light. He placed one on her upper lip, then he drew back, still holding her. “Mmm.”

“I’ve wanted that since the first day.”

“Since then?” he murmured against her hair.

“I can admit that I’ve had it for you since day one. I could tell you were the strong, silent type. And you were so brooding.”

He eased back, a quirked look on his face.

“
Brooding
?”

“Totally hot.”

Boston’s face twisted into wry amusement. “It still feels like I’m going to let you go and,” one arm fell away from her and gestured, “you’ll be swept off your feet by A.J.”

A.J. was the furthest thing from her mind. “A.J.’s not sweeping me anywhere.”

“The way he acts, sometimes I wonder. You guys went on a date, didn’t you?”

“You
were
listening.”

“I haven’t missed a thing you’ve said, Mandy. Not a thing you’ve done.”

Mandy laughed and eased back, relieved that she’d settled her heart. “Maybe we should go out. Do you date? Or do you just hang at the bookstore?”

“I date.” He kissed her lips. “I’d like that, in fact.”

“How about something
other
than the bookstore?”

“Or construction sites.” He pressed his forehead to hers and let out a sigh. “You’re the last thing I thought I’d find on the job.”

The sunny day reflected Mandy’s mood. As far as the eye could see, the sky was azure blue. White clouds drifted northward on their way to another place. Mandy was glad. No rain, today. The storms had passed.

In the warming air, she sensed another hot day and relished it. She’d dressed for heat, wearing her bathing suit and board shorts to maximize her tan. And she hoped Boston wouldn’t be able to resist her either.

She tingled inside and nibbled on her nail as she stared out the window. One look at her faded nail tips and she pulled out her cell phone, and made an appointment for her next fill. She and Marc were driving to the home office to pick up the guys and she could hardly wait to see Boston. The fact that she’d come to peace with her troubled heart only made seeing him more thrilling.

It was then she noticed Marc’s scowl.

“What’s wrong?” she asked after she finished her call. She slipped her phone back in her pocket.

“Nothing.” He scrubbed his face. He hadn’t shaved, which, Mandy knew from experience, meant that he was in a social slump.

“What? No babes has left Jack a dull boy?”

He snorted. “More than dull. Dead. It’s pretty lame when your sister dates with the regularity of a dog taking a dump, but—”

“What a sick analogy. That is precisely why you aren’t having success, Marc. Your head is in the trash can.”

“Is not.”

“Is too.”

“Oh, so you’re going to sit there and tell me that you’re attracted to A.J. and Boston because they’re both intellects? Their bodies don’t have anything to do with it?”

Mandy swallowed. “They’re both attractive, I won’t lie about that. But it’s not what I focus on.”

“Seems to work well for Larry.”

“But that’s Larry, Marc. You can be better than that.

I think you’re being too high school about this.”

“Is that right?” Marc huffed, shooting her an incredulous look. “After one summer on the job, you’re a pro at men?”

“I’ve snagged two, haven’t I?”

“Jeez. Then it’s true, isn’t it?”

“It’s not like that, Marc. It looks like that, but it’s not.”

“So the bet’s off?”

Mandy couldn’t keep the grin from her face. Marc sighed. “I only gave Boston two days, so I’m busted anyway. My guess is A.J. won the pot.”

“Two days?” Mandy was aghast. “Boston is way stronger than that.”

“I knew by that first kiss at Taco Bell he was a goner.”

“I told you, that wasn’t real.”

“Oh, but since then you’ve had real? It’s so unfair.”

“What’s unfair?”

“How easy it is for you to find someone.”

“It hasn’t been easy, Marc. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve done, juggling two guys at once.”

“You don’t appreciate anything.”

“Yes I do. I care about their feelings. I don’t want to hurt either of them. Unlike you, I don’t think relationships are disposable.”

“Hey, I like disposable. Less complicated that way.”

“Less complicated and less satisfying, that’s why you are where you are.”

Marc sighed. “You always knew what you wanted, even when we were kids. Remember that time you told Dad you wanted a tool set for your birthday? A tool set for crying-out-loud. You were ten!”

Mandy’s face flushed. Her friends had thought she was so strange when she gushed over the sparkling set of Allen wrenches, screwdrivers and hammers all set in a lovely black tool box. “Yeah.”

“I wouldn’t have wanted that. I’d have been too embarrassed.”

“So when you go with Lar to these seedy places, do you really see what you want?”

Marc scratched his scruffy jaw. “I can appreciate a hot babe anywhere.”

“What you’re talking about is temporary, Marc. My guess is you’re sick of that. You want something more now.”

He looked over, grinned. “Just because you’ve succeeded in hooking two of my best guys doesn’t mean you know anything.”