LITMIR.BIZ

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this coat would need cleaning, too.

      “Lemme go, I said! Who are you, anyway? Sure in hell couldn’t be a friend of Had’s. She’s buttoned down tighter ’n a nun. Doesn’t even know how to kiss a man, much less spread her legs—”

      Wood grabbed Charlie’s arm and leaned forward, speaking softly in the man’s ear.

      Charlie’s mouth dropped. “Mind your own damned business.” He shoved out at Wood, as if to hit him, but Wood easily sidestepped it, and Charlie tumbled forward, knocking into the table before him, scattering the occupants and sending glasses flying. He scrambled to his feet and launched himself at Wood.

      Hadley cried out. “Stop it!”

      But Wood did something fancy when he caught Charlie, halting the other man in his tracks.

      He tried shrugging off Wood’s grip and failed. “You pushed me!”

      “I should have decked you,” Wood said cuttingly, “instead of letting you fall on your face. You offended your sister-in-law. We’re going now.” He began marching Charlie toward the entrance, weaving around tables and customers without hesitation.

      Hadley had a fleeting thought that Charlie would have been better off tangling with Shane’s temper than Wood’s. She eyed the people from the splintered table, offering a hurried apology as she watched Wood and her brother-in-law progress through the tavern. Wood’s only hesitation was to stop and speak briefly to a blond cocktail waitress who was watching them all with a surprised expression. At the door, Wood looked back, clearly seeking out Hadley, and she hurried after them.

      Outside, Charlie’s attitude subsided considerably and he handed over his keys to Hadley without a quibble, making her wonder just what Wood had said to him. She half expected some comment from Wood when she got behind the wheel of the slightly battered SUV, but he didn’t speak at all except to tell Charlie to shut up when he started complaining about Hadley driving his precious truck.

      Lurching only slightly with the unfamiliar vehicle, she drove out of the parking lot and headed toward Evie and Charlie’s home. When they arrived, Evie came out of the small house, a blanket wrapped tightly around her.

      She took one look at Charlie and her expression went tight. Then she glared at Hadley, as if it were all her fault. “I’ll have to get the truck from you tomorrow,” was all she said before she hustled her husband inside and slammed the door shut.

      Hadley sank back against the side of the SUV. “Well. That went well. I should have just left Charlie alone.” She looked over at Wood. He was eyeing the small house, no particular expression on his face at all. “Why’d you have to go and make him mad like that? He’ll probably try to sue you or something.” It’d be just like Charlie. Always trying to make a quick buck that didn’t involve an honest day’s work.

      Wood spread his fingers, looking at his hand, as if he were wishing he’d punched Charlie just as he’d said. “He’s put the moves on you before?”

      She opened her mouth to deny it. “It was a long time ago,” she dismissed. He and Evie hadn’t been married too long. “And nothing happened, believe me.”

      “How long ago?”

      She glanced nervously at the brick house, but the door was shut tight, the drapes drawn in the windows. “I don’t know. I was sixteen I think. I don’t know why I even admitted it to you. Nobody else knows about it, so I’d appreciate you not saying anything to—”

      “Did he hurt you?” His hand curled.

      “Lord, no. And he didn’t try again.” It was humiliating even recalling the event. “Not that he’d want to. You heard him. He doesn’t find me appealing at all, fortunately.” She raked her fingers through her hair. “You know there’s only one man in town who does find me appealing. And fighting that doesn’t seem to do anything but cause problems. My accident with you. Going out together tonight.” She pulled open the truck door and climbed in again.

      After a moment Wood rounded the vehicle and got in, as well. She started the engine, but didn’t put it into gear. She sighed after a moment. “Would you prefer to drive?”

      “Yes. But I’ll live with the disappointment.”

      She exhaled on a bewildered laugh at his dry assurance. “I don’t understand you at all.”

      “Is your sister happy with him?”

      Under any other circumstances, Hadley would have choked before she’d discuss family business with a stranger. But, even after such a short time, she couldn’t view Wood Tolliver as a stranger.

      If that made her foolish, so be it.

      “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. “She used to be. They were college sweethearts. But Evie doesn’t share much these days. All I know is that she hasn’t seemed happy about a lot of things for a while now.” She shook her head. “Trying to talk to her hasn’t done much good. She’s always busy with the kids, or trying to fix something around that house, or telling me how I should be running Tiff’s. I haven’t seen her smile in a long time, and she has a beautiful smile. Her birthday is next week, and it just seems a sin that she’ll be celebrating another year without that smile on her face. She isn’t even having a party or anything. Says she’s too tired and busy.”

      “Throw one for her. Just lose Charlie’s invitation.”

      “If only.” Hadley finally put the truck into gear. The vehicle rocked and jolted over the rutted drive before she turned onto the smoother, paved road. But Wood had a point. Maybe a surprise for Evie—one where she didn’t have to do a single thing but sit back and enjoy—would be good for her. They could probably use the fellowship hall at her dad’s church. Hadley would have to enlist Charlie’s help in getting Evie there.

      The parking lot outside of the Tipped Barrel was still clogged with cars when they passed. “What did you tell the cocktail waitress when we were leaving?”

      He looked a little surprised that she asked. “How to reach me if Beckett doesn’t pay any damages for tonight’s episode.”

      She gave him a quick look. “Why?”

      “I pushed him,” was all he said.

      She absorbed that as she drove the rest of the way through the quiet town. She made a U-turn on the street to park in front of Tiff’s, and winced a little when one of the wheels bumped up over the curb and then back down again. So much for impressing the man.

      The evening was officially a total bust.

      She turned off the engine and climbed out, joining Wood on the sidewalk. He took her arm as they walked toward the house. Probably because he was afraid she’d fall on her face or something.

      The front door was unlocked, as it always was, and she pushed it open. But Wood didn’t release her arm right away when they entered, and she looked up at him. The porch lights behind him set off auburn glints in his hair. “Something wrong? Other than a genuinely unpleasant evening, I mean?”

      He pushed the door shut until it latched softly. “Don’t go back to the Tipped Barrel,” he said. “The place is a complete dive.” Then he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to hers.

      She went stock-still. Shock, surprise, amazement. All three whisked through her with lightning speed. Then his hands—cool against her skin—cradled her face. Heat, want followed.

      A soft sound rose in her throat and she leaned into him, nothing else existing but the feel of his lips softly caressing hers. “Wood—”

      He broke the kiss with a soft oath. “For the record, Wendell Pierce isn’t the only one to find you appealing.” Then he stepped back from her. “Good night, Hadley.”

      Thank heavens for the wall behind her. It held her up. “Good night, Wood.”

      But he probably hadn’t heard her shaking response. He’d

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