Hope Falls_Off-Limits Love Read online

  “How was your flight?” Everett asked her. It was a casual, friendly question. But the way his mocha eyes zoned in on her, giving her his full attention, sent a soft shiver through her body.

  “Long. My first plane was delayed, so I missed my connecting flight and had to wait for another one out to Sacramento.”

  “That does make for a long day,” Lucky agreed.

  It was all Georgia could to do to wrestle herself away from Everett’s intense gaze, but she somehow managed.

  “You must be so tired,” Deanna said before she could respond to Lucky.

  “Not gonna lie—I am looking forward to crashing.” Georgia glanced at her watch and realized she needed to adjust the time back three hours.

  “Oh shit. You’re dealing with the time difference too. I forgot all about that,” Eli said. “Don’t worry. We’ll let you get a good night’s rest tonight, but tomorrow night, you’re ours.” He put an arm around her shoulders and tugged her in a friendly way.

  Georgia laughed.

  “Oh no. This could mean trouble,” Lucky said with a grin.

  Eli rubbed his hand up and down her upper arm. “Only the best kind.”

  “Eli, stop manhandling the woman,” Everett snapped. “She just said she’s worn out after a long day.”

  Everyone at the table turned in his direction. Right on cue, Sue Ann appeared to drop off everyone’s food. As the older lady set the plates in front of them, Everett turned his chair around to face the table properly. Georgia had to wonder why his tone had been so brisk with Eli. If she hadn’t known better, she’d have thought it was the green-eyed monster rearing its ugly head, but that couldn’t be. They’d just met. Must have been a sibling rivalry thing.

  “That should be everything. You all set?” Sue Ann’s frazzled gaze swept over the table before she nodded once and hustled back to the other side of the restaurant.

  “She needs to slow down. She’s too old to be racing around like that,” Lucky said, concern in his voice.

  “Oh, leave her alone. I’m sure Sue Ann knows her limits,” Deanna countered.

  They’d all been enjoying their food for a few minutes when Eli returned the conversation to its earlier topic. “Anyway, back to tomorrow night. Deanna, you have to bring Georgia down to JT’s Roadhouse. We’re all going to shoot some pool and drink some beers.”

  Deanna shrugged. “Sounds good to me, but it’s up to Georgia.” Her friend looked over to her expectantly. “What do you think?”

  “Sure thing. Sounds like fun.”

  The fact that they were going out of their way to make her feel comfortable had Georgia relaxing into her seat even more. She’d been a little nervous about interviewing for a job in Hope Falls. Though Deanna had only ever had good things to say about it, Georgia hadn’t been sure if she’d feel as at home as she did in Saltwater Springs. So far, everyone had gone out of their way to make her feel welcome.

  It was still early into her visit, but Georgia could really see herself settling in there.

  CHAPTER TWO

  As soon as she’d arrived back at Deanna and Lucky’s house the night before, Georgia had crashed. Which was why she found herself up at the ass crack of dawn—all thanks to the time change. Once she’d grown bored of trying to figure out how to turn the monstrosity of a TV on, she went to her room to change into her running gear.

  She didn’t want to root through their cupboards, so her early morning run served a dual purpose of fitness and to locate a caffeine source. It was a mild winter day—above the freezing mark, at least—for which she was thankful. Georgia was pretty strict about making sure she got her regular exercise in, but she preferred to do it without the burn of freezing-cold air in her lungs.

  She pulled her gloves on, zipped her coat up all the way, and adjusted her winter headband so it sat below her ponytail and covered her ears. After slipping out the front door, she let it close softly behind her. Georgia would’ve been the worst houseguest on record if she had woken Deanna and Lucky up that early.

  It wasn’t difficult to recall which way they’d come home last night after eating at the diner. Hope Falls wasn’t a giant, thriving metropolis, so she easily made her way back to Main Street.

  As she jogged along, the backdrop of the landscape was difficult not to be caught up in. Mountains rose up in distance as far as the eye could see. They were mostly covered in white snow and evergreen, but the gray rock face peeked through in places. It was picture perfect. Georgia imagined those who’d grown up there probably took the majestic beauty of the region for granted. But, being that she was new in town, she couldn’t stop staring off into the distance as the cold air froze the tip of her nose.

  She was so entranced with the view that she missed the sidewalk veering off to the left, which left her in the path of an oversized planter filled with evergreen foliage. So, of course, she ran right into it, flipping down face first into the planter. While she attempted to push herself up and out, a dull ache set into her knee cap.

  “Are you okay?” came a concerned voice behind her. A voice she recognized, unfortunately. Unfortunate not because of the attractive man it belonged to, but because she looked like a complete and utter moron.

  A set of large hands gripped her upper arms and tugged her back with care until she was standing in a daze, staring up at the pair of brown eyes she hadn’t been able to get out of her head since seeing them for the first time the night before.

  How mortifying.

  “Everett,” was all she managed before he was leading her by the arm to a nearby bench.

  Once she was settled on it, he hunched in front of her, examining her to make sure she was still in one piece. His gaze trailed over her body, and regardless of the amount of winter clothing separating the two of them, Georgia’s skin grew as hot as if she’d just stepped out of a tanning bed.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, I think so. My knee is sore, but I think it was my pride that took the biggest hit.”

  He chuckled a little, and Georgia loved the way it transformed his serious, intent face into a softer version. She didn’t really know him, but it was clear to her that Everett didn’t laugh nearly enough. If she looked up the word intense in Webster’s, she was pretty sure his picture would be there.

  Everett removed his gloves, tossing them on the seat next to her. Her breathing sputtered like a car engine turning over in sub-zero temperatures, as he settled one hand on her calf and the other on her knee. Everett didn’t seem to notice. He bent her leg a few times and moved it around before a small smile formed on his handsome face.

  “You’ll probably end up with an awful bruise.”

  “That’s not so bad,” she said, her voice much too breathy for her own liking. That’s what happens when a super-hot guy has his hands inches from your lady parts.

  “You didn’t hit your head, right?” He ran his thumb along her temple.

  When their gazes caught, Georgia couldn’t bring herself to look away. They stared at each other in the early morning silence, and she swore something passed between them—something that had her breath coming out shallow and every nerve ending in her body tingling in anticipation. Of what, she wasn’t sure.

  Everett broke the connection, clearing his throat and rising to his full height, which had to be a few inches more than six feet. “That was a nasty spill you took.”

  As the awareness of what had led them to that moment seeped back into her consciousness, her cheeks heated. “I’m so embarrassed,” she said, covering her face with her gloved hands.

  He pulled her hands away from her face. “Don’t be. I’m sure it happens all time.”

  She tried to hold a straight face while the corners of his mouth twitched up at the corners several times. At the same time, they both laughed wholeheartedly, Georgia bent over and clutching her stomach. By the time they were done, she was wiping tears from under her eyes.

  “Here. Let me help you up.” He extended his hand forward.
/>   Georgia took the offering. As she stood, she placed most of her weight on her good leg before testing out her other one. It wasn’t so bad. A little tender maybe, but nothing she couldn’t deal with.

  “What has you out here so early? Besides attacking innocent planters?” One corner of Everett’s mouth quirked up, and he raised an eyebrow.

  She smiled. “Couldn’t sleep. I figured I’d do my morning run while I searched for caffeine. You?”

  Some unnamed emotion passed over his eyes—a mixture of sadness and guilt if she’d had to guess. It’d been so quick that she’d almost missed it, but it had definitely been there.

  “Same as you,” he said. “Couldn’t sleep. I drove down from my cabin to pay homage to the caffeine gods too.”

  “So, where’s the best place to get coffee this early in the morning?” she asked.

  He pointed in the direction she’d been heading. “Brewed Awakenings is only a few doors up.”

  “Great. Care to show me the way?” Smooth, Georgia.

  Why did she feel like an awkward adolescent around this man? It wasn’t like they were on a date or anything.

  “Someone has to supervise you. Make sure you don’t attack any more of the unsuspecting streetscape.”

  She giggled as they headed to the coffee shop. Giggled. Like she was a teenager.

  Get a grip.

  After searching for anything to fill the growing silence, she said, “You mentioned a cabin…”

  “Yeah. I’m staying in the bunkhouse on Amanda and Justin’s property at Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures.”

  “Oh. What is it you do?”

  “I help Sam and Luke out with the ski program there.”

  “That must be fun work. You get to spend all day outside, taking in all of this beauty.” Georgia gestured to the mountains surrounding the small town. “Do you enjoy it?”

  Easy on the interrogation, Benson. Maybe she’d been watching too much Law & Order lately.

  “As much as anywhere I suppose.” Everett pointed above the storefront to a cute sign that read Brewed Awakenings. “Here we are.”

  Georgia was unsure what to say next. When the silence stretched for longer than she was comfortable with, she spoke up. “Well, thanks for helping me out.” She gave him a small smile and attempted to step around him. And she almost had, but his hand jutted out and gripped her upper arm.

  “Sorry, Georgia, but you’re not getting rid of me that fast.”

  Damn but she really liked it when he said her name. Which he kind of did—a lot.

  There might have been gloves, a coat, and a shirt separating her bare skin from his touch, but someone needed to tell her brain that because it wasn’t getting the message. Her breathing hitched, and her gaze darted up to meet his. She tried to speak, but she couldn’t.

  “We’ll buy our coffee and I’ll drive you back. I don’t want you getting halfway to Deanna’s and have it hurting so much that you’re limping the rest of the way home.”

  It was extremely thoughtful of him, and she wished she could say exactly that, but her mouth felt as dry as sandpaper and all she could manage was a nod.

  He let his hand fall from her arm and then spun to hold the door open for her. The smell of coffee assaulted her senses as soon as she entered, momentarily allowing her to forget her awkwardness. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes.

  “Honey, I’m home,” she whispered to herself.

  A low chuckle sounded beside her, and when she opened her eyes, Everett’s amused gaze was on her.

  “I see we worship at the same altar.”

  Georgia gave a small laugh of her own. “For as long as I can remember.”

  He smiled at her. A full, no-holds-barred smile that almost left her in a puddle at his feet.

  “Let’s go get you your fix, then,” he said, placing his hand on her lower back and leading her to the counter.

  Georgia attempted to keep her breathing even and not melt into his touch, but she wasn’t sure she managed it all that well.

  While they were there, Everett introduced her to the owners, Vivien and Audrey. They were pleasant and chatted with her for a minute, but Georgia couldn’t miss the way Vivien admired Everett adoringly the entire time. Regardless of her presence, the woman was trying to engage Everett into a flirtation—but he was having none of it. Oh, he was pleasant enough and didn’t ignore her, but he didn’t nibble on the bait she was dangling in front of him, either.

  A few minutes later, they left, coffees in hand.

  “I’m parked over here.” Everett motioned down the street.

  She walked alongside him, sipping her brew, until they came to a black SUV. He opened the passenger’s door for her, and the butterflies in her belly yawned and stretched their arms up as they began to wake.

  This is not a date. Relax. He’s just being a nice guy.

  Georgia mustered up her best casual smile, hoping it didn’t come off as adoring, and took her seat. After, Everett closed the door behind her and strode around the front of the vehicle to the driver’s side, giving her the perfect opportunity to study him unnoticed.

  He hadn’t yet shaved that morning, so dark scruff lined his jaw. But, instead of appearing unruly, it looked sexy as hell and had her wanting to know what it would feel like underneath her hands. He was wearing a winter hat, which made the angular cut of his jaw and cheekbones stand out. His wide shoulders looked even broader underneath his dark coat. Basically, he looked all burly male, and every one of her lady bits had sat up and taken notice.

  As Everett buckled his seatbelt, Georgia realized that being in a small, enclosed space wasn’t going to make it any easier to deny her attraction to him.

  Whatever. She could do this. The ride back to Deanna’s had to be, what? Five minutes tops? She was a grown woman. It wasn’t like she couldn’t control herself.

  “Make sure you ice your knee when you’re back at my cousin’s place,” Everett said as he pulled out onto the road.

  She studied the mountains in the distance as they drove along, again finding it hard to resist the view. It was still quiet in the picturesque town, only a few people milling about.

  “Pretty impressive, right?”

  Georgia’s head swung in Everett’s direction. “Sorry?”

  “The view. When I first moved here, I used to spend hours staring at the scenery.”

  “Oh, yeah.” She looked back out the window. “To be honest, it’s the reason I wasn’t watching where I was running earlier.”

  His low chuckle sounded beside her, and a small smile formed on her lips. A minute later, the SUV drove into Deanna and Lucky’s driveway.

  While damsel in distress wasn’t a role Georgia was comfortable with, she was thankful Everett had been around to help. She adjusted her body to face him in order to tell him that, but he’d done the same and their knees connected. Not her bruised knee, thankfully—though she suspected she wouldn’t have much cared if it had been.

  They both looked on at each other, and a moment passed between them. One full of a small amount of awkwardness and a large amount of sexual tension. Was it getting warm in here? Their gazes held until Everett cleared his throat and faced the steering wheel.

  “I guess I’ll see you tonight at the bar.”

  “I guess so. Thanks again for your help.”

  “Of course. Any friend of Deanna’s is a friend of mine.” His tone was a little clipped, and she schooled her features to pretend that it didn’t bother her.

  “Right. Well, see you.” She opened the door and exited, not glancing back at the vehicle as she hightailed it up to the front door. Not because she didn’t want to sneak one last glance at him. But because she refused to indulge in whatever had her so squirrely around him.

  Georgia needed to nip this in the bud. Not only was there no real possibility of anything happening between the two of them—she had no idea if she’d be in town for the long haul—but more importantly, Everett was Deanna’s cousin. There was no way sh
e was going to chance ruining her friendship to have a fling with him. She knew better than anyone that expecting the ending to be a happy one didn’t mean it was guaranteed.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “Eight ball. Corner pocket,” Everett said as he bent over to make his shot.

  Eli stood off to the side with his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face. “Never going to happen, bro.”

  “You just watch.” He pulled back on the pool cue then pushed forward, hitting the white ball at the perfect angle and with enough force to have the ball roll into the pocket.

  His brother discarded his pool stick on the green felt and then swiped his beer off the table. “Lucky break.”

  Everett chuckled. “Keep telling yourself that.”

  “Anyone care to play a game?” Deanna’s voice rang out across the bar as she strut over to their table, Lucky and Georgia in tow.

  Damn, Georgia looked good with her long blond hair curled and hanging down over her shoulders. She was wearing a fitted pair of dark-blue jeans and a peach sweater that clung to her perfectly sized breasts in a way that made it hard not to notice, but wasn’t so blatantly sexual to seem crass. She had more make-up on than he’d seen her in before and it worked to emphasize her blue eyes.

  “Well?” Deanna asked, her gaze switching between him and Eli.

  “Not a chance, cuz,” Everett said.

  “I already got my ass handed to me by him.” Eli nodded to his brother. “My ego can only stand so much.”

  “Pretty sure you have enough ego to spare,” Lucky chimed in.

  Georgia laughed. “You still hustling people at pool?” she asked Deanna.

  “You know it. I had to teach these boys a thing or two when I first came to town.” She pretended to dust her shoulders off.

  “All right, hustler. Why don’t I go order us all some drinks,” Lucky suggested. Then he kissed the end of Deanna’s nose. “What do you all want?”

  Everyone called out their orders, and he sauntered off to the bar to place the order with his brother, who she knew, owned the place.