One Sexy Ride(10)

Clay confirmed it by bringing the topic up on his own.

“I’m not about to talk about my sex life in front of you, but you really going to pretend like we don’t know what goes where?” Clay chuckled. “I think the first time I asked you a question you deliberately called me, Mitch and Len, and sat us down in a row. And the details flew.”

Keith paused with his shoulders to the exterior door, the lines around his eyes crinkling as he smiled back at his boys. “No use in doing that job more times than I had to.”

“Yeah, maybe. But you know that day? When I asked where did I come from?” Clay folded his arms across his chest, the move making his shoulders look even wider, showcasing the resemblance between him and his father, and all the siblings in the room.

“Yeah?”

Clay chuckled lightly. “Daniel Coleman told me he’d been born at home, and someone else at school said they were born in this big hospital in Calgary. That’s all I was wondering about. Imagine my shock when instead of telling me which hospital you’d taken Mom to, you started talking about erections and safe sex.”

A collective howl went up from the lot of them as their father gave his oldest son an admonishing finger wave then pushed open the door and vanished outside.

The amusement continued for a while, dirt talk and stories ringing out between working on jobs and taking turns to respond to the new customers coming to the front desk. A brief respite from the teasing Len knew would soon be back.

Sure enough, during the next lull, Gage closed in on him. “You know you have to tell me some details about what’s going on, because otherwise Katy will never get off my back.”

“My little sister can interrogate her friend by herself.”

“Not the same.” Gage grinned. “Of course, I’ll also get to hear about all of your downfalls over the next while, so please make sure you don’t screw up too badly. But if I had some juicy tidbits to share with Katy the next time she’s pissed off at the entire male species, that would ease my way.”

“Spill the beans for the good of mankind,” Clay teased. “Or if not for that reason, do it because I’m curious as all hell. You and Janey.” He shook his head.

Len paused. “You don’t think I should be dating her?”

More than one of the guys responded with a rude noise, only Clay was the one who answered. “I think you should’ve started dating her years ago. The last I heard, when she finishes the renovation she’s planning on rejoining her family in Calgary. You haven’t given yourself much time to make this work.”

“Make what work?” Troy asked. “He’s dating her. They’ll fool around a little and have a good time. There’s nothing saying it’s supposed to be a forever thing.”

Strangely, it was Mitch who interrupted. His brother with the who-gives-a-fuck attitude who was now engaged to a cop, of all people. “Don’t be so down on the forever shit. It’s kind of an awesome feeling.”

They’d all gathered in a circle, work tasks forgotten. Len figured this was part of the experience. Getting his brothers on board would only make it easier down the road when Janey left.

Mitch was right, and he was totally wrong. What Len wanted was forever. It’s what he had always wanted with Janey, and what he’d worked so hard to avoid stepping into. Since he knew he couldn’t give the woman everything she deserved, he’d refused to give her anything.

Her leaving…changed things.

Maybe he was being selfish, to take for a little while, but he was human. Janey wanted it, and he was too weak to say no to a temporary touch of heaven.

So he turned to Troy instead and acted the ass. “Exactly. Doesn’t have to be forever, but it’s gonna be a hell of a good time while it lasts.”

Clay’s eyes narrowed.

Len put up a hand before he could say anything. “Don’t.”

Again, it was Mitch and Gage who backed him up, the two of the lot who Len figured would have the most problems with him and Janey being a temporary thing.

“Let Len alone,” Mitch ordered. “This is between them.”

“Except for the usual caveats that if he hurts her I will be obliged to hurt him, because Katy will expect me to.” Gage was almost apologetic, but Len understood.

The last thing he intended was to hurt Janey. Hell, that was the whole reason he’d avoided getting together with her in the first place. That was why every night for the past week he’d left her at the door with a kiss and nothing more.

Actually, he was the one in danger of getting hurt. He kind of thought he’d seen her eyeing the hammer and nails the last time he’d been in her house.

The buzzer by the main door went off as someone stepped from the office into the working garage. The lot of them twisted to see who it was, and laughter hit instantaneously.

Janey plopped her fists on her hips and stared them down, her gaze narrowing. “Gee. I wonder who you were talking about?”

She stuck out her tongue before bounding across the floor in a direct path for Len.

“Good luck,” Gage whispered before he drifted away.

Len would need more than luck to survive much more anticipation.

Janey’s smile grew with each step as the rest of his brothers rushed back to their tasks. “What a sensation of power,” she teased. “I’d hate to actually catch you up to no good, and see how fast you move then.”

Len didn’t pause to think about it. He caught hold of her belt, tugging her close to kiss her. Maybe that’s all they were doing yet—kissing—but hell if he wanted to miss any opportunity.

Like always she cuddled against him willingly as he took her lips, all soft and warm and eager, and far too…inspiring, considering he had another three hours of work still to go.

It was also far too much of a public display of affection for his family as wolf whistles broke loose from all quadrants of the garage.

Janey stepped away from him, both hands shooting into the air with middle fingers raised high. But she smiled good-naturedly.

“What can I do for you?” Len asked.

“You so sure I need something? What if I came to get today’s quota of kisses?” she teased.

He leaned against a workbench, his legs on either side of hers as he kept her close. “If that’s the case, cover your ears and pucker up.”

Janey laughed as she pressed a hand to his chest. “Actually, I do need something. One of you has your welder’s ticket, right? How about gas-fitting?”

Len nodded. “Gage has his A card, and I’ve got apprentice papers. You have something that needs welding?”

She nodded. “I know how to do it, but this is one of those ‘more than a repair job’. I’ll need someone to pull a permit for me, as well.”

That didn’t sound too complicated. “I don’t mind helping you. You want to show me what you’re doing?”

“Would you?” She glanced around the garage. “I don’t want to drag you away from work, but I need it done sooner than later. I can’t finish the final installation on the kitchen cupboards until this is out of the way.”

Len straightened, enjoying the brief moment of their bodies brushing together. “No problem. Let me tell Clay I’ll be gone for the afternoon.”

She hesitated. “I didn’t mean for you to drop everything on a moment’s notice. It can wait until tonight.”

“Not a problem,” Len insisted. He lowered his volume and gave her a wink. “I have no objections to cutting out of work early, especially if it means I get to spend some time with you.”

Her face lit up. “Meet you at the house?”

He nodded. “Let me get the gear in the back of my truck, and I should be there within fifteen.”

It was more like thirty before he had finished the one task Clay needed completed, but then his big brother surprised him and let him go without too much teasing.

The job itself took only a little time. Janey had arranged all of the prep work, and done it well.

Len hesitated before turning the equipment on. Instead of handling it himself, he held out the torch. “Why don’t you do it? I’ll supervise.”

He’d guessed right. Her eyes got brighter as she reached for her safety goggles and got herself into position, sturdy leather gloves protecting her hands as she turned on the torch and made quick work of the connection.

She’d have no problems getting this passed during an inspection. “Nice job.”

Janey finished putting the torch away, laying her safety gear aside before rejoining him. “It’s not my favourite task, but I don’t mind it every now and then.”

“You did great, and I’ll make sure Gage gets you the paperwork.”

Then she was no longer all the way across the room from him, but into his personal space, smiling up suggestively. “I should give you a proper thank-you.”

Warning signals went off. “You don’t have to.”

Her smile faded. She paused for a beat, but it was obvious she wasn’t going to let the topic go. “Len. Is there a reason why you’re avoiding me?”

“I’m not avoiding you.” Not in the strictest sense, he wasn’t.

One of her brows rose slightly. “You did say we were boyfriend and girlfriend, correct?”