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Chapter One

His doctors had it all wrong: another 190to kill hi to be the death of him

Carter Ariine and began to ratchet the bolt

For the past three weeks, Melanie had been coe to check on hio insane fro to take so hihts, platforlossy lips

Da if anyone asked him

Although no one ever did, mostly because he wouldn’t tell anyone that he’d started noticing a da about Melanie Ann Smith She was off-limits, forever on the list of wohts about A man just didn’t do that with his sister’s best friend

The side door to his garage opened and closed

The sound of her heels had his wrapped around his waist while he tasted her strawberry-flavored lip gloss So he knew, because he’d covertly watched as she coated her pouty lips with the stuff at least a hundred times

He gritted his teeth and thought of stats, of his crew chief balling hi to let his teammate, Jake Henley, permanently race without hi a friendly competition back in September

A total rookiefro wasn’t an option, not anyamble on his health Besides, he’d actually like to settle down and have kids one day

Only he wasn’t sure how soon he wanted to pursue that avenue And he wasn’t sure where he wanted to live or start his classic car restoration business—ss, with his entire fa friends and extended family

That’s why he’d cos cleared his s in perspective Usually

“What are you working on today?” Melanie asked, sidling right up next to hihts She was the wrench in the clear-his-head plans

Her hip bumped his as she leaned over and he dropped the socket wrench Then the bolt fell through the engine and hit the concrete floor withas yesterday,” he muttered and hair the color of sunshine filled his vision, along with the s his senses Damn if she didn’ttoon the beach with a six-pack

“I’ll get it!”

Carter turned to tell her no, got a glimpse of a white bra with cherries on it and buainst the hood of the Jeep Only years of his dad’s ‘don’t-curse-in-the-presence-of-a-woman’ speeches made hi the top of his head

Melanie stared at him, her chocolate brown eyes ith concern, as she held out the socket wrench Across the bridge of her nose was a s of freckles that should’ve ht those little golden dots were sexy Lately, he had been thinking everything about her was sexy

God help him

“Are you okay?” she asked

Taking the tool froet the hint and leave before he did so stupid Like kiss her senseless