Too Hard to Break (6 page)

“All right. I’m heading home,” Sean said. He shook Hank’s
hand and looked at me again. “Call if you need
anything
.”

“I will. Thanks, Sean.”

“Yeah. Thanks. I really owe you one,” Hank said.

Sean just nodded to each of us and walked to his car. I
stood a few feet away from Hank, watching until Sean’s taillights disappeared
around the bend in the driveway.

For a moment we both just stood where we were, separated by
more than the space between us. My pulse had finally calmed to normal but the
urge to cry hadn’t disappeared. Hank’s body heat warmed my side as he slowly
closed the distance. He didn’t say anything, just put his arms around me gently
until I melted against him. Then the floodgates opened and all the fear came
rushing back like a tidal wave. I burst into tears as he lifted me into his
arms.

“Shh, baby, it’s okay now. That son of a bitch is gone and
he won’t be back if he knows what’s good for him.”

He cradled me against his chest as he walked onto the porch
and somehow got the front door open. Next thing I knew, we were on the sofa. I
tried to move away but he kept me on his lap and held me close.

“Just let it all out. Cry as much as you need to.”

That almost made me laugh but I wasn’t through crying yet. A
few minutes later the waterworks finally dried and I was drained, bone-tired in
a way I’d never felt before. Hank kept his arms around me but didn’t protest
when I straightened to look him in the eye.

“I’m sorry I brought trouble to your doorstep,” I said.

He frowned and huffed out a breath. “You’ve got no reason to
apologize. Declan is an idiot, but he came here on his own. You had no control
over that.”

“If I had moved out by now—”

“No. Don’t even talk like that because it wouldn’t have
mattered. For one thing, he hates my guts. He probably would’ve come around to
start trouble eventually anyway. To be honest, I can’t imagine what he would’ve
done if he caught you living alone somewhere. I really don’t think you moving
is a good idea.”

I sighed and nodded my agreement before laying my head on
his shoulder. “Yeah. Sean said pretty much the same thing.”

“And?”

The hopeful tone of his voice hurt my chest. Why would he
care so much if there was another woman in his life?

“And, if you’re really not sick of me yet I guess I’ll stay
for a bit.”

He chuckled and squeezed me tighter for a second before
placing a kiss on my temple. The urge to lift my head and take a real kiss was
hard to fight, but I did.

“Of course I’m not sick of you, and I never will be. I told
you, Elle, I like taking care of you.”

I smiled up at him but the look in his eyes was very
serious. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

His muscles tightened beneath me and I thought he was just
going to sit up, but then he leaned forward with his gaze still fixed on me.
Panic flooded my system and like a deer in headlights I froze. There was no
doubt he was going to kiss me. His warm lips pressed against the bridge of my
nose first. He gently made his way from one cheek to the other, kissing various
spots. My skin heated beneath his touch and all my earlier doubts and concerns
disappeared. Surely he wouldn’t be doing this if he had another woman. By the
time he made it to my mouth I was squirming in his lap and more than ready to
receive his kiss. Hot lips whispered over mine in a tease that made me moan in
frustration. He chuckled before finally nibbling on my lips.

Then his cell phone rang.

It was early enough to be his job and we both knew it. He
groaned and sat up slowly as I jumped off his lap. I turned away and tried to
catch my breath as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

“This is Hank.”

He glanced at me, then away quickly before standing and
walking from the room without another word. If that wasn’t suspicious, I don’t
know what would be. My chest ached and tears threatened again, but I fought
them down and took a deep breath.

“All righty then. Now what?”

I just didn’t know. But then my stomach growled and I
decided to get the basics out of the way first. I walked back outside to get my
shoes and my purse. He hadn’t returned to the living room by the time I got
back inside, so I dropped them by the sofa and headed for the kitchen.

I’d never cooked for Hank. It hadn’t dawned on me he had
made every single one of our meals since day one until I was standing in his
kitchen looking around as if I’d never seen it before. Maybe that was the
problem? How could I preach about being Miss Independent when I leaned so
heavily on him every day? Well it was time for a change. He probably didn’t
even realize I could cook. And to be honest, I loved to do it. Cooking and
especially baking had always been one of my escapes when I was upset. It had
started when I still lived at home and growing up hadn’t changed it.

I rummaged through his well-stocked refrigerator and pantry,
pleasantly surprised by what he had on hand. I knew his love of cooking was a
blessing but was still shocked the man actually stocked portabella mushrooms
and capers. Within minutes I was chopping vegetables while real butter melted
in a sauce pan just waiting for my input. I no longer cared if I impressed Hank
or not. I was in my element, cooking with ingredients I didn’t usually get to
play with and anticipating the flavors. The kitchen filled with the aroma of
sautéing vegetables and I started cubing the boneless chicken breasts. I was
humming under my breath without a care in the world.

“Damn, it smells good in here.”

I jumped when Hank’s hands landed on my hips and nearly
sliced my thumb. “Damn it, Hank, you almost made me cut myself.”

“Shit. Sorry, baby. You okay?”

I nodded and got back to work but he didn’t move. He leaned
on my shoulder, his cheek almost pressed to mine. It took all of my will to
concentrate on the task at hand as his slight stubble grazed my skin. A shiver
worked up my spine and I cleared my throat.

“This shouldn’t take too long.”

He kissed my cheek and thankfully backed away. “You know,
you didn’t have to start dinner. I’d planned to get on it once I was finished
with my call.”

I stopped cutting and looked up, one brow raised in what I
hoped was a questioning expression. He grinned and crossed his arms over his
chest, leaning back against the refrigerator. I waited another full second to
see if he would answer my unasked question. He just watched me and I finally
looked back down at the raw chicken in my hands.

“Everything okay at work?”

“Yup. I got two projects going but they’re both pretty much
on schedule. One might actually be ahead of schedule, which would be amazing.”

“Well, that’s good.”

“Hell yeah, it is. Once these two are done I’m gonna take
some time off.”

He closed the distance between us again until he was almost
crowding me. I didn’t comment as he moved a strand of hair behind my ear that
had escaped my ponytail.

“Do you have any vacation time coming up at the gym?”

I bit my lip and dumped the rest of the chicken in the pan.
We were on a fiscal year at the gym and I could never remember when our time
rolled over. Megan usually kept it straight and told me when I could miss work
again.

“I don’t know. I was in the hospital a couple of times this
year. I’ll have to check.”

He frowned and paced away from me. I watched his rigid back
as he pulled the refrigerator open with more force than it needed. Bottles
rattled in the door and he took a deep breath before glancing at me over his
shoulder.

“Want a beer?”

“Sure.”

He grabbed two bottles and shut the refrigerator. I stirred
the food as he popped the bottles open and set mine on the counter near me.

“I still can’t believe I didn’t realize that bastard was
beating you for so long. I swear, Elle, if I had known—”

“I know, Hank. It’s not your fault. I don’t blame you.”

We’d had this conversation a few times already. He was still
angry at himself for all the times he’d been over at Declan’s and not known I
was hurting.

“I know you don’t, but maybe you should.”

“No way. I got really good at hiding it. Hell, a few times
Megan didn’t even know. I’m probably a born actress. I was even fooling myself
for a while there.”

He took a long pull on his beer and swallowed it down with a
sigh. Then he shook his head and started setting the table for dinner.

Nothing else was said for a few minutes as I finished
cooking. I was more than a little disappointed he hadn’t taken the bait and
told me who had called. He had alluded to it being about work, but at my
prompting. So I was back at square one and still confused. My gut told me he
would never cheat on a woman. My heart swore he wouldn’t have held and kissed
me if there was someone else. But still the slightest doubt nagged me. I hated
it and wanted to ignore it all together. But some things just fester until,
like a sore tooth, they need to be rooted out and dealt with. I wasn’t brave
enough to face his answer by asking him outright. So of course I had to go to
the next best thing. It was time to find out the answers for myself.

Chapter Four

The next afternoon I sat in Megan’s car, sipping a chocolate
shake while she drove Houston’s familiar streets. She’d tried to talk me out of
my plan only once before agreeing to help me. She was my best friend for a
reason.

We both wore dark sunglasses and baseball caps. I didn’t
really think it would help but she had insisted we at least try to be sneaky. I
didn’t see the point. If I spied Hank with another woman I didn’t plan to sneak
off with my tail tucked between my legs. Oh, hell no. I was going to confront
the SOB about last night’s kiss and ask him who the hell he thought he was
playing. At least, that was the plan.

We found Hank’s work site with no problem but his truck
wasn’t there. I sauntered into the construction office as if I had a right and
sweet-talked his foreman into telling me where he’d run off to. The man was
more than happy to give me directions to the other work site. Within five
minutes we were there and I was pissed.

“This can’t be right!”

Megan shrugged and tapped the screen of her GPS as if it had
gone out. It hadn’t.

“This is where he said to go but…it’s just an empty lot,”
she said.

I huffed out a breath of frustration and got out of the car.
I looked around as if Hank’s truck could be hiding in the weeds of the vacant
city lot.

“Well?” she asked over the top of her car. “What do you want
to do?”

I threw up my hands and got back into my seat. She followed
suit and put the car in gear. “I guess we should just get back to work.”

“I told Ben we might run late and he said he’d cover the
counter ’til we get back.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Ben was such a sweetheart. “Yeah
but I don’t want to take advantage of his generosity.”

“Generosity hell, I bought him a hamburger.”

I laughed and shook my head. “I can’t believe the junk he
eats and still stays in such great shape.”

“Says the woman slurping a chocolate shake.”

We both giggled around our straws.

It didn’t take long to get back to the gym and we had only
gone ten minutes over our lunch break. Ben wasn’t angry once we handed him his
food and stayed to bug me while he ate.

“You know, you really should go to the break room with that.
What kind of example are you setting for our members?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes and pulled the bottom of his shirt up to
reveal a perfectly sculpted six-pack. “All they need to see is this and I’ll
tell them about the hours I put in every single day.”

I sighed and shook my head with a laugh. “You really don’t
have a life, do you?”

“Not really. I keep waiting for you to decide to go out with
me so I have something more important to do.”

“Right. Honey, I am so bad for you in so many ways. Besides,
didn’t I hear you took Sean’s sister out when she was in town?”

He frowned and looked away. “Yeah. She went back to New York
though. Long-distance relationships aren’t my thing, you know?”

“Yeah? Well living with one guy and dating another isn’t my
thing. You can do better anyway.”

He tossed his trash and looked back at me intently. I
couldn’t read his expression but it was the most serious I’d ever seen on him.

“Why do you do that?” he asked.

“Do what?”

“Down yourself like that? Why would you say I can do better
when I think you’re pretty great?”

My face heated and I couldn’t hold his gaze. He stood as I
spun to face the counter. His hands landed on either side of mine, his chest
barely touching my back. He was nearly as big as Hank and cocooned me within
his arms just as easily. But where Hank made me feel protected, Ben made me
uncomfortable. I leaned back to push him away but he wouldn’t budge.

“Tell me why, Elle. Tell me why you don’t realize how
perfect you are.”

The breath froze in my lungs and panic crawled up my throat.
I suddenly felt trapped by him and had to get away. “I-I’m not. Ben, move. Move
back
now
.”

He stayed put for another second before finally backing
away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…scare you.”

I forced myself to laugh it off but still didn’t turn to
face him. “I-I’m fine. You just shouldn’t crowd me like that.”

“Sorry.”

He might have said more, might have started asking again for
answers I didn’t want to give. But then Megan returned from her kickboxing
class and I was saved.

“Whew, that one kicked my ass,” she said.

Ben and I both laughed as we took in her sweaty form. She
might complain every now and then but she loved leading the kickboxing class. I
did cycling and couldn’t handle much more.

“Yeah? Anyone hit on you today?” Ben asked.

She grinned and shook her head. “Nope. I think the others
learned their lesson after Sean gave that one guy a talking to.”

“What?” I asked. “What did I miss?”

“Megan had an admirer in one of her classes that kept asking
her out,” Ben said.

“Yeah. I even told the guy I live with my boyfriend and he
wouldn’t listen. He just kept bugging me after every class.”

Ben laughed and Megan rolled her eyes.

“So after one of the classes Sean finally showed up and went
right up to her,” Ben said with a gleam in his eye. “Kissed her right there in
front of everyone and glared at the guy until he left. Then I heard he caught
up with him in the locker room and told him to back off.”

“Oh my god! And Craig didn’t freak?” I asked.

They both laughed and Megan shook her head. “Nope. He was
clapping Sean on the back like they were best friends. Seems he hates that
member, but of course he couldn’t ever tell him anything.”

I laughed and shook my head, just imagining that scene.
Craig was the manager of the gym and our boss. He usually ran a tight ship but
could be counted on at the oddest times. He’d been really good to me every time
I had trouble with Declan.

“Hey that reminds me, though I’m not sure why, when does
vacation time roll over?”

Ben frowned and Megan shrugged.

“I think next month but I can check,” she said.

“Why? You going somewhere?” Ben asked.

I scowled at him since it really wasn’t any of his damn
business, but he held my gaze. “I don’t know,” I finally said. “Hank asked and
I didn’t have the answer. I just figured it wouldn’t hurt to know.”

“Ooh, is he taking you on vacation?” Megan asked.

Ben frowned at her before walking away from the counter
without a word. I watched his back and wondered if I should have a
heart-to-heart talk with him.

“What’s his problem?” Megan asked.

“I dunno. He’s been acting funny but I think he wants to
take me out.”

She laughed and dropped her towel in the hamper.

“Are you kidding? He knows you live with Hank.”

“He does?”

“Hell yeah. Everyone does. It’s not like we could miss his weekly
visits.”

I snorted out a laugh and relaxed. Hank did have a tendency
to drop in at least once a week and glare at every man in the place. Poor Ben
usually disappeared when that happened.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I don’t know what he’s
thinking.”

“You told him no, right?”

I stopped straightening out new member folders to look at
her. “Huh?”

“You told Ben to stop asking you out? You told him you’re
serious about Hank?”

I opened my mouth to answer then had to shut it again. Had
I? I honestly couldn’t remember if I’d actually said those words. “Um…I think
so.”

She rolled her eyes. “Elle, you can’t leave the poor guy
hanging. He’ll be okay. He stopped asking me out immediately after I told him
it wouldn’t work between us last year. He’s really a good guy, you know?”

I nodded even though I’d had my doubts. Of course, I had my
doubts about every male in existence after Declan’s abuse. I knew better than
to think they were all like that, but how would I know the difference?

“I know. I didn’t mean to. I just…I don’t know. The first
time he asked me out I just said it wasn’t a good time for me to be dating. He
must have taken that as a maybe.”

“Yeah, well you really need to get things straightened out
with him and Hank one way or the other. You can’t keep second-guessing
yourself.”

“I know. You’re right.”

She smiled and closed the distance to put her arm around me.
We were close as sisters. Closer than really, since I tried not to talk to my
sister too often.

“Of course I’m right. Just like you were right back when you
helped me out with Sean.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

I sighed and stepped out from beneath her arm. She let me go
but disapproval was clear on her face. “You were just fighting his personal
demons. For me there might be another woman involved.”

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “I think we might
be wrong about that. I’m really sorry I even told you about the restaurant.”

“Oh no, don’t be. I want you to swear you’ll always be
honest with me when it comes to this kind of stuff.”

“Well, of course I will. Just like you better be with me.
All I mean is, I didn’t really see much and maybe I misunderstood what I saw. I
mean, I can’t imagine Hank kissing you one day and then going out with someone
else.”

I shook my head and plopped down in my chair. “No. I can’t
either.”

“So…what are you going to do?”

I shrugged and played with the pencil holder. “Hell if I
know. Just coast for now I guess.”

“And tell Ben to back off?”

“Yes. I’m definitely going to do that.”

“Good,” she said, straightening from where she’d been
leaning on the counter. “Here he comes. Good luck.”

I growled in aggravation as she sauntered away and Ben
arrived.

“What’s up?” he asked.

With a sigh I rolled my eyes heavenward and prayed for
strength and patience.

The conversation was brief and he took it well. We joked
around a few more minutes before his shift ended and it all seemed good between
us. I just hoped I was right about that. Confusion over one man in my life was
more than enough for me.

I had about an hour left on my shift when Hank walked in and
brought a smile to my face. He was carrying a bouquet of yellow roses.

“Hey, beautiful, how’s your day been?” he asked.

He handed me the flowers and I gushed over them a moment
before remembering to answer him. “Better now, handsome. How’s yours?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “It’s hot as hell outside
but I think it’s even hotter in here.”

He made a show of ogling me up and down and I snorted out a
laugh.

“Please tell me that line doesn’t actually work for you.”

He laughed harder and shrugged. “Only if I find a really
drunk lady to try it on. So, you get off soon?”

“Yeah, in just under an hour.”

“Perfect. I have something to show you and then we can go to
dinner.”

I looked down at myself and smirked. “All right, but no
place fancy. I look a mess.”

“You’re perfect.”

Megan walked up before I could protest and gushed over the
roses too. Hank reached across the counter and plucked one out of the bouquet,
flashing me a wink as he handed it to Megan.

“I would have brought you your own but Sean kinda scares
me.”

We all laughed at that but I had to wonder if it were true.

“What are y’all doing for dinner tonight?” Hank asked.

Megan shrugged and snapped off the stem of her rose so she
could tuck it behind one ear. “Don’t know. He’s getting off work the same time
as I am so one of us will probably just pick up some takeout on the way home.
Wanna join us?”

“Nah, I was actually going to ask if you two would join
us
.
There’s something I need to show Elle first, but I’d kinda like you to see it
too.”

Her eyebrows shot up as she looked at me with a question in
her gaze. I just shrugged and sniffed my roses.

“Uh, sure. I’ll just call Sean and tell him to meet us
here.”

“Sounds good,” Hank said.

She moved to the far counter to make the call and Hank took
my free hand between both his palms.

“I hope you don’t mind me inviting them. I think you’ll be
happy they’re there though.”

Dread filled the pit of my stomach until I thought I was
going to be sick. The amusement left his face in a rush and he leaned over the
counter to grab my shoulders.

“Baby, are you okay? You just went pale as a ghost.”

I shrugged and tried to laugh it off but couldn’t even
summon a weak giggle. “Y-yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired I guess.”

He nodded but didn’t’ look as if he remotely believed my
lame excuse. I glanced over at Megan but she was still on the phone with her
back to us. Hank squeezed my shoulders and pulled my attention back to him.

“So, pizza okay for tonight? Not too fancy?”

He grinned and it eased my mind a bit. I smiled back and
nodded. “Yeah, may as well. I’m sure I lost at least a pound in my cycling
class this morning. Better get that put right back on my hips and ass.”

He released me and threw his head back in a full-belly laugh
that pulled a smile from me. I just couldn’t help it.

“Oh yeah, we can’t have that. I like your ass just as it
is,” he said with a wink.

I sighed and my smile weakened. Why did he keep saying
things like that?

“Okay, we’re all set,” Megan said.

She returned to my side and threw an arm around my shoulders
as if she sensed I needed the comfort.

“Perfect. I gotta go make a couple of phone calls. I’ll be
waiting in my truck when you’re ready to go,” Hank said.

He winked at me again before heading out the door and I
watched him go with the dread still firmly in place.

“What the hell just happened?” Megan asked. “When I walked
away you were gaga over your pretty flowers then I turn back around and you
look like your cat just died.”