Propositioning Her Brother's Best Friend Read online

  “Get in the house, Rachel.” The sudden sharp tone of her brother’s voice made both Rachel and Paul jump.

  Mitch stood in the doorway of their parents’ house. His arms were folded, and his big brother mode was seriously in force.

  “Mitch, when did you get back? You didn’t say you were coming home.” Mitch liked to leave weeks at a time to go out exploring. He would take the barest essentials to survive. Mitch considered it getting in touch with nature, while she considered it boring. Either way she couldn’t stop him from going. If he got bitten by a poisonous snake or eaten by a bear it was going to be his own fault. She’d long gotten tired of worrying about him.

  “Last night.” Mitch glared at Paul.

  “Well, you could have told me.”

  Mitch wasn’t looking at her.

  “I was hoping to surprise you. Now, get in the house like I told you.” Mitch was on the edge, and she saw it. His anger radiated out of him.

  “Look, Mitch—”

  “Now!” He yelled the word, making her jump.

  “Whoa, Mitch, don’t talk to—” Paul stepped between her and her brother.

  “I’ll get to you in a minute.”

  “I’m not a-fucking-fraid of you. Back off, and stop yelling at her.” Paul wouldn’t back down.

  “Paul, leave it be.” She tugged on his arm trying to gain his attention.

  ****

  Paul understood and accepted why Mitch was angry. He saw no use in Mitch shouting at his sister.

  “Are you going to tell me how to talk to my sister?” Mitch asked.

  “No, I’m telling you not to shout at the woman I love.” He saw the surprise flash across his friend’s face. Turning to Rachel, he cupped her cheek and kissed her deeply. He saw no use in hiding his affection. His love for her was pure, and Mitch needed to see that. “I’ll see you at five.”

  She kissed him back and made her way around her brother.

  The door closed behind her leaving him alone with Mitch. They both glared at each other. Neither of them was backing down.

  “I warned you, Paul. Why did you have to wait until I was gone? I knew you cared about her, but you promised to give her time.” The anger didn’t surprise Paul, but the hurt he saw in Mitch’s face did.

  “I didn’t realise I had to wait for you permission to love her. Rachel was never going to be ready in your eyes. She’s twenty-one years old. We’re adults, Mitch. I own my fucking garage, and I’ve got everything going for me. You and I both know I’m good for her. I always have been.”

  “I leave for a couple of weeks and you’re in her pants. I trusted you to keep her safe—” Mitch clearly wasn’t listening to him.

  “And I have kept her safe. For as long as I can remember I’ve kept her safe. I’ve looked out for her, protected her, and been there for her when she needed it most and you were gone.”

  “And when my back is turned you fuck her.” Mitch yelled at him.

  “Don’t, Mitch, don’t you dare say that. It’s not like that for her.” Paul warned Mitch out of respect. If it had been anyone else they would be flat on the floor by now.

  “Why not? It’s what you do. Fuck women and then leave them.”

  “I love Rachel. I always have, and I’m going to marry her.” Paul told him the truth hoping to cool the guy down.

  “You don’t know how to love.”

  Now that hurt.

  “I know how to love you, bastard. You’re my best friend, and you’re only causing a problem because you weren’t here. She’s an adult. Get over it. You’re her brother, not her father.” Paul felt his anger spike. The guy was being intentionally insulting.

  “Rachel can do better than you.” The words were said between gritted teeth. Paul saw the lies in them.

  What was going on?

  Mitch was blowing everything out of proportion.

  “I love her, man. She means everything to me, and you’re not going to stop me from loving her.”

  “You come near her again, and I will kill you, Paul. Now get the fuck off my property.” Mitch for the first time ever turned his back on Paul.

  The door slammed in his face.

  For now he’d let it stand. Mitch needed to cool down before Paul dealt with him, and deal with him he would.

  Chapter Twelve

  Rachel glared at her brother, tears filling her eyes as he berated her on her choice of man.

  “Paul is a guy that uses women. How could you be so stupid as to get involved with him?” He was talking down to her like a child.

  “He’s your best friend. Do you remember that? The guy you’ve relied upon these last few years, or has all that been forgotten to you?”

  “I know who he is. You’ve got some school girl ideal going on inside your head.”

  “No, I’ve not. You’re just as bad as he is with regards to your reputation. The women talk about you just as much as they talk about him. Don’t try to get the whole high and mighty with me, Mitch Kramer. You’re no fucking saint.” She wasn’t going to stand and take his insults. Rachel couldn’t get the image of Paul looking so angry out of her head. Mitch had shut the door in his face as if he wasn’t his best friend. Paul had then calmly walked to his truck, gotten in, and driven away.

  “Not anymore. I knew what he was like, Rachel. He uses women for his own purpose.” Her brother wouldn’t budge. Shaking her head she walked toward the stairs. Paul loved her, and she had faith in his feelings.

  “He loves me, and I’m moving in with him. You can hate and get angry. Fucking hell, you can even trash the house, but that doesn’t stop you being my brother. I love you, Mitch, and I’d hate to lose you over something like this.”

  “You’re moving in with him?” he asked, shocked.

  “Yeah, I’m moving in with him. You better get your anger under control, as otherwise you’re going to lose me. We’ve already lost our parents. Don’t let me lose my brother.” Rachel started off up the stairs. She didn’t want to hear any more of his slanderous insults.

  Today was supposed to be one of the most memorable days of her life. Mitch had just destroyed it.

  “I can’t accept it.”

  She turned to see tears shining in his eyes.

  “Then you’re going to lose me because I’m in love. You’re my big brother, and he’s your friend. Think about that before you do anything insane.”

  Rachel turned away and headed to her room. Her brother was anything but boring.

  ****

  Paul slammed his office door shut cursing loudly. Why was Mitch back? And why was he being a massive pain in the ass? Paul could have broken the news over the phone, telling him how he felt about his sister, breaking it gently. In turn that would have given him time to calm down. Instead Mitch had to see them like that on the front yard.

  Mitch must be on a war path.

  What Paul didn’t understand was why. He wasn’t an awful guy to be dating Mitch’s sister.

  He didn’t have a clue about what to do. On the one hand he loved Mitch. He was the brother he never had, and on the other Rachel was the woman he loved. Paul couldn’t give her up either. He feared giving Rachel an ultimatum and making her pick between him and Mitch.

  It was nuts, insane, and deeply unfair.

  Sitting behind his desk he rested his head in his hands.

  Losing either of them wasn’t an option. He needed to understand why Mitch had changed his mind. Paul expected some ribbing from him, but he’d not expected to be shut out. The Kramers had never shut him out before. Mitch slamming that door hurt him deeply. They’d been best friends for a lifetime, and the fact Mitch had closed him off felt like a punch to the gut.

  He had no idea what to do.

  Smashing glass brought his attention around. Darren wasn’t due in today. Today was for him to check over the cars and organise deliveries for new pieces of equipment.

  “What the fuck?” He growled the words while also storming out of his office. Paul hadn’t left the door un
locked. Sometimes he did, but today he didn’t feel in the mood to be interrupted.

  He raced towards the sound and stopped dead as he saw Mitch cupping a bleeding fist. There was a hole through his shop window.

  “Mitch, what the fuck?” Paul yelled walking toward him. He hadn’t expected Mitch to come searching for him.

  “You son of a bitch, since when have you started locking the shop?” Mitch asked, getting ready to throw a punch. Paul wasn’t in the mood.

  “I’ve been closing it because I didn’t want to have to deal with my pain in the ass friend.” Glancing at the damage, Paul cursed. “You’re going to pay for that.” Paul pointed to the smashed window.

  “Consider it bought for screwing with my little sister.” Mitch didn’t hit him even though his hand was fisted, ready to land a blow.

  Paul had enough of listening to Mitch talking shit about Rachel. Landing a punch to Mitch’s stomach, he didn’t get any satisfaction in the connection of flesh on flesh.

  “I don’t talk about your sister like that. Rachel is worth more than this shit. You of all people should know I bought this shit-hole and made a living for myself in order to take care of Rachel. I’ve been in love with her for a long time, Mitch.” Paul threw his hands up in the air exasperated.

  “You never said anything,” Mitch said, finally talking sense.

  “You decided no one was worthy of Rachel. I’ve been worthy of her for a long time.”

  “You screw everything that walks.”

  Paul shook his head. “Not anymore. I love her, Mitch. I can make her happy.”

  Mitch paused looking at him for several seconds before speaking. “You were only supposed to take care of her.”

  “And I did. I cannot help the fact that I love her. She means everything to me, you know that.” Paul grabbed a clean cloth and handed it to him. Mitch took the cloth from him without snatching. Paul figured he was finally getting through to his friend.

  “She’s told me to deal with it. Either accept you in her life or lose her. We lost our parents, Paul. I don’t want to lose my sister. She’s all I’ve got left.” Mitch forced the words out between clenched teeth.

  “You’ll never lose her. I’m not taking Rachel away. We’re staying here, and we’ll never leave you.” Paul was adamant he wasn’t leaving town or the country. This was his home. His parents lived a couple of miles from the home, and he liked working in the garage. The emotion on Mitch’s face shocked him. Tears shone in his eyes, and Paul figured it had more to do with fear than the cut on his hand.

  “She’s all I’ve got left,” Mitch said.

  Paul opened his arms. “You’ve got me. You’re always gone on your adventure trips, Mitch. Don’t you think it’s about time you let her live? I’m not interested in going away in a tent. You can go, and we’ll always be here when you get back.”

  “She’s growing up, isn’t she?” Mitch asked. All the fight left his friend.

  “Was that you’re main concern, her leaving you?”

  “I’m a horrid brother. I leave for weeks at a time, but she’s still my sister. And I love her. I want the best for her.”

  “I’m the best for her, and deep down you know that. You’ve always known that. I’ve wasted a lot of time. I’m not wasting any more. If you accept me in your life, come back for a coffee, and I’ll take you to get your hand sorted. If not, then go home and do whatever the hell you like. I’m done fighting you.” Paul turned away and went back to his office.

  He wouldn’t argue with Mitch. Paul refused to. Mitch would just have to accept his feelings for Rachel and that he was going to be a permanent fixture in her life.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Rachel hid at the local diner. Her head was down with thoughts running through her head. She kept her tears at bay even though she wanted to sob until there was nothing left. Mitch was the only family she had left. Why did he have to be so difficult?

  Paul wasn’t a bad guy. He had a past, and so did everyone. They were supposed to be friends.

  She thanked the waitress for the coffee and went back to staring out the window. What should she do? The desire to just get up and leave was so strong. She refused to run or to take the easy option. If she needed she’d lock them both in a room and force them to fight it out. That was the only chance of her having a happily ever after.

  “Is this seat taken?” Rachel looked up to see Tracy Hall stood gazing down at her. The other woman wore her signature short, tight skirt and tank top that barely covered her breasts.

  Before she could stop her, Tracy had already taken a seat across from her, invading Rachel’s much needed privacy.

  “Wow, the heat today.” Tracy shook out her bleached blonde hair sending a wave of strong perfume across the table, almost choking Rachel.

  She took a sip of her coffee and burned her throat in the process.

  Rachel smiled at the other woman. She didn’t particularly like Tracy for the obvious reasons, but she didn’t want to cause a scene. Tracy was known for causing a scene. The other woman loved being dramatic. Staring out of the window, Rachel hoped Tracy would just leave everything alone.

  “So, there has been a little rumour flying around about you and a certain hunky mechanic. Between us girls, you’re going to tell me the truth. Are you fucking Paul Ellis?” The maliciousness could not be suppressed in Tracy. Glancing at the fake blonde, Rachel saw the hint of jealousy radiating out of the other woman. Tracy was begging for a fight. Rachel wouldn’t give her the opportunity.

  “I’ve nothing to say,” Rachel said, sipping at her coffee. Her thoughts strayed to Paul and Mitch. They were real problems. Not this woman in front of her.

  She’s trying to get under my skin.

  Tracy fucked my man.

  Paul is all mine. She’s not got a chance again.

  Taking a deep calming breath, Rachel waited for the interrogation to start again. She didn’t have long to wait.

  “Come on, sweetheart. You can tell me.” Anger permeated the air around them.

  “No.” Rachel was firm. She didn’t want to tell this woman about her relationship with Paul.

  “Listen, you little bitch. Paul is mine, you hear me, mine.”

  Okay, Rachel was not expecting an outburst like that. Tracy’s claws had come out.

  “He’s not yours. Paul is never going to be yours. He can’t stand you anymore,” Rachel said. After the outburst from Mitch this morning, Rachel wasn’t ready to deal with Tracy and her attempt at claiming Paul.

  “Who do you think Paul is thinking about when he is screwing you? Hum? He’s thinking about me. You’re nothing but a pathetic little kid compared to me. He wants a woman, Rachel. Paul needs a woman to satisfy his cravings.” Her voice was low, but Rachel detected the anger lurking.

  Rachel would not be threatened by this woman in front of her. Leaning forward, Rachel grabbed jabbed a finger in her face. “Well, when he was fucking the hell out of me last night he wasn’t complaining. You only came up in complaint. He doesn’t want you. Paul loves me.” She pointed at her own chest as she released her anger over this morning. Mitch had put her in a seriously bad mood.

  “Really? Has he fucked you that hard that you can only just walk the next day? How about in front of people? That drives him crazy. Or has he taken you up the ass yet—” Tracy stopped in her rant. Rachel refused to bite at the innuendo in her words. She wished Paul was there right now to wrap his arms around her. Rachel wasn’t shy about anal sex. She’d read plenty of books with it in. After only just losing her vaginal virginity, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to lose her anal virginity as well. “So he hasn’t taken you up the ass, huh? He loves that you know? He loves how tight and hot a woman can get.”

  Rachel stopped listening to the woman’s vile words. Standing up, she threw a bunch of notes on the table and walked out of the diner. There was no way she was going to sit at the table arguing with Paul’s ex.

  “Scare you away, does it?”

  Ra
chel wanted to scream. The bitch had followed her out.

  “Why don’t you fuck off and leave me alone?” She turned to face Tracy. Rachel wasn’t afraid of the other woman. With the argument she had this morning, Rachel was more than ready to smack down on the bitch.

  “Leave my man, and maybe I will. Do you really think you’re woman enough for a man like that?”

  “She’s more than just a woman. She’s my woman, and she’s everything I want.” Rachel jumped as arms surrounded her. Paul pulled her tightly against him. His arms surrounded her with his protection and male heat. Turning her head she was shocked to see Mitch stood by his side.

  “Paul, there is no way that Rachel is your woman,” Tracy said.

  Paul stared off with the cruel woman opposite. Glancing at Mitch she watched him wink at her.

  What?

  What was that all about?

  Had Mitch and Paul made up?

  She was so fucking confused.

  “Rachel is my woman. Stay the hell away from her. Come on, baby, we need to take your brother to the hospital.” Paul steered her in the direction of his truck.

  Once he seated her in the truck, Mitch climbed in beside her. When Paul got behind the wheel, he set off in the direction of the hospital.

  “Are you two friends again?” she asked.

  “We’ve come to an agreement. Paul treats you right, and I don’t kick his ass. That’s the best you’re going to get, honey.” Mitch wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close. Paul squeezed her leg. Her brother and boyfriend were offering her comfort. For that moment, it would do.

  ****

  They both waited for Mitch to get his hand stitched. There was no lasting damage apart from the damage done to his pride. Once Mitch was done they took him back to his home. He promised to give them a call and practically ordered them away from home.

  Paul was happy to have Rachel all to himself. She hadn’t spoken of the incident with Tracy. He sensed it beneath the surface.