With Abandon: With or Without, Book 4

Tara kissed his cheek.
    Matt smiled. Howard had said the same thing, so it must be true.
    “You should see the way he looks at you.” Sighing, she shook her head and pulled away. As she went
    to the back of the garage, she said, “Wish someone would look at me like that.”
    Before Matt could ask how Aubrey looked at him, she opened the door leading to the house. “I’m
    going to go get some water.” She jingled some keys and tossed them at him. “Pop the hood. I’ll be right back.”
    Matt stared at the keys, still grinning. Aubrey loved him? Oh man, he hoped so because he definitely
    loved Aubrey. He turned toward the Mustang and stopped short. For the first time, he really looked at the garage. It was full of tools all neatly arranged on a pegboard along the right wall. On the opposite side of the garage sat two big Craftsman toolboxes, a heavy-duty floor jack, some ramps and a lawn mower. She’d said she had tools, but sheesh.
    The door clicked shut, and footsteps echoed in the garage.
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    With Abandon
    “I thought you were renting this place?”
    “I am. Why?” She adjusted her stolen Falcons cap and took the keys out of his hand on her way out of
    the garage.
    “Where’d you get all these tools?”
    “So, I like tools, sue me.” She opened the car and popped the hood before shutting the car door.
    “Some of them belonged to my grandfather, and others I bought here and there. My sisters and Bree always give me tools or Home Depot gift certificates for birthdays and Christmas.”
    Matt chuckled. Coming to stand at the front of the car, Tara bumped his hip. She handed him a bottle
    and took a long swig of her own.
    Cars weren’t his favorite thing, admittedly, but he was feeling energized after that talk about his mate.
    Matt opened his water and swallowed a drink. The engine was pretty dirty. They were going to get messy.
    Good thing he was on the bike and not in one of the cars. “What’s first?” He took another swig.
    “I don’t know. You’re the one fucking this chicken. I’m just holding its wings.”
    He choked. Water shot out his nose and burned like hell. His eyes watered as he sputtered and gasped.
    Doubling over, he fought for breath. Choking and laughing did not go well together.
    Tara started beating him on the back. “Oh my God. Are you okay?” She grabbed his hands, trying to
    heft them over his head. “Breathe.”
    What did she think he was trying to do? Jerking his hands away, Matt glared at her, or tried to. It
    wasn’t an easy feat while hacking up a lung. Only Tara would say such a thing.
    “Take a drink.”
    Forcing himself to gulp in a deep breath, Matt stood up straight. His coughs slowed, allowing him to
    finally gasp in some air between fits. He could empathize with Jarred’s pain over having such a hellion for a daughter. Matt was torn between hugging her and strangling her. When he stopped coughing, he put his
    hands on his hips and stared at her, trying not to laugh. “What in the heck does that mean?”
    A smirk teased at her lips. “I was just pointing out that you should take the lead because you know
    more than me. I’m still learning. I have to read the repair manuals.”
    “And that was how you chose to say that? Couldn’t you’ve just said ‘It’s up to you, Matt?’ Anyone
    else would’ve said, ‘It’s your decision,’ but noooo…” Matt gave into his laughter, this time without the choking.
    “What? You don’t like my saying?” Tara asked. “I thought it got the point across nicely.”
    “Oh yeah, and it was so eloquent too.”
    She cocked her head and scrunched her face. “Hmmm, now that you mention it, maybe that’s why
    Daddy always got so antsy before the interview portion of the pageants.” Placing one foot in front of the other with one hand by her side and the other on her hip, she straightened her posture and lifted her chin.

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    J.L. Langley
    Matt could just picture her in a ball gown with a sash and a crown. She smiled brilliantly. “World peace and legalized bestiality.”
    “Gross.” Matt laughed harder. “All right, all right, stop, you’re killing me.”
    Tara collapsed out of her pose into laughter. “Okay, no more fucking chickens, I promise.”
    Still cackling, Matt shoved her shoulder. “Stop.”
    “Spoilsport.” Tara braced her hands on the front of the car and looked down at the engine. “Okay,
    let’s do this.”
    Matt set his phone on