Wanted Dead or In Love

Chapter 1

Josh

7 years ago…

I hit the snooze on my alarm clock and groaned when I saw the time. It was way too fucking early to be up. Sighing, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and rested my elbows on my knees. Holy shit, I was tired. I had been working long hours at the garage lately. But this was my life and I liked it. I was meant to work on cars, and no college degree could give me the same satisfaction I got out of being a mechanic. 

We had so many jobs coming in, and today, I was supposed to go check out a few cars for Rusty, my boss. There were a few cars that we were thinking to bring into the shop for restorations, but one in particular that Rusty really wanted to get his hands on. It was a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. But Rusty wanted to be with me when I went to see it, and that wouldn’t be happening for a few more weeks. So, today I was just checking out a few others that were closer.

I grabbed a quick shower and got dressed. If I hurried, I could stop at the bakery and grab some breakfast before my day started. Shutting my apartment door, I grinned as I turned and walked right into my neighbor across the hall. She was beautiful, maybe five foot six with blonde hair and a killer smile. With blue eyes like hers, I wasn’t surprised that she was already taken. Her boyfriend, Carter Roy, was a policeman in town. But I had a feeling it wouldn’t last. And when they broke up, I fully intended to be around to pick up the pieces of her broken heart, along with her panties off my bedroom floor.

“Hey, Madison,” I said, my hand on her hip to steady her. And to get a little feel of what I was missing. “How are you this morning?”

“Good,” she smiled.

“Tell me, are you still seeing Carter?”

“Why do you want to know?” she smiled coyly.

“You know why. When are you going to leave him and run away with me?”

“Like you’d ever run away,” she grinned.

“I don’t know, I might consider it with the right woman.”

She blushed furiously and ducked her head, but the smile on her face was a dead giveaway that I was getting to her.

“Madison,” a deep voice came from downstairs. I sighed and turned to see Carter climbing the stairs. I took a step back and grinned at Carter.

“Hey, Carter. I was just saying hi to Madison.”

“I’m sure you were. Don’t you have a car to fix somewhere?” he said snidely.

“Don’t you have some corduroy to try on?”

He grinned at me and wrapped his arm around Madison’s shoulder, pulling her in closer. “You know what? I think I might do that. Take my lady out for a night on the town in some brown corduroy.” His eyes twinkled. He knew he had me beat. Wearing corduroy or not, he had the girl I wanted. And Madison was a good girl. She was as loyal as they came and she wouldn’t turn her back on Carter over something so silly. In fact, she’d probably get a matching pair of pants just to show how she stood by her man. It pissed me off.

“Well, I have to get to work,” I said, turning and locking my door. Then I grinned at Madison. “And you let me know when you’re tired of Carter. I’ll be glad to take you out and show you a good time.”

“Like she’d ever get tired of me.”

I smirked at him. “Give it a few days. It shouldn’t be too much longer before she catches you staring at another woman’s ass.”

I winked at Madison and walked down the stairs, pushing out the front door of the apartment building. After getting into my truck, I headed for the bakery and went inside for a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich. If I could, I would live off Mary Anne’s food. She made the most delicious food, and as a single guy, I wasn’t going to get that food on my own. 

“Josh, it’s so good to see you,” Mary Anne beamed.

“Good to see you too. Do you have anything new on the menu this morning?”

She smiled, a slight blush flushing her cheeks. “Well, I’ve been working on something really delicious, but it’s a little adventurous.”

“You know I’m always up for a good time.”

“I promise, you’re going to love it.”

“Great, I’ll take a cup of coffee also.”

“Coming right up,” she said cheerily.

The bell rang over the door and I turned to see who entered. I grinned at Jack, who had his arm wrapped around a beautiful brunette. “Jack,” I nodded. “And who is this pretty lady?”

I had known Jack most of my life, and while he was more Eric’s age, I got along with him pretty well, and frequently grabbed a beer with him at The End Zone.

“This is Natalie.”

“Ah, the lovely Natalie,” I grinned. Jack had already told me about Natalie last week when I saw him in the bar. He described her as a rare beauty that he wasn’t sure he deserved. They had been dating for about three weeks from what I understood. “Jack has told me a lot about you.”

“Really?” she blushed. “He hasn’t told me anything about you.”

I leaned in to whisper, but loud enough that Jack could hear. “That’s because all he can think about is you.” I stepped back and grinned. “Not even enough time to talk about your friends, huh, Jack?”

He shook his head and pulled Natalie in closer. “Why would I talk about an ugly guy like you when I could talk about the most beautiful woman in the room?”

“I think you mean the state,” I said, winking at her. I sighed heavily and turned back to grab my order from Mary Anne. “I guess we can’t all be as lucky as Jack.”

“Still trying to steal Carter’s girlfriend?” he asked.

“What can I say? So many beautiful women in town, and they’re already taken.”

“Just not by you,” he pointed out. “I’m guessing that says something about you, not them.”

I spread my arms wide and grinned. “I’m too good looking and they’re all scared to date me.”

“Sure,” he snorted. “We’ll say that’s what the problem is.”

I laughed and nodded to them, turning for the door, holding it open for some ladies that were entering. I shoveled the delicious concoction that Mary Anne made into my mouth and then pulled into the gas station before I headed out of town. As I was pumping gas, I noticed a woman stepping out of her car. Another really hot lady, just walking past me without a second glance. I guess that was my life, to be surrounded by beautiful women, but never be able to keep any for myself.