Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 101466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
I came hard. Twice. His name on my lips both times.
I shook my head, adding some mustard to the bread. I’d take my sandwich and sit outside and enjoy the sun. Listen to—
I stopped, realizing the air was silent. I raced to the front door, flinging it open, and gasped. My wind chimes were gone.
So was the hook.
That bastard had snuck up and taken down my wind chimes while I was busy at work.
I set down the knife and headed out the back door.
This was war.
JESSE
I heard her coming. She was talking to herself, muttering under her breath as she stomped across the backyard. I tipped back in my chair to watch her approach. Her little fists were clenched, and she was furious, her color high and her lips pulled into a frown.
I was sure she thought she looked tough, but she looked sort of…adorable.
She saw me sitting by the fire pit and veered my way.
“Give them back,” she demanded, trying to sound fierce.
“Give what back?”
“My wind chimes. Give them back now.”
“Or?” I asked, wondering what she had planned.
“I’ll report you.”
“To whom?”
“I have no idea. The landlord association. Your boss. Someone.”
“One, my boss won’t care if—and that’s a big if—I took your wind chimes. Second, according to the tenant act, you need my approval to hang ornaments outside, and since you didn’t have my approval, I have the right to remove said ornament.” I paused. “Not that I did.”
“Liar.”
“Maybe a passerby saw your pretty wind chimes and took them.”
“You took them last night. I watched you.”
“Ah, wrong again. Those wind chimes were on my side of the property, and since possession is nine-tenths of the law, they were mine. I was tired of their noise, so I took them down.”
“My God, you make me feel stabby, Thorne.”
“Stabby?” I repeated. I lifted my eyebrows, trying not to grin at her empty threats. I failed.
Big mistake.
When Casey got angry, she had some outstanding tells. The dark pink on her neck and cheeks, for one. Her voice dropped to a sexy growl. It was a total turn-on for me, but I didn’t think this was the right time to mention that little fact. She curled her hands into fists as if she were trying to stop herself from going berserk and hurling herself at me. Recalling how she felt against me, I wouldn’t mind it, except I would need to brace myself for her attack. Launch some counteractions.
Maybe kissing her would distract her. It would certainly distract me.
I blinked when I realized she was talking. Or yelling, more like it.
“…are mine. I want them back.”
“What was that?” I asked.
She leaned over, gripping the back of the chair so hard, her knuckles were white. “You are a bastard. You think you won, Thorne? I can beat you at this game with one hand tied behind my back.”
She was fucking gorgeous, her wrath on display, eyes flashing, death to the thieving landlord of wind chimes written across her face. She made me want to laugh.
But I resisted since that might actually send her over the edge.
“Do your worst, Katharine Casey.”
She straightened, her eyes flashing. “First off, I’m going home and eating my roast beef sandwich. You know, the one you loved so much from the other night? Later, I’ll make dinner and use the rest of the gravy. I had planned on sharing, but I changed my mind. I think I’ll bake some cookies and take them to Cal to say thanks for his efforts. I’ll probably cook another big dinner tomorrow, but this time, I’ll eat it all while I plan my revenge.”
I took a drink. “Does that include the stabby thing?”
She spun on her heel and headed back to her side of the house.
I frowned as I drained my water. The digs about her food were unnecessarily cruel. Especially the gravy. And Cal didn’t deserve cookies. I wondered what she would make tomorrow and if I could wrangle my way back into her good graces by then.
I could give her back the damn wind chimes, but that defeated the purpose.
Besides, I was rather enjoying our tussle.
I’d figure out something else. I was sure of it.
I woke up the next morning, stretching. My last day off. Tomorrow, I started my three-day shift, but I had arranged to go in later. The only good thing about it was the probie wasn’t on this rotation, so Miller could come with me. I was sure, despite our little wind chimes war, Casey would look after Miller for me, but I really didn’t want to ask. I had to admit she was epically sexy when angry. It made me want to stab her—but in a totally different way than she thought.
I chuckled at my own joke.
Whatever she had cooked the night before had smelled so enticing, I’d practically drooled the entire evening. How she managed to get the smell into my house, I had no idea, but it was everywhere, making my mouth water. Later, I smelled the aroma of cookies, and I could only gnash my teeth, knowing she was making good on her threat to make cookies for Cal.