Boom - Sabrina Stark Page 0,3

made the water feel warm in comparison. "See you in the hall, 'Clara.'"

All modesty forgotten, I jerked back and fumbled for the shower handle. Desperately, I twisted until the icy water stopped running.

I looked outward just in time to see the stranger leaving through the open bathroom doorway. He didn't even bother to shut the door behind him.

Well, that was nice.

Shivering now, I stared after him, wondering what on Earth had just happened. Already, the image of his departure was burned into my brain, and not because he had the tightest ass I'd ever seen.

It was the other thing I'd noticed– the blurry handle of what could only be a gun, poking out from the rear waistband of his jeans.

When I shivered again, this time it wasn't because of the cold.

Still, I tried to look on the bright side. At least he hadn't shot me.

Not yet, anyway.

Chapter 3

Brody

Clara Cooper, my ass.

I'd just realized who she was, and her name wasn't Clara. It was Arden Weathers, my least favorite psycho.

I hadn't seen her in years – six to be exact. But if I had a shit-list from high school, her name would be right at the top.

From inside the bathroom, she was muttering, "Oh, and thanks a million for closing the door."

Was she talking to me?

Not likely. Yeah, I was the only one here, and yeah, it was me who'd left the door open. But judging from her tone, she was talking to herself, as if I couldn’t hear what she was saying.

It was vintage Arden. She'd done that in high school too, back when I'd had the sorry luck to be partnered with her in chemistry.

We weren't friends. And that wasn't going to change any time soon.

I was standing just a few feet away from the bathroom doorway, leaning sideways against the wall. From here, I couldn’t see into the bathroom, but I'd be sure to catch her if she tried to run off without explaining what she was doing here.

I called back, "Hey, you're welcome."

Silence.

I scoffed, "What, you thought I couldn’t hear you?"

More silence.

That was fine by me. I was busy, anyway. On my way out of the bathroom, I'd snagged her cell phone off the counter near the sink.

And why?

It was because I wasn't a dumb-ass, that's why.

The last thing I needed now was for her to start making phone calls, serving up stories to the police – or hell, even to the media – about how I'd accosted her in the shower.

My shower.

My house.

My rules.

It was my hot water, too, and I wasn't sorry for cheating Arden out of the last of it.

Inside the bathroom, the sink's faucet was still running. I couldn't see it, but I could hear it loud and clear, even out here in the hall.

Just to be a dick, I called out, "Oh hey, turn off the sink, will ya?"

I heard a sigh, but nothing else. Probably, she was still hiding out in the shower, as if she wouldn’t need to come out eventually.

But hey, I had all night. And the delay wasn't all bad. It gave me more time with her phone. With one hand, I started scrolling through her texts. I started at the top, where she'd left dozens of messages for someone named Jason.

Her boyfriend?

Maybe.

If so, they were definitely on the outs. Her texts fell into one of three basic categories.

Where are you?

Why aren't you calling me back?

Will you please text me or something?

Some of the messages, the later ones in particular, included a good bit of profanity. All of them reeked of desperation.

The cursing surprised me. In high school, Arden hadn't been the type. Instead, she'd been all prim and proper – well, except for that one time, when she'd cursed up a storm.

And me? I'd been on the receiving end.

As far as her desperation, that surprised me too. I didn't like Arden. Hell, I might even hate her. But I wasn't blind to what I'd seen back in high school and just now in the shower.

A girl like Arden – she wouldn’t need to beg.

At the memory of her silhouette, naked and slippery with suds from her hair, I felt my jeans tighten only a fraction before I remembered who she was.

Arden Fucking Weathers.

No way I'd be tapping that, even if she did beg – which, truth be told, happened to me more than you'd think.

From inside the bathroom, she called out, "Will you please shut the door?"

I didn't move. "Why?"

"Why else? For privacy."

"From me?" I said. "Don't