“We’l talk about it over breakfast. I’l promise to listen to you and you have to promise to listen to me. We’l figure it out.”
If I could have put my hands on my hips, I would have.
“You’re as stubborn as Uncle Tex.”
The smile deepened.
“That means you’re in trouble,” he said.
“I already know that,” I grumbled.
He rol ed completely on top of me, his body pressing into mine, taking my breath away.
“The minute I saw you walk into Fortnum’s, I knew I’d do whatever it took to get you right where you are now. And I’m gonna do whatever it takes to keep you here for as long as both of us get something good out of it.”
I bit my lip. What could I say? He was getting to me.
No, if I was honest, he’d already gotten to me.
I couldn’t let him know it.
“And you think I’m crazy?” I asked.
“Yeah, I do, if you keep pretendin’ you don’t want to be here, you’re definitely crazy and you’re lyin’ to yourself,” He kissed my nose and grinned at me. “Don’t worry, I’m patient.”
Shit.
He got up, twisted me around until I was right in the bed and bent low to kiss my temple.
Then, without waiting for me to come up with an answer (which I was finding difficult) he was gone.
* * * * *
I heard him leave and didn’t sleep. How could I? My mind was a flurry, I was dizzy and Hank wasn’t even in the house. I mental y tugged at my protective shield but I knew it was useless.
Oh wel , whatever. So, I had to factor Hank into my plan.
It wouldn’t be hard, considering I had the feeling that Hank was probably just going to take over the plan and do it his way.
There were worse things, right?
Anyhoo.
I heard a knock on the door while I was burrowing into Hank’s pil ow and I smiled.
He’d come home, way early.
Poor Shamus. Maybe I’d take him out to play Frisbee later. I didn’t know if Shamus actual y played Frisbee but he seemed to be a super-smart dog, he’d learn.
I thought that Hank probably didn’t take his keys because he knew I’d be here.
I got up, found my panties and tugged them on and grabbed his turtleneck off the floor and pul ed that on too.
I left his bedroom and entered another room, a big room that ran the length of the house and had two couches running down the sides, a wood-burning stove sitting on a stone hearth at the end and a television. I walked through the side door, through the kitchen to the front door. Without looking to see who it was, I opened it, a smile stil playing on my mouth.
The minute I saw who was on the threshold, my smile died.
Bil y stood there.