Love to Hate You (Hope Valley #9) - Jessica Prince Page 0,52

Dani, that instinct had turned into a sick, queasy feeling. “Well, uh, there’s still plenty of food if you want to make yourself a plate. And we’ve got all kinds of drinks—”

“I’m good. But maybe you and I could go somewhere a little more private? You know, just to talk for a bit.” He took a step closer, reaching out and running his fingers down my forearm before wrapping them around my hand and giving it a tug. “Maybe get to know each other a little better?”

“Greg.” I pulled my hand from his and took another step back. “Look, you’re a sweet guy, but I think we’re looking for different things right now. See, I just got divorced. Right now, I need to concentrate on my daughter and building our life here. I’m not looking to start something with another man right now. I’m so sorry.”

That smile fell, taking all the charm with it. His brows slashed down into a deep, unhappy V. “Then what was all that shit at the bar the other night?”

“I’m sorry, but I think you might have gotten the wrong idea.”

“Or maybe you’re just a cock tease.” I rocked back on a foot at the venom in his voice. “I didn’t have the wrong idea. You put it right out there, practically throwin’ it at me.”

I thought back to that night, and could say with absolute certainty, I hadn’t thrown anything at him. “Okay, you know what? I think maybe you should go.”

“Yeah, I’m thinkin’ you’re right.” He looked me up and down, his top lip curling in a nasty sneer. “Waste of fucking time.”

I didn’t bother taking offense. I’d known more than enough men like him in my lifetime. A single blow to their ego, and they lashed out in an extreme and unwarranted way. His insult didn’t even faze me. In fact, all I felt as he stomped through the backyard toward the driveway, was relief.

Until I turned around and noticed the football game had stopped, and almost everyone was now staring in my direction . . . because a seething Micah was storming through the yard, looking like a raging bull as he headed right for me.

Chapter Seventeen

Micah

I finished yanking my shirt back over my head just as I reached her. “Inside. Now,” I ground out, but instead of waiting to see if she’d follow, my hand lashed out and gripped her arm. I all but dragged her up the path and into the house, slamming the back door with so much force the glass inside the frame rattled.

“Micah, what the hell?” Hayden yelped, trying to pull her arm from my grasp, but I held tight as I continued through the kitchen and down the hall.

I knew the layout of this house almost as well as I knew my own. Years of helping Sylvia out, making repairs whenever they were needed, had given me a perfect lay of the land. I knew Sylvia had moved her niece into the master bedroom, so I took the stairs at a clip so fast Hayden practically had to run to keep from tripping as I hauled us up them and down the hall toward her room.

She struggled against my hold, pulling at my hand the entire way, finally wrenching herself free once we cleared the doorway, but it was too late. Slamming the bedroom door closed, I stood between it and her so she had nowhere to run.

Her mouth opened and closed on a sputter before she finally managed to get her words out. “Have you lost your mind?” she shouted. “What the hell was that?”

“What was that?” I asked incredulously. “Are you fuckin’ serious?”

“Yes, I’m fuckin’ serious,” she threw back. “You just dragged me through the yard and into my house, making a scene in front of the whole freaking town for no damn good reason!”

I took a step toward her, planting my hands on my hips. “Oh I had a perfectly good reason for that scene down there, and you know it,” I seethed. “I told you to stay away from that guy, and you didn’t listen!”

“Oh my God,” she said on a bewildered laugh. “So that’s what this is about? You acted like an asshole in front of everyone because you’re jealous?” Her vibrant blue eyes flashed wildly as she threw her arms wide. “You’re unbelievable!”

“And you’re so goddamn stubborn it’s driving me insane,” I barked. With each step I took forward, she took one backward until she slammed into the wall