man.”
“Me?” No need to fake incredulity.
“Yes, you. You don’t need to add another guy to your harem.”
“I do not have a harem.”
“Un hunh. Sure, you don’t. Meanwhile, you got two sets of flowers today.”
“I did?” I spun on my stool and saw them sitting in the living room. One was a giant bouquet of roses, bright red and expensive, the other a potted plant in a terra cotta container. “Who are they from?”
“I didn’t look. Kind of assumed it was private.”
I rose and went to the roses first. I had a feeling I knew who they were from. I reached for the envelope tucked between the blooms and managed to scrape myself on a thorn. I sucked the blood from the scratch before pulling out the tiny card.
No message. It just had two letters flourished on it: KD. Kraft Dinner? Kill Death, like in that game Geoff used to play? Kentucky Derby? All kinds of possibilities but only one real answer: Kane D’Argent.
I let the card flutter to the table and thought about dumping the flowers. I really shouldn’t encourage the man, but it seemed a shame to waste such beauty. I moved to the potted plant next, an ugly thing actually, dark green on the stems and leaves, hinting of red and smelling odd.
A strange gift with no card attached.
Knock. Knock.
Winnie squealed. “He’s here.” As she spun with the spoon, sauce spattered down the front of her blouse and her eyes widened. “Oh, shit.”
“Go change,” I offered. “I’ll get the door.”
“I’ll be fast.” She raced for her room while I took my time heading for the entrance. Before I could reach out and grab the handle, Grisou bolted between me and the door, yowling and swiping at me with a paw.
“What the hell, kitty?” I exclaimed as his claws narrowly missed scratching my leg.
He arched his back and growled at the door.
“You’re high, kitty. Go have a nap or something.”
I went to reach again, but he jumped up and hissed, startling me enough I retracted my hand.
The person outside knocked again.
“Just a second!” I hollered. I glared at the cat. “Move,” I mad-whispered.
Grisou craned his head to growl some more at the door and I kind of wanted to add the sign of the cross as I saw frost creeping under the sill and limning the edges. I didn’t know we were dropping into a deep freeze tonight. I’d better make sure I threw some extra wood into the stove.
I should also answer the door, even if I kind of wanted to just leave it closed. But Winnie would kill me if I ruined this thing she had going with… What was his name again?
Before Grisou could act, I darted and quickly opened the door, mentally apologizing as it swept my cat to the side. Rather than attack, my feline sped off into the cottage, probably looking for a snack to calm his crazy catnip high.
A man stood on the porch, or so it appeared if I went by his height and breadth. Lanky rather than thick, wearing a dark peacoat and a brimmed hat, the kind men used to wear back in the day. A rush of cold air swirled around me, chilly enough my lashes frosted.
The man turned around, and for a second, with his bearing and size, I half expected to see Kane. Only the man didn’t come close to matching Kane’s silver fox looks. The only foxish thing about him was his red hair and sly grin. The guy took off his hat and offered me a short bow.
“Evening, beautiful lady.”
A compliment and yet I wanted to wipe myself clean because of how slimy his words felt.
“Hi. Nice to meet you, uh…” My mind blanked on his name.
“Jude.” He held out his hand, and I hesitated at the thought of touching it. Yet if I didn’t shake it, I’d appear extremely rude.
Thrusting out my hand, I grabbed his for a quick pump, and then I snatched it back. Done and done. So fast it probably came off as rude. I didn’t care. Even that brief moment made me want to wipe my hand on my pants. Something about this guy seemed off.
Was it his eyes? They were dark, not brown, not blue. I’d swear they were pure black, in a face so white, he put freshly fallen snow.
Winnie had said he was around forty. He looked it, lines creasing around his eyes and mouth. He might have been attractive if he didn’t have such sharp