Number Neighbors - Emma Hart Page 0,4

no more wrong that what I just did.

I rubbed my arm down my face and went to clean up in the bathroom. I changed my underwear out for clean ones and climbed into bed, then checked my phone.

No text messages.

I guess we really were done until tomorrow.

CHAPTER TWO – HANNAH

Yeehaw, Cowgirl

All I could think was: I’d tiddled my winks.

I’d barely slept all night. I didn’t need an intervention to know why: my brain was berating me for making the decision I had last night.

It was the last time I listened to Immy and Fran, that was for sure.

Why had I done it? I mean, I really did have no idea who was on the other end. I’d be hard-pressed to think it was a teenager, mind you, with a mouth like that.

Teenagers did not dirty talk like that.

At least they hadn’t when I was a teenager.

I wasn’t the kind of person who did that stuff. Now, this wasn’t me being that person who said they weren’t that person just to save face. I had no face to save. I just genuinely, really, honestly wasn’t that kind of person.

If I was, I’d have sexted by now, don’tcha think?

Anyway.

I had to think long and hard about whether or not I’d do it tonight. All I had to do was block his number and it would be over, but I didn’t know if I had the balls to do that.

Honestly, I clenched a little whenever I thought about it.

I was out of sorts this morning which was why I’d almost put my cereal down for Lucifer. Thankfully, I’d stopped that before Lord Sneeze-a-lot managed to get close to my Cheerios, and order was restored shortly after.

Thankfully.

I drained the last of the milk from the bowl down the plughole and put the bowl in the sink when it was all gone. After a quick rinse of my hands, I grabbed my purse and phone from the kitchen counter and headed for the door. Lucifer was sleeping on the couch and I didn’t have the time to get it off, so I left the kitten there.

In all honesty, I’d spent far too long in the shower this morning blathering over what I’d done last night. I’d even argued with the shampoo bottle, mostly because I was, well—

I was probably going the way of Grandma Jen.

Totally insane.

I locked the front door behind me and ran to my car. I was this close to being late, and since it was Saturday and Immy wanted me to keep the store open while she taught her class, I wasn’t sure it would go down too well.

I fumbled with my keys as I tried to get the car fob to unlock it. The metal slipped through my fingers, landing on the driveway with a clatter that seemed to echo down the street.

“Oh, shit!” I hissed, stepping back so I could retrieve them.

“I got it.” The crisp, British accent made me freeze.

One day, I would be able to be normal around Isaac.

“Here.” Isaac grinned as he handed me my keys.

I cleared my throat. “Thanks.”

“In a hurry?” He raised one dark eyebrow.

“Yeah. Spent too long in the shower.” Goddamn it, Hannah, he doesn’t need to know that!

“Work-work or the art store?”

“Art store,” I replied. “Are you finishing now?”

“Nope, just leaving.” He gave me another lopsided grin and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair, then rubbed his stubbled jaw thoughtfully. “Hey, do you still have the kitten?”

Huh. He remembered.

“Yeah. I was gonna take it to a shelter, but I think it’s kind of attached to my sofa.”

He chuckled. “How is it? He? She?”

“I have no idea. It’s just Lucifer to me. It’s fine. Eating like the internet says it should.”

His unfairly sexy grin was still tugged to one side. “Amazing. You live next to a veterinarian, and you’re using Dr. Google.”

My cheeks flushed.

He touched my arm, laughing. “Don’t worry. If you want, I can come over when I’m off in a few days. It’s probably going to need some vaccinations soon.”

Oh. Crap. That was true.

“Sure,” I managed to squeak out. “That would be great.”

“All right. I’ll let you know.” One more grin and he headed for his car. “Have a good day, Hannah.”

He winked.

Lord have mercy on my ovaries.

Between my sexy stranger and my sexy neighbor, they were gonna need some prayers.

I got into my car and pulled out, following Isaac to the end of the road. He turned left while I turned right, and he honked a goodbye before disappearing.

I