Perfect Risk (Mason Creek #1) - C.A. Harms Page 0,26

on her front porch waiting for him, that guy is gone. I can assure you he regrets what he did, more than he could ever express.”

It felt like a knot had formed in my chest.

“I love you Sadie, truly I do but you need to get over this. Don’t be the idiot that leaves him standing on his porch waiting for you. If you don’t grab onto him someone else is going to snatch him up and they are going to live the life you were meant to live. Then you’ll be the one with regrets.”

What was I doing?

This was a mistake!

I was just about to turn around and walk back to my house when I heard the rattle of the lock on the opposite side of the door.

Damn Anna and her lectures. Making me do things I wouldn’t normally do.

I stood outside Wyatt’s door, drumming my fingers nervously on a bowl of freshly made chili. I was offering some kind of a gesture in the form of food and already regretting my decision. He’d think I was a fool. I am a fool.

“There’s no way Gus did it this time, he’s been sleeping on his bed for the last hour.” Peeking through the small opening in the door, I see that he is using his leg to hold back the oversized dog.

“Haha, wise guy.” Being a smart ass was something Wyatt has definitely perfected.

That’s when he looked at my hands and saw the Rubbermaid container I was holding firmly. “I’ve never had a dog, or pet for that matter, and I may have overreacted a bit.” The words felt sour on my tongue, because I still believed his dog hated me. “This is my apology,” I said, and pushing the bowl out a little closer I waited for him to accept.

“Poisoned?”

“No but if you don’t stop hassling me you may be wearing it to bed.” He chuckled at my words and I internally lectured myself for managing to bite back so quickly. This man intrigued me and frustrated me more than any other person ever has before. I turn into a mess around him, unable to have any sense of control. “What I meant to say,” I took in a slow deep breath and released it equally slow, “was that I made a huge pot of chili. I took some over to my parents’ house so my father could eat good for the next few days. I also kept some for me, and you.”

Wyatt let go of the door, allowing Gus to sneak through and I found myself instantly holding my breath preparing to be trampled.

“You can exhale now.” I found him smirking at me, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning his shoulder to the wall at his side. “He’s not going to attack.”

Nope, he waits until you’re nowhere around before doing that.

This time I managed to keep my thoughts to myself.

“Have you eaten yet?” It took me a minute to realize he’d asked me a question. I was still so focused on the dog currently nudging my leg with his head that my attention span was slightly limited to only that.

“Oh, um, I have mine waiting for me at home, I just wanted to bring yours while it’s still hot.”

“Would you like to join me?” He’d yet to take the container. “Then I’ll know it’s safe to eat.”

“You honestly think I would poison you?”

“The way you’re looking at me right now doesn’t give me the warm and fuzzies.” I may have been offended had he not been wearing the charming grin of his. That grin alone had haunted my dreams lately. Mischievous, maybe a little devious too, but definitely charming and I felt it in every single fiber of my body every time he flashed it. “What do you say Sadie Rose Michaels?” I’m surprised when he said my middle name. “Would you like to come inside and have dinner with me?”

“How did you know my middle name?”

Moving out of the way, so he could open up the space even more for me to enter he ginned wider. But there was something in his eyes, something alluring that made my stomach grow tight and my throat feel dry. “I know more about you than you think.”

I wasn’t sure how I should feel about that.

“I promise Gus will be good.” Again he waited and I looked down at the bowl I was holding. I was a little hesitant but an even bigger part of me wanted to