Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 122216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“See!” she calls from the entryway. “Hey, are you in here?”
Peeking into the kitchen, she shakes her head. “I didn’t invite you in.”
“Oh?” I shrug innocently. “I thought you did.”
“Just like you thought I was a complete stranger at the hardware store?”
She’s really peeved about that. Did I hurt her? I don’t like the queasy feeling that thought gives me.
“Look, I knew it was you, Angel.” I stride to her, relief blooming inside me when a smug smile crosses her lips.
“I knew it!” She shakes her wreath a little.
“I was just having fun with you.” I reach up and take her knit hat off. “I’d know you anywhere.”
“What?” Her demeanor shifts just a hair, just enough for me to notice, just enough for me to move closer. “We’ve never, um, met.”
“I know.” I lean closer, her lips tempting me to taste her.
“Then how could you know me anywhere?” Her words slow, her gaze dipping to my mouth. She’s dropped the thorny exterior for only a moment. If I kiss her now, I might send her running and erecting every one of her barriers against me again.
“Let me help with that.” I take the wreath and turn toward the door. After I hang it, I turn to her. “Is this right?”
She eyes me, not the wreath. “I don’t know.” Blinking, she shifts her gaze to the door. “Looks great. Can’t even tell one of the cardinals is glued.”
“You do beautiful work.” I smile, and I want to stay. I want to go sit with her by the fire and listen to her tell me all about her favorite Christmas decorations, but coming on too strong could end this before it begins.
Her fingers tangle with each other. “I like to make things. My mom always said I had a weird streak.” Her voice hints at sadness.
“Hey, you’re quirky.” I close the door even though I’m worried I could spook her. “I think it’s awesome. You’re awesome.”
Her eyes light. “Really?”
“Yeah.” I shake my head at her. “Why would you want to be like everyone else when you can be you instead?”
Suspicion enters her eyes. “Why are you being nice to me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because I’m …” She shrugs.
“Because you’re what?” I move closer, needing to be in her space. Her cheeks are pink from the cold, her hair mussed from where I took her hat off, and I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman in all my life.
“I’m sort of … I don’t make friends. I don’t have any. Well, there’s one, but sometimes I think she’s imaginary. And you and I have been neighbors for a while, but we haven’t, you know, been close or anything. There was that time when you came to my door …” Her cheeks blush even more. “And I wasn’t, um …” She coughs. “Wasn’t home.”
I let her get away with that lie. After all, I did destroy her icicle lights.
“You missed out on some choice hot chocolate that day. Too bad you were gone. I suppose I’ll have to make more, extra marshmallows, for tomorrow.”
“You’re serious about sticking to me every day for two weeks?” She crosses her arms over her stomach. “That’s ridiculous.”
“I think it’s fun. You’re fun, Ariadne.”
She seems to be trying to find a response and coming up empty.
“Look, I know this is new for you. It’s new for me, too. But I want to prove to you that I’m not someone who’s going to hurt you.” I reach out and take her hand in mine. She’s warm and soft. “I want to know everything about you. Bad things, good things, all the things. And I’m going to take advantage of our agreement to get all that information.”
“Devious.” She looks down at our hands. “That’s what you are.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
“By me,” she mumbles.
“But for now, I’m going to head across the street and work on my own yard.” I squeeze her fingers. “I have to keep up appearances.”
“We used all the icicle lights on my place.”
I can’t tell if she’s triumphant or embarrassed, maybe a hint of both.
“I’ll make do.” I let go of her fingers and back to the door. “Be ready for breakfast tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at nine. Is that all right?”
“Nine?” She chews her lip. “Yeah, but can we stay close?”
“Close to home? Sure.” I intend to pick her up and drive her right over to my garage, so this will work perfectly. She has fears and anxiety, probably from whatever happened to her in her past that makes her so suspicious now. I want to soothe her, but I also know pushing her too far, too fast will end in disaster. So, with that in mind, I force myself to open the door and step into the cold night.
She follows and looks up at me, her eyes glinting in the low light. “Well, good night, I guess.”