Ashley closed her eyes then opened them again. “Thank you. Let me grab my laptop and handbag.” She opened the door and leaned inside to collect her belongings.
Josh’s gaze zapped straight to Ashley’s curvy arse and didn’t leave until his sister dug him in the ribs with a pointy elbow.
“Ow!” he muttered.
Nikolai chuckled while Summer sniffed.
Ashley backed out of the car and locked the doors. “Did I miss something?”
“No.” Josh winged a warning glare at Summer.
“Ashley, can you come to dinner one night? Since we’ll be almost related for a while, it’d be lovely to get to know you better.” Summer smiled sweetly, raising suspicion in Josh. “We live in Bottletop Bay, which isn’t far from your place. You can bring Josh if you must.”
Ashley smiled, and Josh stared, mesmerized by her dimples and soft, kissable lips. “Thank you. That sounds like fun. Most of my friends are involved in politics.”
Josh walked beside Ashley and opened the door before stepping aside for her to enter. The back of his neck prickled.
“Nikolai,” he murmured.
“Yeah,” Nikolai agreed with his assessment. “Summer, move it. Please,” he added when Summer sent him a look. He leaned closer. “Someone is watching us.”
“Oh!” Summer lengthened her steps now that she understood the reasons behind Nikolai’s demand.
Josh shut the door once Ashley was inside and rounded the car. He couldn’t see anyone, but someone was there, watching them. He slipped into the SUV, his spidey senses still tingling.
“Anything?” he asked Nikolai while thinking it was good that whoever was watching was at a distance. They’d spot him or her if they were within listening range.
“No.”
“What’s happening?” Ashley asked.
Josh reached for Ashley’s clenched hand and threaded their fingers together. “We think someone was watching us.”
“Me? My stalker?”
Josh tightened his grip until she glanced his way. “We’re uncertain, but that’s the obvious conclusion.”
Ashley’s fingers clenched around his. “I hate this.”
“I know.” Josh discerned the wobble in her voice. He drew her against his side and hugged her, offering comfort. She smelled of delicate flowers with a hint of lemon. He nuzzled her hair, and a fresh spring day popped into his mind. Frog had been right to warn him away from his sister. She was his type. “We will catch whoever is doing this. I promise. I won’t let him hurt you.”
“Is it possible my stalker did something to my car?”
Josh would take a bet on it, although he didn’t verbalize his certainty. “We’ll know once we get your car checked over by a mechanic.”
She nodded, then her fingers tightened on his again. “Do you truly want to enter this craziness with me? Don’t you have someone special in your life?”
“No,” Josh said. Ashley interested him, though and brought out his protectiveness.
“You realize that as the children of farmers, both Josh and I are more likely to vote National.” Summer raised her voice in an annoying sister-kind-of-way.
“Ignore her,” Josh whispered.
“Is she telling the truth?”
Josh hesitated. “Yeah. I’m not a Labor supporter.”
“That’s terrible,” Ashley said.
