"Whatever you're doing, stop." Forgoing all semblance of dignity, I wiggled into my jeans. "Second, I'm not interested in a repeat performance. This was fine and it's over."
"Yeah. Your pussy was adequate at best."
My jeans halfway up my thighs, I stopped to glare at him. "You're an asshole."
"Just following your lead."
Returning to my jeans, I murmured to myself, "I knew I shouldn't do this in my backyard."
"Right, because the entire town is your property."
Not bothering to look away from my button fly, I replied, "Unnecessary."
"Yeah? I'm being unnecessary?" He sat up, leaned against the headboard. The sheets pooled at his hips. "How about you going on a rant about how I'm not allowed any moredick appointmentswith you when I don't recall asking for this one?"
"Oh, so, now I forced you to have sex with me? Really, Jed? After you spent a goddamn hour asking me whether I wanted it, you're the one who didn't?"
His jaw worked as he glared at me. "That's not what I said."
"No, it's not what you said at all. You made a rude little quip about my pussy and then had the good sense to bring up my family owning the entire town." I jammed my feet into my shoes and wished like hell I could find my sweater. "This happened once—"
"Twice," he interrupted.
"—and it's not happening again."
He kicked off the sheets and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Still glaring at me as if he intended to draw blood, he stepped into his jeans and buckled his belt. "Seems like you're having some trouble understanding me, sweetheart. I'm not interested in fucking you again."
"Perfect." I stormed into the hallway and toward the front of the house with JJ right behind me. My sweater lay in the middle of the hardwood floor, a pathetic heap of cashmere and regret. I snatched it up, pulled it over my head. "I expect you'll keep these events private. There's no reason to share this with anyone."
From behind me, he said, "Least of all Annette."
Fuck."As I stated, there's no reason to share this with anyone."
"Agreed."
He stepped around me, fetching his boots from beside the door. At some point in the past few minutes, he'd donned a shirt. A tiny part of me wished he'd left it off. When he tugged the boots on, I asked, "What the fuck are you doing?"
"A real piece of work," he said, laughing to himself. "I'm walking you the fuck home, Brooke."
I dropped my hands to my hips. "I'd rather you not."
"That's tough shit, sweetheart. It's almost four in the fucking morning. The last thing I need is you getting mowed down by a moose. That would really screw up village traffic and I got a big beer delivery coming in from Harpoon this morning."
"All right, Jed," I said as indulgently as I could manage. "You can keep an eye out formoose. You do that."
I flung open the door and stepped into the chilly night air. Early fingers of dawn poked at the horizon. I hugged my arms to my chest as I headed toward home, walking as briskly as I would in Manhattan. People around here didn't understand the sidewalk laws of the city. They favored leisurely strolls in these parts. They'd survive ten minutes in the city.
Behind me, I heard a whistle, a door shutting, and footfalls on the pavement. And also—panting? I glanced over my shoulder and found a dog walking beside Jed. "Where did you get a dog?"
He shoved his hands in his front pockets, shrugged. "She found me."
"Like, right this instant?"
Jed seemed to share a laugh with the dog. I didn't know much about dogs, but she looked like a Labrador or a retriever. One of those big, sturdy dogs who understood commands and herded children when need be.
"About three years ago," he replied. "She showed up behind the tavern."
I stopped to gaze at them as they caught up with me. "You're telling me there was a dog in your house—the whole time?"
