“Of course not,” I assure him, but the little guy is far too spooked. His tail is up, and his scary paws are out. I crouch down.
The perfect storm boils over.
Cooper sprays.
“No!” I make a grab for him, but Arlo grabs for me, and together, we tumble down the steps out of the way of Cooper, who now stands on the steps looking satisfied and smug. I swear his sharp little teeth pull into a smile.
Arlo gags into the grass while I try to breathe through my mouth. Meanwhile, Cooper just pads his way to the rocker where he waddles up, sits, and settles in for a nap.
I smell awful. My head spins and I sink onto the ground beside a gagging Arlo.
“I can’t believe he sprayed me.”
“Us.” Arlo gags. “Us.”
I blame him. “It’s your fault.”
“How?” he sputters.
“You wouldn’t listen to reason,” I say, still trying to breathe through my mouth.
Just then, Saffron opens the door with a clothespin on her nose and tosses us cans of tomato soup before she slams the door and turns the lock.
“She just locked us out.” I stare at the door incredulously then turn to Arlo. “She just locked us out.”
“With cans of tomato soup,” he grumbles before he breaks into a sneezing fit. “Why did you not get the beast’s scent glands removed? Who has a pet skunk with the scent glands intact?” He crawls toward the cans of soup, dragging them to him.
“He’s never sprayed before.” My heart actually hurts for my little guy, who’s still curled up on the rocking chair. “Our argument must have scared him.”
“It’s your fault.” Arlo shakes his head. Little hairs spill from the bun sitting at the nape of his neck.
“Nope, I refuse to argue further.” I sniff, sighing in relief as the stench dissipates. “I’m already getting used to the smell.”
“Speak for yourself.” Carrying four cans of tomato soup over to his truck, he eyes the interior warily then shakes his head. “How are we supposed to get out of this cold and get the smell off of us?”
“He ruined my clothes.” I pick at my shirt with a frown, seeing little bitty droplets on my sweater. At least it wasn’t a good sweater. It’s old and battered and almost threadbare.
“We need to get out of the cold and take a tomato bath.” Arlo keeps eyeing his truck, his lips turning up in a sneer.
“Does that even work?” I jerk my head at the cans, unconvinced.
“No idea. I have a few more back at the apartment above the garage.” With a growl, he digs his keys out. “I’ll have to air it out.” He turns back to me. “Try not to smudge my seats with the smell.”
Rolling my eyes, I follow him over and hop in the passenger seat, mocking him as I wiggle on said seat. “I’m sure the oil stains act as a barrier.”
He gives me that side-eye I thought only women could perfect. Ignoring me, he starts the engine and peels out of the driveway, jerking me around.
“We should talk.” I slip on my seatbelt as Arlo takes the curves with anger. “Arlo, I had already decided to stay two nights ago when I fell off the couch and onto that Matchbox car.” The one still in my purse that I had to leave at the B&B. It’s safe there, and I’m safe with Arlo.
“It didn’t sound like that earlier.” I can see the flush rising in his face.
“Arlo, listen to me. Okay?” He gives me that side-eye once more, and I press on, “I like you. I like you a lot. Maybe more than I should. I’ve been here four weeks, and I feel like someone has flipped my life upside down. I didn’t plan to end up here, but I believe in destiny and adventure. Sometimes what I logically understand gets confused with how I feel and vice versa.”
We drive over the covered bridge and into town, where so many of the townsfolk are busy setting up their lights.
“Fear sometimes pulls blinders over our eyes so we struggle to see what is right in front of us.” I lick my lips, keeping my voice soft. “Christian and I will never get back together. We were teenagers, Arlo, and in an immature relationship doomed from the start. I knew it then, but I pushed forward.”
I watch as his shoulders relax as he pulls into the little gas station beside his garage and throws the truck in park. I knew we were going to his apartment, but sitting here with the promise of being alone together for a little longer sends a flutter of desire throughout my body.
