Alarm bells go off in my head.
To be fair, that’s only like, two of them, because that’s all the alarm bells I have, but both at once is cause for concern.
“Are you fucking with me?” I ask her.
She doesn’t answer.
But a very loud yowl does from behind that closed bedroom door.
I imitate it while I yawn. “Tired. Go away. I need my beauty nap before I go party all night.”
She stares at me.
Then at the door, where four tiny mews carry through the wood.
“Out,” I repeat, pointing to the exit while I stalk across the decorative rug to keep her from opening that door.
She’s no longer smiling. “Tell me you’re not collecting animals for your dad.”
My temper, which generally exists about as much as alarm bells, roars to life like someone stuck it with a hot poker. “Get. The fuck. Out. Of my room.”
She ignores me and marches to the door of my spare bedroom.
I ignore her ignoring me and cut her off, standing between her and the doorknob.
Every last kitten inside that room decides to find their vocal cords at once, which is impressive considering how small they are.
“Theo,” she says.
Just my name.
Like she’s a goddamn teacher and I’m in trouble for bringing a wounded baby chipmunk into the classroom.
Notso I could wait for it to perish and present it to my dad for stuffing like my teacher assumed that day too.
“The only reason I’m not tossing you off my balcony right now is that it would ruin Emma’s day,” I force out through gritted teeth.
“Plus we’re basically at sea level in here, so I’d have a pretty soft landing,” she says. “That would ruinyourday to go to all that effort for a small impact, I’m sure. And I’m no cowering weakling, as you might’ve noticed when I saved you from a fire a few minutes ago. Wouldn’t want me to turn my muscles on you twice in one day, would you?”
Whoisthis woman?
It’s certainly not the Laney from middle school who would’ve informed me that if I didn’t stop bouncing a tennis ball against the wall when we were supposed to be having quiet indoor recess, she would tell the teacher. “You can have the pullout bed. Because it’ll makeEmmahappy. But don’t open that door. If you open that door, I will fucking ruin the rest of your life, no matter what kind of crazymusclesskills you think you have. Stay out of my bedroom too.”
Her blue eyes waver and she takes a half-step back. “I realize this isn’t convenient for either of us,” she says softly, “but I’m confident we can both manage this for Emma’s sake. And you can surely see that it’s unexpected at the least to hear what sounds like a herd of cats in your spare bedroom.”
“I can only sleep if there’s a separate room with a closed door and the nature channel playing on the TV inside.”
She opens her mouth.
Closes it like she’s deciding she doesn’t want to know if that’s the truth.
Sweeps her gaze down my body like she’s just now realizing I’m standing here in nothing but my underwear.
Good news—her personality has once again destroyed any desire my dick might have to pop a boner.
I lean back against the bedroom door. “Sabrina’s two bungalows down. Go stay with her.”
Her gaze snaps up to mine. “No.”
