He grins. “Get your ass inside, Lizzie. It’s cold.”
“Yes, sir,” I holler, unable to hide my own grin.
I feel his eyes on me as I slowly spin around and move to the back door. I close the heavy door and make sure it’s double locked before leaning back against it and closing my eyes.
Why this man?
I still don’t have it figured out, but he seems to have pushed his way through my defenses without even trying. Not that I have all these walls built around my heart, but a girl is definitely more careful after having her heart broken a few times.
Especially when it comes to someone I work with behind the bar.
Realizing the time, I push all thoughts of Collin as far from my mind as possible and head for the bar. Jani should have just closed down for the night, and since I’m right outside the back entrance to the business, I might as well slip inside and check on her.
Then, I’ll be able to take a quick shower and get ready for bed, where I’m almost certain all thoughts will return to a certain firefighter with a kind heart and the most alluring blue eyes.
It just might be another sleepless night for me…
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
Collin
“Hey, loser!”
I turn around and find my sister walking through the back gate, where I’m currently doing some spring yardwork. “Hey,” I reply, setting the rake against the small fence and turning my attention to her.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, pulling work gloves off my hands and walking the few steps over to where I left a bottle of water.
“I was out and about. Thought I’d drop by and see my favorite brother,” she replies, flashing a quick grin my way.
I roll my eyes. “What do you want?” I ask, knowing it’s something. Not that I care. I’d do anything for my sister—hell, we all would—and she knows it.
“I brought you something,” she says, a playful little smile on her lips as she extends her hand.
“What’s this?” I ask, taking the card and flipping it over. It’s a small four-by-six envelope with my name written across the front with big, fancy letters.
“I don’t know,” she states, looking like she’s about to burst with excitement. “Someone dropped it off for you.”
Without opening it, I look up. “What?”
She shrugs. “I was with a client in my room when someone dropped it off at the front desk for you.” Charli’s a massage therapist at the local salon.
I’m so confused right now. Why the hell would someone drop something off to my sister’s work? “Did she say who it was from?”
“Jenn didn’t recognize the woman, and you know between her and Lila, they know everyone in this town. She said she was young, blond, andbusty.”
I roll my eyes. “Is this a joke?” I ask, not taking my eyes off my sister for a second.
“Of course not!” she bellows with a laugh. “I’m dead serious.”
I glance down at the card and toss it into the brush pile I’ve been working on.
“What the heck? You aren’t even going to open it?” she hollers, reaching down and grabbing the card.
“Nope,” I reply, turning my attention back to cleaning up along the fence line. It catches all the leaves and crap that I don’t get cleaned up before winter hits. Not to mention the sycamore tree in the middle of the yard that drops big leaves and sticks all the damn time. It’s a messy tree, but it’s huge and provides shade for a big part of the yard, so I don’t complain too much.
“Well, I’m gonna,” she states, ripping open the sealed envelope and pulling out the card.
