A smile played on my lips. Maybe he’d be nice today.
I stood up and walked over to the fence separating our yards. “Good morning!” I called up to him.
He looked down at me, but his grumpy face didn’t change. All I got was a curt nod.
Looked like I needed to take a hint. He didn’t want to be friendly, or neighborly, or whatever I wanted to call it, and I’d have to deal.
But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t kill him with kindness.
“Hope you have a good day!” I waved.
He didn’t even look my way.
So he might be a little difficult. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t figure him out, eventually. I had a way. He just hadn’t seen it yet.
CHAPTER THREE
Briggs
Didshe have to be so damn beautiful?
Dammit, she was driving me nuts. From being incredibly annoying to constantly pushing herself into my space, I wanted to run the other way. But on the flip side, I wanted to hold her down and kiss the shit out of her. All of it made me want to punch the fucking wall.
My emotions battled each other, back and forth, curiosity, annoyance, attraction, irritation, swirling all together into one combination powerful enough to make my head explode.
I could’ve at least said good morning to her earlier, but I sat there like a grump instead. She probably wanted nothing to do with me at this point.
Shyla.
Her name rang through my head for the millionth time. She didn’t even know my name, yet I couldn’t stop saying hers.
The day went on and I continued with my usual routine. When dinner time rolled around, I fired up the grill and prepped my steak and veggies, sprinkling them with seasonings. I hadtaken a liking on how to cook different dishes, something my grandmother taught me long ago, along with stretching your dollar. My grandmother was the most frugal woman I’d ever known, her tips always helpful on how to save a few pennies. I missed her so much it hurt. Not to mention seeing her all over this cabin. I hadn’t been able to redecorate her passed years ago and I probably never would. My grandmother made this place into something special, and I wanted to honor her memory with it.
But I also didn’t want to fill it with any more of my hurt than it already had. Which was why I let no one in. Couldn’t get hurt that way, right?
“Looks like we’re both grilling tonight!” Shyla’s voice carried over the wind and I froze. She was around.Again.
I couldn’t keep running into her like this. Soon I wouldn’t be able to say no to her. I could already feel myself turning into putty in the woman’s hands, and I hated it.
Tipping my spatula towards her, I hoped it would be enough interaction for her but no, she strode over to her fence, abandoning her grill. “Making anything good?”
“Steak and veggies.”
“Yummy. I’ve got barbeque chicken and pasta salad. We could combine our dinners into one big feast! I bet it’d be delicious.” Shyla said, her hands on her adorable hips and I almost said yes.
Almost.
“Let me know if you change your mind….wait, I never caught your name.”
That’s because I never gave it.
“Briggs.”
“Okay, cool, nice seeing you again.” She waved and walked back to her grill.
At least, Shyla wasn’t engaging like she did last night. That was a relief. I turned my attention back to grilling my dinner. It didn’t take long to cook my steak rare and my veggies crisp, plating myself some food.
“Once last chance to share! The BBQ chicken is delicious!” Shyla’s voice ran through me like a hit poker of fire. Damn, I spoke too soon. The chokehold this woman put me in again and again.
