“Can you please untie me?”
“Of course, Calliope.” Wes picks up a knife from the side table. I am zero percent afraid as he approaches and crouches in front of me.
“You drugged me. Again.”
“You tried to break into my cabin. Again.”
I growl, but he smiles and wraps a hand around my ankles, keeping them still while he cuts the zip tie. Then he drops onto his knees and reaches around the chair for my wrists, his torso pressing against my legs. I breathe out at the warm contact.
“I honestly didn’t think you’d take my suggestion to heart.” He frees my wrists with ease and gathers the plastic zip ties from the carpet. “But I really do think you could use some pointers.”
“Forget it. I’m a terrible stalker, and I’m okay with that.” I roll my wrists and narrow my eyes at him.
“Are you really going to be mad at me right now?” Wes remains kneeling in front of me. “It is four-thirty in the morning, and you tried to break in. I was sleeping comfortably in my bed. So was Sir Fluffy.”
“Actually, Ididbreak in.” I’m feeling pretty smug about my breaking and entering, even if I did mess it up as soon as I got inside.
“Oh, sweetheart, I let you. I have about five more locks on that back door that I didn’t use.”
First of all, the way he called me sweetheart warms me from the inside out in a way I’m not proud of. Second, I guess I’mnotgood at breaking and entering.
“Also, I have cameras everywhere, and got an alert as soon as you crossed into my property from the Flemington’s next door.” Wes pats my knee and lets his hand linger there. I cross my arms and attempt to look annoyed. “By the way, they own a ton of guns, so you’re lucky they’re down south for the winter.”
“Jesus.” I pull my hair over my shoulder and cock my head at him.
“Listen,” he says, hand still on my knee. “I hope you know you are safe with me.”
I blink at him. I mean, yeah, I guess I do know that, otherwise this would be a really stupid position for me to be in. I nod.
“And I shouldn’t have encouraged you. You’re putting yourself in unnecessary danger, and as much as I love having you in my cabin, this could’ve turned out very differently if it were someone else.” He looks at me so intently, eyes wide and locked on mine.
“Uh—” I swallow and my chest flutters. “Okay. Yeah.”
“Right. Glad we’ve got that settled.” Wes stands and holds out his hand. “How about a drink? Coffee? Tea? Whiskey?”
“That sounds nice, but I should get home.” I glance at Wes’s large, open hand.
“Why?”
I look up at him. Why, indeed.
“None of those drinks are right for this time of night.” I say lamely, staring back down at his hand for a beat more before placing mine in it. I shouldn’t be here, I shouldn’t be flirting, and I shouldn’t be imagining what things Wes can do with those large hands and thick fingers.
“Of course they are. Any of them. It just depends on what you’re in the mood for. Plus, it’s still dark out, and I don’t think you should be walking through the woods or driving. What if you hit a moose? Or run into one?”
“Then I’d be fucked.” I nod as I’d recently thought that.
“Exactly. Those motherfuckers are terrifying. Fred the mayor is real, you know, and he is enormous. Come on. Sit on the couch. I’ll make tea.”
I’ve officially run out of the strength to fight him—and whatever it is that’s happeningbetween us—so I let him gently pull me up. It feels so lovely that when he slides his hand out of mine I almost whimper.
I settle onto the couch as Wes puts his kettle on the stove to heat water. Sir Fluffy hops up on the couch next to me, sitting exactly on top of Wes’s e-reader.
“Kitty, you totally sold me out.” I scratch Sir Fluffy’s head, and he presses up into my palm.
Wes chuckles from the kitchen. “Let’s go over the plethora of mistakes from tonight, shall we?” Wes pulls out two mugs and drops a tea bag in each one.
“We’re really doing the stalking lessons?”
