I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off.
“Don’t even start, Zane. It’s like youwantto hate her and are looking for every reason under the sun to justify it. She’s not a criminal or a murderer or whatever else you’ve cooked up in your head. She’s just new in town. And if you had a single ounce of gentleman in you, you’d try welcoming her instead of acting like a total jerk.”
I stared at him, surprised. “When did you get so insightful?”
Luke shrugged, then grinned. “Maybe you should go talk to her. Try apologizing.”
I looked toward the house, but she was long gone inside.
“Yeah,” I said with a sigh. “I guess you’re right.” But the words didn’t feel right as they left my mouth.
Truth was, I didn’t buy it—not completely. Luke could call me out all he wanted, but there was something about her that still didn’t sit right with me.
So, yeah, maybe I’d apologize. Maybe I’d even try to play nice.
But I’d be damned if I let my guard down.
Luke cupped his hand to his ear and tilted his head. “I’m sorry, what was that? Did you just say I was right?”
I gave him a playful punch on the shoulder as I walked past. “Don’t get used to it.”
Still, as I climbed the porch steps, all I could think about was how fast she’d wormed her way in. Less than a day, and already they were all on her side. Belle, Red, Luke, Norah…even my own mother. But fuck if I was going to fall for it, too.
Her door slammed just as I stepped into the kitchen.
A heavy, regretful sigh blew past my lips.
I’d already kicked off my boots by the back door, so my socked feet moved quietly over the hardwood as I made my way down the hall. I ran through my apology for the hundredth time, trying to land on something that didn’t sound fake as hell. By the time I stopped in front of her door, my palms were sweating.
I knocked, gentle but loud enough. “Andi?”
A muffled voice answered “come in” through the door. So I did.
“Look, I just wanted to say?—”
I froze.
Holy shit.
She was naked.
For a second, my brain just quit on me as a vision of golden skin and curves and all that dark hair falling down her bare back struck me dumb. My mouth opened, but nothing came out as her head whipped toward me.
“Zane!” she shrieked, diving for the quilt at the foot of the bed and yanking it around her. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I—I knocked!” I stammered, dragging my gaze to the ceiling like that might erase what I’d already seen. “You said come in!”
“I saiddon’t!” she shot back. “Don’t come in, you idiot!”
Shit.
She looked like she wanted to disappear into the floor. I sure as hell wanted to join her. Disappearing, not on the…floor…fuck.
“Oh my God, Zane, just go! Get out!”
“Right. Shit. Sorry!” I backed out fast, nearly tripping over my own feet as I yanked the door shut behind me.
A loud thud slammed against the other side of the door. Whatever she threw, I deserved it. Honestly, I wished ithadhit me. Maybe a good blow to the head would erase the image seared into my brain.
