A present? A smile broke out over my face. I couldn’t have stopped it from blooming if I’d tried. “Yeah? What is it?”
“Here.” He reached down and handed me a small item. It was rectangular, silver and sleek and…
“Is this an iPod?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“Aren’t these things like, really expensive?”
Adam shrugged, like it was no big deal. “That one’s actually kind of old, but anyway, it doesn’t matterwhatit is,” he said. “What matters is what’sonit.”
I blinked, completely confused. What was he talking about? Adam reached into his hoodie pocket and offered me a small plastic box—brand new earbud-style headphones.
I still had no idea what he was getting at.
At my helpless look, he sighed and shook his head.
“I made you a playlist, Fletcher,” he said, gesturing to the device and headphones gripped in either of my hands. “I gathered all my favorite songs and I put them on this iPod so you could listen to it whenever you’re doing chores or just wanna jam.” He grinned. “So when you listen, you think of me, and know I’m never far from your heart.”
I couldn’t help it. I melted a little.
“Aww, Adam.” Tossing the iPod onto the cushion, I jumped up and went around to the back of the couch to throw my arms around my Alpha.
He hugged me back, his embrace firm and gentle at the same time. “I hope you like it. It’s been a bit of a project, but one I know will be well worth it.” His lips slanting over mine, he kissed me.
I leaned into it, but Adam chuckled and pulled back. “Ah-Ah. I have work to do, and so do you. The trees are dumping crazy amounts of leaves with all this wind. Why don’t you go out and rake for awhile while I work on spreadsheets? And after, we could go grab something nice and greasy? I’ll even buy you a shake.”
“Strawberry?” I perked up.
“Whatever you want, baby,” he replied with a wink. I giggled. Adam lightly patted my ass with one hand, then turned and walked up the stairs, leaving me alone once more.
Time to figure this little device out.
I opened the plastic flaps of the box and got the earbuds out, plugging them into the iPod before tucking them inside my ears. Then I powered on the little music machine and fiddled with the buttons.
Instantly, Britney Spears blared into my ears. A big grin spread across my face as “Hit Me, Baby, One More Time,” played loud and proud.
Tucking the iPod into my jeans pocket, I grabbed my jacket off the coat hook, slipped into my sneakers and went outside.
Adam wasn’t lying. The leaves were crazy! The lawn was a colorful masterpiece, painted in shades of golds and burnt orange. So beautiful, though. Nature was truly beautiful.
I grabbed a rake out of the shed and got to work, even as leaves continued to flit through the air and land on the ground around me. I didn’t mind, though; I just raked and shook my hips to the beat of the music as Enrique Iglesias came on.
In fact, I was so preoccupied with the lawn that I didn’t hear the white Mercedes-Benz pull into the drive, or see the tall, imposing man walking my way until he was right in front of me.
I jumped back, startled, my eyes widening as my heart sank into my chest. The strong jawline. The sharp, aquiline nose. The nut-brown hair, peppered with silver. This was Adam’s father, Mr. Sinclair himself.
He glowered at me, his golden eyes smoldering like embers, but when his mouth moved, no sound came out. Huh? It took a moment for my brain to catch up and realize—duh, the music!
I yanked the earbuds out of my ears. “Um. Hi? I don’t think Adam was expecting company today,” I said, sounding far more meek than I wished to.
Mr. Sinclair looked down his hawkish nose at me, like he was inspecting a specimen under a microscope.
“I’m his father. I don’t need an invitation,” he said, voice clipped. “And who are you?”
My mind blanked out—abort, abort—but my lips somehow found the words anyway: “I’m the new groundskeeper,” I said.
He scoffed. “A groundskeeper? Who employs you?” he demanded. “What company do you work for? Because you look pretty damn unprofessional to me.”
