Chapter Four
Raven watched asMuerto pulled away from the curb.He’s such an insufferable jerk. She stared a long time at the road, well after he’d disappeared from sight. There was something about him that pulled at her, and it was more than his dangerously good looks.The last thing I need is to get involved with another asshole. One was enough for a lifetime.
Raven’s ex-boyfriend, Brent, popped into her mind. She’d met him in Las Vegas about a year and a half before, and she’d fallen hard for him. She’d worked in the coffee shop of one of the big hotels and Brent had been in her section. He and a few buddies were in town for six months working on a large construction project. When he’d gazed at her with his dreamy blue eyes, she’d been immediately smitten. Never in her life had the attraction been that intense, so when he’d asked her to join him for lunch the following day, she readily accepted.
For the next six months, they were practically inseparable, and a week before Brent was to leave, he’d asked her to come with him to Alina. Without thinking, she’d told him yes. She worried about her dad being alone, but then he’d met a lady who liked to drink, party, and barbecue—the three musts for her dad. The fact that she was a well-off widow was an added bonus. So she’d moved to Alina with Brent, eager, happy, and excited to start a new chapter in her life.
She’d fallen in love with the town the minute she saw the sun casting golden rays on the red rock formations. The area had a peaceful, spiritual feel to it, and she’d immediately felt like she had finally found her home after years on the road with her dad. She and Brent had settled into a small bungalow that had a huge yard where she grew vegetables and herbs. Brent traveled about two weeks a month on small construction projects around the state. She’d begun making jewelry while continuing to paint, and their time together was idyllic until she’d answered the door one beautiful, late-spring day.
A woman who’d looked to be in her late twenties had stood on the porch, a small boy on her hip and two small girls next to her. She’d introduced herself as Brent’s wife and told her the children were his. The weeks he’d told Raven he was away working, he was staying with his wife in northern Colorado. The betrayal had ripped out her heart.
In the past few months, she’d begun to heal.I’m doing just fine on my own.
She went to the small mudroom off the kitchen and picked up her watering can, sun hat, and garden gloves. Even though she found Muerto extremely attractive, she hated his “I’m so badass” attitude. Men were good at breaking women’s hearts, but the cocky ones were the worst of all. She’d seen plenty of women throw their lives away on a well-built bad boy. A couple of her waitress friends back in Vegas had done that, and they were left with nothing but tears. Raven was done with tears—she’d spent them all on Brent—and swore that no man would ever hurt her again. Besides, she loved being on her own; she was free to do whatever she wanted.
She opened the back door and walked around to the front where she’d planted a small vegetable garden. She adjusted her hat, put on her gloves, and bent down to pull the weeds.
“You’re looking good,” a voice said from behind her.
Doesn’t the creep have a job?“Hey, Walter.” She kept pulling without even a sideways look at him.
“Your peppers look good. Very delicious… like you.”
Her insides twisted.He’s such a fuckin’ ass.“I’m kinda busy here, you know?” She wiped the sweat trickling down the side of her face.
“I’m just being neighborly.”
“I know, but I’m not in a chatty mood right now. I’ll give you some peppers in a bit, okay?”
From the corner of her eye she saw him cross his arms. “I hate peppers.”
She shrugged and he stalked off. A sigh of relief blew from her parted lips, and she began attacking the weeds more earnestly. A few minutes later, she heard squeaking behind her and turned around. A small shiver zinged up her spine as she met Walter’s hard gaze. The guy had placed his lawn chair right behind her, in full view of her butt. Redness crept up her neck as she suddenly became aware of how short her shorts were.
With a beer bottle in one hand, he stretched out his legs in front of him and continued staring at her. Determined not to let him rattle her, she turned back to her task. The asshole unnerved her; he was always staring and watching her every move. It was like she was an insect under a magnifying glass.
All at once, he started breathing heavily behind her, and the resolve to ignore him slipped away from her. She stood up, quickly watered the plants, and then picked up the bag of weeds. Without even a glance, she headed to the side of the house.
“You’re doing a great job with your garden, little lady. I know you can hear me. If you don’t like me looking at you in your cute shorts, you shouldn’t wear them. But I bet you love the attention, don’t you? Women like you—”
She slammed the door, cutting off his ugly words and insinuations.I can’t stand that creep.Ever since she’d moved in, he’d made her uncomfortable. At first she’d thought he was just trying to be friendly in an awkward, socially inept way, but as his movements and words became bolder, she decided he was just an asshole. Lately, he’d begun to make her feel dirty and violated by his words and actions. She wished he’d just stop. Everything about her rental was great except for him.
And the landlord.Raven groaned and Sooty perked up her ears. She still couldn’t fathom that Muerto was her landlord. She’d been in the unit for months and had never had any dealings with him.Maybe I should tell him about Walter.But what would she say? That Walter stared at her? Muerto stared at her plenty, boldly assessing her and not giving a shit how it made her feel.How does it make me feel when he checks me out?Excited. Nervous. Pissed. But she liked it when he showed that he liked what he saw. With Walter, it just made her feel icky.
No, Muerto wouldn’t understand about Walter. He’d probably come over and join him the next time she was gardening.
Men… ugh!
The ringing phone interrupted her as she poured some dry food in Sooty’s bowl. Setting it down on the floor, she put the phone to her ear.
“Hello?”
“This is Deanna. Did the plumber come out and fix your sink?”
“Yeah, he came out last night. The landlord really delivered fast on this one. I should deal with him directly all the time.” She laughed.
“Don’t call him. You need to deal with me or Jay. I’ll talk to Mr. Ruiz. Do you understand?” Her voice was tight.
Is this the hour of freaks? First Walter and then this one.“He told me to call him if anything comes up, but I’m dealing with you guys. As long as the problem gets taken care of, I’m good.”
