Cameron stopped in midcurse and looked at Nick from under the brim of his University of Oklahoma cap. "Messed up about the deal. We run to the cabin and go in. There's this girl, no dude around. But it was a man's scream. Never did figure that one out."
Nick couldn't figure that out either. Why the hell would the murdering psycho scream and run, and Ravyn Skyler not utter a sound?
The morning Nick Lassiter was due to arrive for his third day of work, Ravyn tried once more to talk some sense into her sister. She didn't like Nick's being there. Not one bit. A stranger hanging around too much was not a good idea. They'd been over it daily since he'd been hired, but Sorina wouldn't budge.
"Poor guy, he loves his daughter so much. I feel sorry for him, and we could use the help," Sorina reasoned, the same as she had the mornings previous.
"We've gotten along fine so far without him."
Sorina shrugged. "You never know. Sometimes it's a good idea to need someone."
Ravyn harrumphed. "Sometimes being needy just makes you pathetic." When pain flashed across her sister's face, Ravyn regretted the words immediately.
Sorina lifted her chin. "Sometimes being cold makes you lonely and bitter."
Ravyn sighed. "I'm sorry, Sorina, I didn't mean it."
Her sister nodded. "I know. It's okay. And you know? Nick seems like a pretty good guy." She grinned. "And he's hot . I could tell he likes you. I thought maybe you two would hit it off, if you gave him a chance. I don't like seeing you so lonely."
Ravyn knew Sorina was only trying to help, but she didn't need the help. She didn't want it. "There's a difference between being alone and being lonely. I'm fine, Sorina. Really."
The bell above the door dinged, and Sorina looked over Ravyn's shoulder, a smile lighting her face. Ravyn turned and her body tensed with irritation.
Nick.
She clenched her fists at her sides, burying them in the folds of her blouse. She resisted the urge to disappear into the back. She wouldn't run from him. No way would she let him see the effect he had on her.
"Morning, ladies."
"Good morning, Nick." Sorina practically gushed, but Ravyn only nodded.
"Want me to start on those shelves again?"
"Actually, I'll be working back there today, so you need to find something out front to do," Ravyn spoke up.
Sorina the Traitor shook her head. "Not much out here to do. He can work on those shelves while you're pouring candles. I'm sure it won't be too much of a distraction."
Ravyn tried to choke back resentment as she nodded. "Fine." She turned and marched through the curtain, determined to ignore the interloper for the entire day.
It wasn't easy. As much as she hated to admit the truth, Sorina was right—Nick was hot. He wore a white T-shirt tucked into well-worn Levi's that hugged his rear end. He smelled good, too. Once in a while, as he walked near her to place a box on the floor, his woodsy, masculine scent would drift over. The scruffy cheeks were gone, and she kind of missed them. There was something rugged and sexy about the way that dark stubble emphasized the blue of his eyes. But none of that was important. It was nothing to her. She once again went about the business of ignoring him.
She did a pretty good job for the next hour as she poured candles and carefully set the wicks. That is, she managed until he spoke.
"You have any pets?"
Ravyn shook her head and didn't turn around.
"I have a dog," he offered, even though she hadn't asked. "He just showed up one day last year, so I kept him."
Sighing, she swiveled in her chair. There was nothing to do at the moment other than wait for the candles to set, and she couldn't very well keep her back to him while doing absolutely nothing.
When he didn't comment further, she lifted her eyebrows. "You've started this riveting conversation. I assume there's more?"
He clutched his chest and staggered back as if wounded. "Riveting, huh? Ouch. I was just trying to start a little dialogue—you know, get to know
Nick couldn't figure that out either. Why the hell would the murdering psycho scream and run, and Ravyn Skyler not utter a sound?
The morning Nick Lassiter was due to arrive for his third day of work, Ravyn tried once more to talk some sense into her sister. She didn't like Nick's being there. Not one bit. A stranger hanging around too much was not a good idea. They'd been over it daily since he'd been hired, but Sorina wouldn't budge.
"Poor guy, he loves his daughter so much. I feel sorry for him, and we could use the help," Sorina reasoned, the same as she had the mornings previous.
"We've gotten along fine so far without him."
Sorina shrugged. "You never know. Sometimes it's a good idea to need someone."
Ravyn harrumphed. "Sometimes being needy just makes you pathetic." When pain flashed across her sister's face, Ravyn regretted the words immediately.
Sorina lifted her chin. "Sometimes being cold makes you lonely and bitter."
Ravyn sighed. "I'm sorry, Sorina, I didn't mean it."
Her sister nodded. "I know. It's okay. And you know? Nick seems like a pretty good guy." She grinned. "And he's hot . I could tell he likes you. I thought maybe you two would hit it off, if you gave him a chance. I don't like seeing you so lonely."
Ravyn knew Sorina was only trying to help, but she didn't need the help. She didn't want it. "There's a difference between being alone and being lonely. I'm fine, Sorina. Really."
The bell above the door dinged, and Sorina looked over Ravyn's shoulder, a smile lighting her face. Ravyn turned and her body tensed with irritation.
Nick.
She clenched her fists at her sides, burying them in the folds of her blouse. She resisted the urge to disappear into the back. She wouldn't run from him. No way would she let him see the effect he had on her.
"Morning, ladies."
"Good morning, Nick." Sorina practically gushed, but Ravyn only nodded.
"Want me to start on those shelves again?"
"Actually, I'll be working back there today, so you need to find something out front to do," Ravyn spoke up.
Sorina the Traitor shook her head. "Not much out here to do. He can work on those shelves while you're pouring candles. I'm sure it won't be too much of a distraction."
Ravyn tried to choke back resentment as she nodded. "Fine." She turned and marched through the curtain, determined to ignore the interloper for the entire day.
It wasn't easy. As much as she hated to admit the truth, Sorina was right—Nick was hot. He wore a white T-shirt tucked into well-worn Levi's that hugged his rear end. He smelled good, too. Once in a while, as he walked near her to place a box on the floor, his woodsy, masculine scent would drift over. The scruffy cheeks were gone, and she kind of missed them. There was something rugged and sexy about the way that dark stubble emphasized the blue of his eyes. But none of that was important. It was nothing to her. She once again went about the business of ignoring him.
She did a pretty good job for the next hour as she poured candles and carefully set the wicks. That is, she managed until he spoke.
"You have any pets?"
Ravyn shook her head and didn't turn around.
"I have a dog," he offered, even though she hadn't asked. "He just showed up one day last year, so I kept him."
Sighing, she swiveled in her chair. There was nothing to do at the moment other than wait for the candles to set, and she couldn't very well keep her back to him while doing absolutely nothing.
When he didn't comment further, she lifted her eyebrows. "You've started this riveting conversation. I assume there's more?"
He clutched his chest and staggered back as if wounded. "Riveting, huh? Ouch. I was just trying to start a little dialogue—you know, get to know
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