acted like an idiot that night, and it was certainly enough to be a
permanent turn-off for any guy. I really understand. And I appreciate this big
brother attitude you’ve got toward me, but it’s somehow insulting after we
kissed like we did.” Her sigh is tight, as though her throat is clenched.
“Hold on. The fact that I’m pulling a big
brother attitude has nothing to do with the way you bolted on me that night. And
it has everything to do with the fact that you’re 24. That’s just way too young
for me.”
She scrunches up her face and looks at
me. “You said you’re 32, right?”
“Right.”
Staring at me, her big eyes look baffled.
“Okay. Yeah. Eight years difference. That’s too much for you?”
“People are like cars. You drive them too
hard, too fast, they get a lot of wear-and-tear. I’ve depreciated a lot more
than my 32-year-old counterparts, Allie.”
I hear her scoff, like she thinks I’m not
being serious. “I’m jaded, Allie,” I add, trying for simpler terms.
She still looks at me like I’m insane,
but I refuse to give her details. If I tell her about my 24-year-old
ex-girlfriend in Annapolis, I’d have to tell her how she’d freak out every time
I woke up screaming in the night, or asked me to please not mention the fact
that I was seeing a shrink to any of her friends. Then Allie would likely say
that Vanessa was a bitch, and I honestly don’t feel that way. It was just more
than she could handle.
Hell, it was more than I could
handle, too. I didn’t like the night terrors and the cold sweats and the shrink
visits any more than she did.
Even though I’m a lot better now, the
women I’ve dated recently have been a little older, and less starry-eyed and
idealistic than the 24-year-old standing next to me. That suits me well.
Yet, I’ll admit, not one of them makes my
heart pound like Allie is doing right now.
“Okay,” she finally says quietly. “That’s
probably for the best anyway, seeing as you live next door and you’re giving me
the townhome for free. I might start thinking I need to pay you back in some
way.” She cracks an adorable smile.
I’m not sure if it was intentional, but
her words have me thinking of several ways I’d love her to pay me back, and
they’d probably have me sleeping a lot more soundly at night than I am right
now. I force a laugh. “Right. No strings attached on the townhome.”
I almost think I hear her mutter “damn”
under her breath. But with her rattling the paint tin to load up her roller
again, I’m not sure if I imagined it.
Chapter 9
~ ALLIE ~
I seriously like him , I keep thinking over the next several days
as I’m making every excuse I can to spend time with him. I know he has no
interest in me, but I can’t seem to resist being around him anyway.
I tell myself that it’s because he’s been
so generous in letting me stay, that I really should help him any chance I can.
But that’s only partly true. The fact is, just painting late into the night or
helping him install crown molding during my lunch breaks is more satisfying
than the best sex I’ve ever had.
Besides that, I’m really learning a lot,
and everything I learn I figure I can use fixing up my kennel.
If I get the foreclosure.
That’s a big if .
I ache slightly as I walk up the two
flights of stairs to Cass’s apartment. I helped Logan paint the crown molding
last night and it’s murder on my upper back and neck. I can think of at least a
hundred ways I’d like to get my muscles sore with that man, and painting
molding is way down on the list. But I’ll take what I can get.
I knock on Cass’s door. She swings it
open, looking frazzled in her sparkly princess makeup with one eye looking a
lot smaller than the other eye.
“You’re missing an eyelash,” I inform
her.
“I know. Damn thing fell on the floor and
Skylar ate it,” she retorts, giving a toss of her head in the direction of her
latest foster, a Shetland sheepdog.
permanent turn-off for any guy. I really understand. And I appreciate this big
brother attitude you’ve got toward me, but it’s somehow insulting after we
kissed like we did.” Her sigh is tight, as though her throat is clenched.
“Hold on. The fact that I’m pulling a big
brother attitude has nothing to do with the way you bolted on me that night. And
it has everything to do with the fact that you’re 24. That’s just way too young
for me.”
She scrunches up her face and looks at
me. “You said you’re 32, right?”
“Right.”
Staring at me, her big eyes look baffled.
“Okay. Yeah. Eight years difference. That’s too much for you?”
“People are like cars. You drive them too
hard, too fast, they get a lot of wear-and-tear. I’ve depreciated a lot more
than my 32-year-old counterparts, Allie.”
I hear her scoff, like she thinks I’m not
being serious. “I’m jaded, Allie,” I add, trying for simpler terms.
She still looks at me like I’m insane,
but I refuse to give her details. If I tell her about my 24-year-old
ex-girlfriend in Annapolis, I’d have to tell her how she’d freak out every time
I woke up screaming in the night, or asked me to please not mention the fact
that I was seeing a shrink to any of her friends. Then Allie would likely say
that Vanessa was a bitch, and I honestly don’t feel that way. It was just more
than she could handle.
Hell, it was more than I could
handle, too. I didn’t like the night terrors and the cold sweats and the shrink
visits any more than she did.
Even though I’m a lot better now, the
women I’ve dated recently have been a little older, and less starry-eyed and
idealistic than the 24-year-old standing next to me. That suits me well.
Yet, I’ll admit, not one of them makes my
heart pound like Allie is doing right now.
“Okay,” she finally says quietly. “That’s
probably for the best anyway, seeing as you live next door and you’re giving me
the townhome for free. I might start thinking I need to pay you back in some
way.” She cracks an adorable smile.
I’m not sure if it was intentional, but
her words have me thinking of several ways I’d love her to pay me back, and
they’d probably have me sleeping a lot more soundly at night than I am right
now. I force a laugh. “Right. No strings attached on the townhome.”
I almost think I hear her mutter “damn”
under her breath. But with her rattling the paint tin to load up her roller
again, I’m not sure if I imagined it.
Chapter 9
~ ALLIE ~
I seriously like him , I keep thinking over the next several days
as I’m making every excuse I can to spend time with him. I know he has no
interest in me, but I can’t seem to resist being around him anyway.
I tell myself that it’s because he’s been
so generous in letting me stay, that I really should help him any chance I can.
But that’s only partly true. The fact is, just painting late into the night or
helping him install crown molding during my lunch breaks is more satisfying
than the best sex I’ve ever had.
Besides that, I’m really learning a lot,
and everything I learn I figure I can use fixing up my kennel.
If I get the foreclosure.
That’s a big if .
I ache slightly as I walk up the two
flights of stairs to Cass’s apartment. I helped Logan paint the crown molding
last night and it’s murder on my upper back and neck. I can think of at least a
hundred ways I’d like to get my muscles sore with that man, and painting
molding is way down on the list. But I’ll take what I can get.
I knock on Cass’s door. She swings it
open, looking frazzled in her sparkly princess makeup with one eye looking a
lot smaller than the other eye.
“You’re missing an eyelash,” I inform
her.
“I know. Damn thing fell on the floor and
Skylar ate it,” she retorts, giving a toss of her head in the direction of her
latest foster, a Shetland sheepdog.
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