To Bedevil A Beauty (Southern Sanctuary - Book 5) by Jane Cousins Page A

side.  “Limbo, I
wouldn’t get too…”
    A
hiss sounded, Zeke jumped back from the bed.  “Little bastard. How did he
get in here?”  He pulled up his trouser leg to examine the damage done to
his shin.
    “I
don’t care how he got in here.  All I’m concerned is how you’re going to
get him out of my room.”
    “Me?” 
Zeke’s bright blue eyes widened with surprise.  “Why me?”
    “You’re
the one with a gun for starters.   I’m
just a helpless invalid.”
    “I
can’t shoot him Berry.”  There was a regretful tone in Zeke’s voice.
    “I’ll
turn my head and everything, no witnesses, it will never come back on
you.”  Berry promised, enjoying the fact that her 6.2ft, built like a
line-backer cousin was obviously just as wary and scared of Limbo as she
was. 
    Zeke
bobbed and weaved, trying to catch a glimpse of the feline invader.  “Very
funny.  You must be feeling better you certainly sound it… for that matter
you’re looking better too… less day old fish left out in the sun.”
    Berry
chuffed a laugh.  “That’s a lovely description.  With charm like that
it’s a wonder you’re still single.”
    “And
loving every moment of it.”  Zeke flashed a grin, sweeping a hand absently
through his short black hair.  “Well that book I bought with me isn’t
going to read itself.”
    “Hold
it right there.  You are not leaving me alone in here with that… that
monster.”
    Zeke
shrugged.  “Berry, I’m a brave man but I’m not stupid.  No way am I
going to attempt to drag Limbo out of here. He’ll leave when he’s good and
ready.”
    “Then
you need to take me with you.”  Berry awkwardly crawled to the end of the
bed, damn thankful for the sling keeping her arm steady and supported. 
    “Take
you where exactly?” Zeke frowned.
    “Out
of here for a start.  We can just close the door and ignore the problem
until one of your brothers turns up. Then we can trick them into coming in here
and they can deal with Limbo.”
    Zeke
grinned.  “Smart thinking.  Okay, how do you want to do this logistic
wise?”
    Kneeling
at the very edge of the bed Berry eyed the gap between her and her cousin.
Hmmm, if she… and then he, um...  she froze as there came the sound of
movement from under the bed. Oh-no, Zeke looked ready to bolt. She did the only
thing she could think of, she flung herself across the gap, straight at him,
counting on his excellent reflexes to catch her.
    Thirty
seconds later she was ensconced on the comfy sofa in the living room. The door
to the guestroom firmly closed.  Zeke had resumed his post in the foyer by
the front door, promising to keep an eye on both doors. 
    Resting
her head back on a cushion Berry worked hard on getting her breathing back
under control.  After a few minutes she began to relax and take in her
surroundings.  Similar to the guest bedroom, the floors out here were a
light coloured hardwood but the walls were painted a soft grey that
complimented the darker grey sofas set up around a low pine coffee table. 
There were no paintings on the walls and the room itself though comfy, was only
saved from feeling sterile by the magnificent view out passed the large
balcony.  The sky a stunning clear blue today, the ocean darker, but calm.   Out on the Bay itself, sail boats, their
colourful sails billowing, chased the wind and each other.
    Okay
Berry my girl, no more hiding, no more using your injuries as an excuse. 
You are staying in Ramsey Hughes’ apartment and you are just going to have to
learn to live with the man… the fact, learn to live with the fact. 
    Damn,
shifting, she adjusted her sling slightly before trying to rake her hair back
in to some semblance of order.  Double damn, she should have had Joanne at
least pull the mess back into a pony-tail.   Though who was she kidding, her head had throbbed like crazy when Joanne
had done no more than run a gentle soft bristled brush through it.
    With
nothing to do but think,