“The most immediate problem is the broken fence between our backyards,” I advise while his eyes move back and forth over the paper.
“I gathered as much. You underlined it twice.” He squints. “Three times.”
I sniff. “I also put a star beside it. Just in case the underlining is unclear.”
His eyes snap to mine. “Next time, I suggest you highlight it. It helps orient stupid little men like me.”
Little? There’s nothing remotely little about him. In fact, if certain rumors are to be believed—
Oh God. Don’t go there.
He gives the list a shake. “I’ll get everything fixed.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
His chuckle coasts over my skin like a gust of warm wind. “I don’t think we’ve ever been officially introduced. I’m Rowan Miller.” He offers me his tanned hand. My gaze momentarily latches onto the tattoos darkening his flesh, letters and designs I can’t quite make out in the dark.
I swallow. What’s one handshake? It doesn’t mean we’ve made peace. “I’m Blake Wolfe.”
One side of his mouth lifts. “Nice to meet you, Blake.”
I try to ignore the heat of his touch.
I try to ignore the way his palm completely engulfs mine.
And I definitely try to ignore the way my heart stutters inside my ribcage.
But that night, as I lie in bed, I can’t seem to get the memory of it out of my head.
CHAPTER 4
NERO
Blake walks across my lawn, her arms wrapped around her narrow waist, her hair glistening in the moonlight like liquid gold.
She slips inside her house, but her scent lingers in the air. A blend of vanilla and lavender. Her soap? Or maybe her shampoo?
Whatever it is, it makes me want to press my nose into the crook of her neck and see if she tastes as good as she smells.
I recognized her right away, but it took me a moment to get over the shock of havinghernext door to me.
"Don’t call me doll."
Whenever Sandro and I go to Frostbite and she’s working, he reminds me of that comment. I think he gets a kick out of knowing there’s at least one woman in this town who doesn’t appear to like me. He’ll be fucking thrilled to hear she gave me a scolding on day one as her neighbor.
Yeah, I’m not telling him that.
I turn around and walk back inside my new house.
You know how some people have that little voice inside their head telling them when they’re doing something they shouldn’t? Not me. The voice in my head is loud as fuck.
You really think buying this house will solve your problems?
That’s Nero. The guy I used to be.
You got a better idea?
And that’s Rowan. The guy I am now.
