Page 57 of If I Stopped Haunting You

He made a strange, alarmed sound. “Alphabetically, you two are literally next to each other on a shelf. Wait, are you telling me you never thought about that?”

“No, and now I can’t believe I never saw it.”

Laszlo laughed. “Oh, my dear, sweet Pen, do you know how many times I went to a bookstore to mimic your books yelling at each other?”

“Please tell me someone has video evidence of this.”

“No such evidence.” He waggled his brows. “Also, can I once again point out that he’s hot, and there’s clearly something going on between you two? Feelings change, circumstances change, and maybe this is what you two have been waiting for. Why not take a chance?”

Pen shoved her hands in her pockets and swiveled toward the castle. She spotted Storm’s face in one of the windows of the study, looking down at her. Laszlo laughed.

“Look at him, Pen. I don’t know how you managed to do it, but in a single day, you went from hating each other tothis.”

“That’s the problem. I don’t know whatthisis.”

Laszlo shrugged before hooking his arm through hers. “You won’t know until you find out.”

They walked for a moment, and Pen reached out to run her frozen fingers over a crystalized branch. “Why do you put up with me?” she asked.

Laszlo chuckled, the sound deep in his chest. “Pen, you are the strangest person I’ve ever had the honor to call a friend. And through my sage advice—”

“Someone’s humble,” she mumbled.

“I have saved you from a multitude of terrible decisions. Andjust the knowledge that you never went through with any one of the fifty-seven different ways you could have murdered Neil Storm is enough to leave me satisfied.”

Pen straightened her glasses, clearing her throat as her face heated. “I still think the library idea would have worked.”

“Neil Storm is probably immortal. He would have survived three bookcases falling on him.”

“Would have been worth a shot,” she muttered.

“I’m glad you don’t show this side of you to the public. It’s terrifying.”

“Good, it’s always been a lifelong dream of mine to terrify someone twice my height.”

Laughing quietly, they meandered down the drive. Though Pen was cold, and her socks were soaked through with melted snow, she was glad they’d gone out. She’d desperately needed to clear her mind and breathe some crisp, cool air.

And get away from Neil. She knew where he’d been going, where they’d been going, what he was going to say, and try as she might, she wasn’t ready to confront the part of her that had enjoyed the close press of him.

In twenty-four hours, her vision of Neil Storm had been turned upside down. Before, she’d wanted to strangle him, tear apart his books, and prove him wrong, but now… well, she wanted to kiss him. She’d wanted him to pick her up and crush her against that locked door at the top of the turret. She wanted to feel his hands on her hips, she wanted him to kiss her between her legs.

She wanted to feel him everywhere.

Whatever the outcome of the weeklong retreat, her view of the man who’d fueled her hate for the last few years had been changed completely. All it had taken was some honesty, a little heart-to-heart, and the willingness to listen.

Pen stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the castle’s entrance.

Laszlo touched her arm gently. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah, I just need a few minutes out here to myself.”

He frowned. “Don’t stay out here too long! It’s freezing.” Shivering as if to prove his point, Laszlo hurried up the stairs and back into the castle, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

And they were dangerous thoughts.

Sighing, she crossed to the garden and settled on a frozen stone bench. She admired the wilted flowers and abandoned plants as she brought her knees to her chest, teeth chattering from the cold.

She saw a flicker of movement across the yard, and when she glanced up, she spotted Fanny among the trees. The groundskeeper was bundled in a large jacket and boots. Fear creased her face, and Pen angled her head back to see what had captured the groundskeeper’s attention, but there was nothing. When she turned back, Fanny was already gone.