Page 40 of Hearts at War

But Heather was. I didn’t want a single interruption after what my niece did earlier. I was in a sour mood and I wasn’t going to apologize for it.

“My patience is hanging on by a thin thread,” I warned my neighbor who loathed me.

She shook her head slightly, sending her black waves tumbling over her shoulder. “I... I can tell.”

“Oh. So you can read people now, huh?” I couldn’t stop looking her over, stuck on the sight of her in satiny thin pajamas that ratty old sweater didn’t completely conceal.

“Trust me—”

I tilted my head to the side and narrowed my eyes, daring her to order me to trust her again.

“Oh. Right.” She bit her lip and nodded. “I remember. No trusting women. Well, guess what. I’m not fond of the habit of trusting men, so maybe my idea to ask you, uh, for a favor is too stupid to share.”

“What?”

“Your niece?” She raised her brows, as if she was questioning it. “The teenager with the pink and purple hair, addicted to piercings and a really shitty attitude?”

I groaned lightly. “Nevaeh.”

“She came by my place about an hour ago, and I was, um... I turned her away.” She held her hands up. “I don’t know what her deal is. What your deal is. I don’t want to know. I’m content to mind my own business, but she was about to ask me for something, claiming she had nowhere to go.”

“And how’d that conversation turn out?” I glanced around her curvy frame to see if my niece was hiding behind her. If she’d tasked Heather with helping her to break into my place, she was likely to try again with something else.

“She ran off, flighty and pissy. I felt bad, because it’s cold and dark and she can’t ride that damn bike on the highway like that at this time of the night and be safe!”

I nodded, entertained that this woman had a big heart.

“So, I rushed after her, to try to calm her down and suggest she head this way, to you, despite her claim that you didn’t want her around either.”

I shook my head. “No. She took off without saying goodbye earlier.”

“Hmmm.” She sighed, hugging herself. “Well, that was my first mistake. Running out to her. My door shut and I’m locked out. I’ve called Eric and Todd and no one is answering. And like I said, it’s cold, and well, you’re the closest neighbor.”

I blinked at her, connecting the dots. “You...want to come in?”

“I don’t want to. I meant it when I said I don’t like you and I don’t trust men.”

I grunted a bitter laugh at her honesty. Then I stepped back and gestured for her to step in. She did, eyeing my cabin that was only slightly bigger than hers.

“Eric usually sleeps with earplugs in. He told us all that one day when we compared insomnia stories at work,” I explained as I shut the door and shivered at the last cling of the chill from outside. “And Todd puts his phone on silent as soon as he’s off the clock, no matter what. No one’s coming with a spare key for you tonight.”

She nodded, chewing on her lip. “That’s...that’s what I figured.”

“I’d offer you the couch, but my flighty niece spilled a damn protein shake all over it before she left. Maybe that’s why she bolted, knowing the couch was too wet to be slept on.”

With a cringe, Heather faced me.

“I only have one bed.”

Her face tightened further. “Fuck.”

“No fucking,” I corrected after I yawned. Seeing Heather woke me up. I had to be careful the sight of her in that nearly transparent cami wouldn’t wake up my dick. “You can sleep here. Crash for the night if you want.”

“In your bed?” She scanned my cabin. “Then where will you sleep?” Thrusting her hand up, she shook her head. “No. No way. I can’t do that. I can’t kick you out of your own bed.”

“You won’t. We’ll share it.” I led the way toward my small bedroom.

“What? No. I just told you that I don’t trust you.”