Page 31 of My Favorite Hero

I heard her coming. She was talking to herself, muttering under her breath as she stomped across the backyard. I tipped back in my chair to watch her approach. Her little fists were clenched, and she was furious, her color high and her lips pulled into a frown.

I was sure she thought she looked tough, but she looked sort of…adorable.

She saw me sitting by the fire pit and veered my way.

“Give them back,” she demanded, trying to sound fierce.

“Give what back?”

“My wind chimes. Give them back now.”

“Or?” I asked, wondering what she had planned.

“I’ll report you.”

“To whom?”

“I have no idea. The landlord association. Your boss. Someone.”

“One, my boss won’t care if—and that’s a big if—I took your wind chimes. Second, according to the tenant act, you need my approval to hang ornaments outside, and since you didn’t have my approval, I have the right to remove said ornament.” I paused. “Not that I did.”

“Liar.”

“Maybe a passerby saw your pretty wind chimes and took them.”

“You took them last night. I watched you.”

“Ah, wrong again. Those wind chimes were on my side of the property, and since possession is nine-tenths of the law, they were mine. I was tired of their noise, so I took them down.”

“My God, you make me feel stabby, Thorne.”

“Stabby?” I repeated. I lifted my eyebrows, trying not to grin at her empty threats. I failed.

Big mistake.

When Casey got angry, she had some outstanding tells. The dark pink on her neck and cheeks, for one. Her voice dropped to a sexy growl. It was a total turn-on for me, but I didn’t think this was the right time to mention that little fact. She curled her hands into fists as if she were trying to stop herself from going berserk and hurling herself at me. Recalling how she felt against me, I wouldn’t mind it, except I would need to brace myself for her attack. Launch some counteractions.

Maybe kissing her would distract her. It would certainly distract me.

I blinked when I realized she was talking. Or yelling, more like it.

“…are mine. I want them back.”

“What was that?” I asked.

She leaned over, gripping the back of the chair so hard, her knuckles were white. “You are a bastard. You think you won, Thorne? I can beat you at this game with one hand tied behind my back.”

She was fucking gorgeous, her wrath on display, eyes flashing, death to the thieving landlord of wind chimes written across her face. She made me want to laugh.

But I resisted since that might actually send her over the edge.

“Do your worst, Katharine Casey.”

She straightened, her eyes flashing. “First off, I’m going home and eating my roast beef sandwich. You know, the one you loved so much from the other night? Later, I’ll make dinner and use the rest of the gravy. I had planned on sharing, but I changed my mind. I think I’ll bake some cookies and take them to Cal to say thanks for his efforts. I’ll probably cook another big dinner tomorrow, but this time, I’ll eat it all while I plan my revenge.”

I took a drink. “Does that include the stabby thing?”

She spun on her heel and headed back to her side of the house.