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Graham smiled against my lips as we both listened to the older woman’s sass.

He let me go and turned to her. “You look mighty pretty, Miss Laverne.”

I caught her blush. Who could blame her? When Graham Wallace turned on the charm, all women within a ten-mile radius melted.

“Are you taking the crockpot with the stew, or are you planning on putting it in a different container?” I asked.

“No, I want to take it in the crockpot. That gives me a reason to go back and check on them.”

“Smart thinking,” Graham winked at her.

We got everything packed and loaded into the car, and I watched as the two of them left for the Wylies. That gave me the first alone time I’d had since getting the flowers. I needed it. I headed upstairs for a quick shower and a change of clothes.

By the time I got out of the shower, it felt like the temperature had spiked another ten degrees. Just walking across the hall from the bathroom to my bedroom, I was beginning to perspire. It was definitely shorts weather.

I pulled out my cut-off jeans and a red top that wasn’t really all that racy. Not when I compared it to what my cousin Emmie had bought that day when we’d gone out shopping. She could wear the really sexy tops that you could get away with wearing without a bra. Me, not so much. So, I’d bought a bra the same color as the top. When I looked in the mirror, I grinned.

Yep, this will knock Graham’s socks off.

Biker boots would be perfect to go with it, but it was too damned hot, so it was going to be flip-flops. With that thought, I opened a window, turned on the overhead fan, and flopped down onto my bed.

I stared up at the ceiling and started to think.

I couldn’t stop the grin that took over my face as I remembered Graham saying I was his woman. Should I take umbrage with such a neanderthal comment? Hell no. It felt right. It felt good. Damn good.

But then there were the goddamned flowers, and I shivered. I reached for the edge of the blanket and pulled it over my body, trying to warm myself. It wasn’t nearly as good as wrapping myself in Graham’s arms, or even his blankets that smelled like him, but I was willing to make do.

I thought I had put everything behind me. The fear and paranoia, second-guessing every damn thing that I was feeling. Was I making a mountain out of a molehill, or was something bad really going to happen?

I mean, right now, Graham is on my side, but what happens when things just turn creepy and nothing really happens? What then? Will he just think I’m some kind of paranoid nutjob?

I pulled the blanket even tighter.

I heard the sound of Miss Laverne’s car as it pulled into the driveway. Time to get my shit together.

I headed downstairs.

Chapter Twenty

As soon as I saw her on the porch, I knew something was up. Yeah, the cut-off jeans and that mind-blowing red top might have thrown me for a moment, but I immediately pinged to her expression. I didn’t want to start a game of twenty questions in front of Miss Laverne, so I figured I’d let Joy lead the conversation.

“How’d it go at the Wylies?” she asked as she held open the screen door for Miss Laverne.

“It was wonderful. I didn’t realize we’d be gone as long as we were, but Delilah wanted to visit. I should have insisted you come along.”

I guided Miss Laverne to her favorite chair in the parlor, where she took a grateful seat.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Joy asked.

“Lemonade would be lovely, dear,” the older lady smiled.

“I’ll help.”

Joy tossed a sassy smile over her shoulder as she sashayed into the kitchen. I made sure to keep a few steps between us so I could admire her ass in those shorts as we went into the kitchen. My girl knew what she was doing, I could tell, because she bent awfully low when she looked into the fridge for the lemonade, considering the fact that the pitcher was on the top shelf.

I groaned.

She giggled as she took a peek at my expression over her shoulder.