AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I want to believe he leaned in. I want to believe if Spencer hadn’t driven up at that exact moment we would have kissed again.
But it was probably just to prove his point.
I lied to him. When I said he wasn’t a good kisser. I mean, come on. Of course, I didn’t mean it. His kiss was life changing.
I can’t let that happen again. I have to protect my heart.
He admitted the only reason he kissed me was because that’s what he does. And he’s right. It’s his MO. It’s what he’s always done.
He’s a player, and I’m just a pawn in that game.
So, I pretend I’m not affected by him sitting so close to me and tap away on my phone. I sift through my pictures, trying to find new listings on the MLS.
I’m still waiting on Jackie to return my call.
Vaughn doesn’t speak the whole ride. His knuckles are white against the steering wheel, and I’m sure he wants to talk about something. But I just know he’ll yell more about what a good kisser he is.
And, I don’t know if I can argue anymore with him about it. Because he’ll see the lie in my heart, written clearly in my expression.
As soon as he turns down my dusty trail to my house he shifts in his seat. “What the fuck?”
I drop my phone in my lap and look up. “Oh my…”
Vaughn stops the truck and is out the door in seconds, running up the front porch steps.
Me, I’m a lot slower, assessing all the damage done to my new house. I slowly make my way up the front porch steps as Vaughn races around to the backside of the house.
The front window lies shattered on the porch, glass everywhere. ‘Tramp’ is sprawled in red spray paint along my front door.
“Who would do this?” I ask Vaughn when he rushes back to the front.
“There’s not much damage in the back. Just mainly the front window and that.” He points to the front door, and then holds out his hand. “Give me the key. I’m going to check it out first.”
The thought that someone could be inside makes my insides twist with fear. I hand over the key and then make my way back to the safety of his truck.
Once he sees I’m safely inside, he unlocks the front door and pushes it open. He moves throughout the house, and I grab my phone, putting a call through to the local police.
Vaughn exits the front door, and once I see he’s safe, I hop down from his truck, telling the dispatcher my address before hanging up.
“House is clear, and untouched.” He wraps his arms around me. “Who would do this?”
That’s exactly my question. Who even knows I’ve bought the house? I guess I told all my friends, and put pictures up on Facebook and other places. So, it’s not like it was a big secret, I guess. But I can’t think of anyone who would do this to me.
And to call me a tramp?
Who?
I think I’m the opposite of a tramp.
“I called the police.”
He nods. “Can you think of anyone who might have done this?”
I shake my head, trying to compile a list of suspects, but no one comes to mind.
“Old boyfriend?” He raises a brow. “Or, I don’t know, someone you may have sold a house to that wasn’t happy with it?”
My mind shifts to all my past clients, and yes, there may have been a few unhappy customers, but nothing to this degree. And to call me a tramp on top of that. I’m at a loss.
Vaughn wraps his arms around me, pulling me close. “Probably just some local kids playing a prank. We’ll see what the cops say when they get here.”
I breathe him in, letting his words soothe my overactive mind. Is that true? Will I forever have to be leery of neighborhood kids destroying my property?
I cling to Vaughn, still trying to wrap my brain around everything that’s happened. “Ok,” I agree with him.
“I don’t want you out here by yourself until they catch whoever did this.” He wraps me in his arms tighter, and I let him.
“Thank you for being here with me.” I pull back a little so I can stare into his sky-blue eyes.
He keeps his arms wrapped around me, our noses almost touching. “Of course. I don’t want to be anywhere else right now.”
His words warm me up like sunshine in the middle of summer. I want him to kiss me, but before we can do anything more the cops pull into the driveway.
For the next thirty minutes the cops take a look around, ask us both a million questions and want us both to come down to the station to fill out an official statement. Vaughn makes a makeshift window out of a cardboard box and duct tape until the window can be fixed properly.
