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Damnit.
“I owe him money, and I pay my debts. I’ll only be a few seconds.”
Dustin wanted to argue with her, but he just leaned against the moving truck and waited for her to come back outside several minutes later.
Several seconds ticked by as she stood in front of him, playing with the hem of her shirt. “He’s never hit me before.”
Dustin had a hard time believing her, but he didn’t argue. “Okay.”
“I just wanted you to know that he didn’t. That I wouldn’t have…have stayed.”
The pain in her voice was so thick; his hands itched to reach out and pull her against him. But he resisted the temptation. It wasn’t his place to comfort her. Not only did they work together, but he was possibly about to become her landlord.
Talk about a buttload of complications he did not need.
“I understand, Rylie. You don’t have to explain any of it to me.”
She sniffled, hiked her purse up on her shoulder, and when she lifted her chin, he could see the glassy sheen to her eyes, knowing she was probably holding back tears.
“I think I would like to stay in your pool house, if the offer still stands.”
“It does.” He waved at Mark, who was sitting in the cab of the moving truck. Once he got the signal, Mark headed out toward Dustin’s place.
Rylie sounded as though she was choking on something. “Wow, you actually told them to take my stuff to your house before I’d even agreed?”
He clapped his hands together, ignoring the outrage in her tone. “Yes, yes I did. Are you hungry?”
Rylie shot him a suspicious glance and he chuckled. “Again, just a kind, concerned gentleman who figured if he was starving, then you must be too.”
She seemed to weigh her answer before responding. “You would be correct in that assumption.”
“Perfect. What are you in the mood for? Victoria is amazing—”
“Who is Victoria?”
He blinked at her interruption. “My chef.”
Rylie rolled her eyes. “Of course, you have a chef.”
Dustin walked ahead of her and opened the passenger door of his car. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m just flashing my wealth and privilege around, but having Victoria makes sense. I can afford to pay her, she has gainful employment, and since my hours tend to fluctuate, I do not always have time to cook and clean. It’s reasonable to assume I would have a whole staff employed, so I don’t know why you’re surprised.”
Rylie just muttered to herself as she climbed into his car. “Are you taking me to Something Borrowed?”
“No, I figured we’d just head to my place and after dinner, unpack the truck. We’ll carpool in the morning.”
She sighed, but didn’t argue. He opened his door and hopped behind the wheel.
“I do appreciate this and I promise that I will start looking for a place tomorrow—”
He shot her a dark look as he started the car. “Like I said, just trying to help.”
“Well, I’ll be the perfect guest. You’ll hardly know I am there.”
Single, sexy Rylie living less than five hundred feet from him?
What did I get myself into?
Chapter 5
