AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not a damn thing,” he cooed, running his gaze down my bare legs to my white sneakers. “I very much approve.”
Rolling my eyes, I muttered, “Most men do.”
He took a step closer. “Except it’s missing one thing.”
“You mean, besides the other half of the outfit?” I guessed dryly.
“A name tag,” he supplied softly.
“Oh.” I pressed my hand to my chest where my name tag usually sat. “I actually do have one. I keep it in my purse, but it must’ve fallen out at home somewhere.”
He pulled something from his pocket and lifted it for me to see. “Or in the closet of the woman whose home you broke into.”
“Oh shit. Wow.” I reached for my name tag perched between his fingers and blew out a big breath of relief. “Thank goodness you found it and not—”
“Her?” he guessed on a wince, pulling the name tag right back out of my reach before I could retrieve it. “Except I didn’t find it. She did. So, now she knows your name and where you work.”
“Oh shit,” I repeated, with a lot more doom in my voice and considerably less relief. “Do you think she—”
“Fuck yes,” he growled. “In fact, she’s already making demands of you. We’re invited to dinner with her tonight, by the way.”
“Uh, okay,” I said slowly and shook my head. “As frightening as that sounds, I think I’m going to have to raincheck.”
“I don’t think you understand, Gabriella. People don’t raincheck Lana Judge.”
“Yeah, but—wait. Did you just say Lana Judge?”
Arching his eyebrows, the man in front of me squinted. “Are you saying you had no idea whose home you broke into?”
“Of course I didn’t know!” I cried. “I told you, I was just randomly walking down that hall. When I saw her cool-ass door, I paused to look at it closer, and that’s when she came outside. That is honestly all I knew. Are we talking about the same Lana Judge I heard about for the first time yesterday? At Rosewood?”
His brow furrowed. “What’s Rosewood?”
“It’s that flower shop.” Waving a dismissive hand, I remembered everything I’d learned and everyone I’d met. “The woman who owns it is sister to that guy, the one who’s the CEO at that place.”
“Yes.” With a slow nod, he said, “The brother of that guy who’s the CEO at that place. You cleared everything up nicely for me. Thanks for explaining.”
“Ugh.” I scowled at him. “You’re such a smart-ass. Give me a second while I try to remember names. He was really hot. Like hotter than any man should be. With dark hair.” Snapping my fingers again, I pointed at him. “And he has a thing for Kaitlynn.”
Finally, his eyes sparked with awareness. “Kaitlynn?”
“Yeah.” I waved a hand, moving past that. “She lives in my building. Sweetest girl ever. She—oh! If this Lana person is Kaitlynn’s stepmother, wouldn’t that make you Kaitlynn’s brother?”
“Stepbrother,” he clarified.
“What!” I smacked him in the arm. “Oh my God, holy shit. Why didn’t you tell me that from the beginning?”
He frowned. “How the hell was I supposed to know you were acquainted with my stepsister?”
“I live in the same building as her,” I cried incredulously.
He shrugged. “And I should assume you know the names of everyone who lives in your building when I don’t even know the name of anyone who lives in mine?”
“Why do I find that so believable?” When he opened his mouth to reply, I went on. “No wonder why you knew my name and where I lived that first night. Kaitlynn must’ve told you.”
“She did not, in fact. I saw you once when I was leaving her building. Your brother hollered your name, which was how I knew to call you Gabby.”
“Son of a bitch,” I murmured. “So why didn’t you at least tell me that?”
