AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She messed with the ruffle thing around the wrist of her sleeve, pulling it down then shoving it back up. “Do you have any wine or something?”
She was obviously stalling. I didn’t have any idea what she would want with me. Well, beyond something of the naked variety, but I didn’t think she was into mindless sex.
Nor did I need that kind of grief with the familial hooks in both of us.
“What am I saying? You probably only drink beer.”
“I have wine.” I opened the wine fridge I’d hidden with a facing that matched my cabinets.
She peeked around my shoulder. “Oh, do you have a Shiraz?”
I grabbed a bottle she requested. I wasn’t sure if she liked the sweeter wine or actually knew it paired well with steak. Regardless, it worked out. I uncorked and poured us both a glass.
“Now talk.”
“I don’t want to ruin my—”
“Willow.”
Her name felt foreign on my tongue. I’d called her anything but since we’d met that first day at the Christmas tree lot.
She took the glass and took a large gulp.
I arched a brow at her. If she kept that up, she’d be crashing on my couch.
“It’s good.” Her voice echoed in the wide rim of the glass.
My phone trilled out the chime for my alarm. I opened the oven. “By the time I tent this steak, you better be talking.”
“Fine.” I heard her take another fortifying gulp. “I like this song.”
I ripped a sheet of foil off the roll in my drawer. “You have about five seconds.”
“Right. I’m only acquiescing because that smells really good and I’m starving. Rachel and Clay ate my damn nachos.” She tapped her nail against the glass. “Why does the dog stay outsi—”
I gave her a hard stare.
“It’s a good question.”
“If you don’t want to eat your steak out of Midnight’s bowl, you better start talking.”
“Ohh, is that his name?”
The name had come to me soon after he started hanging around and it was better than continuing to call him dog. I zipped the tips of my fingers down the foil to make a triangle and laid it over the steak before turning around to lean a hip on the counter.
“Could you put a shirt on?”
“My house.” I flipped my towel over my shoulder.
“It’s distracting.”
“Sounds like ayouproblem.”
She wrinkled her nose.
I checked my watch. I really didn’t want her in my house. Even having her this close made my skin too tight. Nothing about her was quiet or calming. “Ten minutes. Talk.”
She held up a finger and took another sip. “I know this is going to sound crazy. I’m probably overreacting. You know what? I have to be.”
