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He laughed and pushed up off the couch. “Goodbye, Andi.”
She stood, letting the afghan fall away. “Wait.”
He turned to her.
Before she could think better of it, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a hug. Hill froze for a moment, arms stiff by his sides, but then his muscles relented and he returned the embrace.
“Thank you for last night.” She squeezed him, finding the guy didn’t have any give. He was solid as a wall. “It was above and beyond.”
He cleared his throat and patted her back awkwardly. “It was no problem.”
She released him and stepped back, meeting his gaze. “No. You turned a horrible night into something much less horrible. If you hadn’t stayed, I’d have been a ball of anxiety all night and wouldn’t have slept a wink. So, thank you. Also, I appreciate you not murdering me in my sleep. Bonus points for that.”
He nodded once and tucked his hands in the pockets of his sweats. “You’re welcome. And I’ll let you know about the locks and the alarm,” he said, holding the eye contact. “I’ll make sure you feel safe tonight.”
The promise and the way he said it in that sleepy sex voice of his sent a hot shiver through her. Part of her hated discovering that one of her hell-yeah buttons was this alpha-male protective thing he did. She’d never been attracted to that before. Her crushes tended to be on artsy, laid-back types. But with Hill, that modern cowboy vibe did something to her.
She felt her cheeks and neck growing warm. “Thanks. And I’ll let you know what I choose for our first movie da—experiment.”
A little smile peeked through. “Looking forward to it.”
With that, he headed back over to his side, giving her a brief wave before he stepped through the door.
***
Hill walked inside his place with his head pounding and his cock half-hard, wondering what the fuck had just happened. All night, he’d kept himself in check with Andi. He could hang out with an attractive woman and not make it about attraction. But seeing Andi there in the morning sunlight, wearing his shorts, her skin flushing a pretty pink for whatever reason, he’d imagined an entirely different kind of night taking place.
What else would turn her skin rosy like that?
No.He didn’t need to let his brain go down that path. Andi had called what they were doing with the movies an experiment. Not a date. They were neighbors. He was her landlord. She was too young for him both in age and spirit. Plus, she’d straight up told him that she didn’t have guys sleep over. He didn’t understand exactly what she’d meant by that, but he understood enough. Ms. Andi Lockley wasn’t looking for sweaty sheet time with the neighbor. What she’d offered was an invitation to become friends. Buddies.
Of course that would be all she wanted from the “grumpy werewolf” with the disability and the cheating ex. He was kidding himself if he thought he’d sensed anything more than that between them. And what could he offer her anyway besides a good time or two in bed?
He was in no place to be someone’s boyfriend. Opening himself up to someone like he had with Christina was never going to happen again. It had taken so much to get to that point with her, to finally trust that love could be good, that it didn’t have to hurt or be dysfunctional like it had been between his parents. But he’d stupidly left himself without armor. Finding out about Christina and Josh had ripped through him like a chain saw. It’d hurt so much worse than losing part of his leg. It’d shredded every fairy tale he’d told himself, proving what he’d known from the start. Love was fucking dangerous. It was walking into a gunfight without a bulletproof vest.
The price was way too high.
He hoped to have sex again one day. But falling in love? They could fucking keep it.
Feeling clearheaded for the first time since Andi had banged on his door last night, Hill went to the kitchen to brew some coffee and then pulled out the ingredients to make a quiche. He needed something else to occupy his brain. He didn’t need to worry about how beautiful his neighbor was. He didn’t need to wonder what it’d be like to kiss her or touch her. All he needed to worry about was making sure she was safe. He couldn’t offer her much, but he could offer her that.
***
Andi set a venti cold brew on Eliza’s desk late that afternoon, her unspoken payment for a makeshift therapy session with her friend. Andi had stopped seeing her official therapist a year ago because she couldn’t afford it anymore. But when her friend Eliza, who rented space at WorkAround for her therapy practice, found out, she’d offered to be an unofficial sounding board for Andi.Not your therapist but an educated opinion.
“Ooh, thanks.” Eliza grabbed for the coffee with a smile. “I’m in desperate need of caffeine.”
“You and me both, sister.” Andi yawned and collapsed onto the giant red couch Eliza had found at an estate sale and justhad to have. She’d called Andi, so excited about the find, and had asked her to help gather troops to move it into the office. When Andi had seen the overstuffed monstrosity, she’d thought it had to be the least therapy-like couch ever—too bright, too big, too much. But then she’d sat on it. The thing was like a hug in couch form. And though the dirt-cheap price Eliza had gotten it for meant someone haddefinitelybeen murdered on it, Andi didn’t care. That couch was magic.
Andi needed some magic today.
“So, hey,” Andi said flatly.
Eliza’s dark eyebrows lifted as she sipped her coffee. “That is the least Andi-like ‘hey’ ever.” Her brown eyes narrowed. “And you’re so pale I can see your freckles. What’s up,chica?”
Andi blew her bangs away from her eyes. “I’m pretty sure someone broke into my house last night.”
Eliza set her cup down, her lips parting. “Oh my God. Are you all right?”
