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Tilting my head, I’m less subtle this time as I take her in from head to toe. Her tiny black robe barely covers her ass, which leaves her long shapely legs on full display. She’s tall, but not quite as tall as me, and by the time my eyes make it back to hers, she’s crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive pose and frowning hard.
Suddenly, my annoyance turns to irritation that I’m here, barefoot in the dirt where there are ticks, and I’m annoyed that my new neighbor clearly can’t handle the mountain life if she’s screaming over raccoons on day one of her being here.
I’m also irritated that I find her so freaking gorgeous it’s hard to breathe.
“Where is your husband?” I bark at her.
“My what?” she yells back at me.
I glance quickly at her hands and find all ten fingers bare of rings. That doesn’t mean she isn’t with someone, but at the present, there’s no clue to help me out.
“You’re not the brightest, are you?” I ask, taking a step back and scanning over the yard. Not that I think any animal will come within a two-mile radius of her house now after all that screaming, but you never know. Curiosity could win out.
“Excuse me?” She drops her arms, and her entire posture shifts. Her back straightens, her hands fist by her sides, and the robe drops open.
My mouth waters.
Did she forget that is all she’s wearing? I’m so blinded by just how naked and stunning she is that it never even occurs to me to turn away.
“Just who do you think you are?” she asks in a tone that’s so severe, lesser men would cower.
There’s an air of sophistication to her. She’s definitely not some townie who came upon some money and bought this place. There has to be someone else with her, right? Why would this woman buy this house?
“Who am I? I’m the guy who just came over here to save your ass when clearly I should be thinking about saving my own because you’re crazy. Screaming over raccoons. Dancing around half naked. Who decided it was a good idea to sell you this house?”
“What?” Her eyes narrow, and she tips her chin up just a tad. “You’ve got some nerve. You don’t even know me,” she seethes, pieces of her blonde hair falling across her face.
“You’re right, and based on this little episode, I don’t want to. Rocky and Bullwinkle…” I wave my hand toward the bush to address the raccoons who are now peeking their heads out to see if the coast is clear. “Meet your new landlord.”
“Rocky and Bullwinkle?” She looks between the raccoons and me, and then takes another step away from the bush in case they decide to charge at her.
“Yes. These two raccoons have lived here for a long time. Longer than the two of us. Don’t leave garbage out, and they won’t bother you. What they do like, however, is fruit. You know because they are wild animals. Deer and bears also like fruit.” I scowl at her.
“I wasn’t aware there would be raccoons here,” she says, pulling on the robe again. This time, she closes it and ties the belt around her waist. It’s then I see that her arm is scratched from the bush, and I’m immediately annoyed even further that she’s somehow managed to blemish her perfect skin.
“Wasn’t aware? You weren’t aware there would be animals that live in the forest of the mountains?” My brows pop up with sarcasm.
At this, she pinches her lips together and then looks me over from head to toe. I’m wearing a black T-shirt, a pair of gray joggers, and no socks or shoes. I didn’t even think to put any on. I just needed to get here and see what the problem was. Her gaze flips to one of disapproval, and then she looks at the gun.
“I take it you live in the other house on the mountain,” she says, ignoring the way I just condescendingly spoke to her. She brushes her hair back off her face and runs her hand through it. I don’t know how she does it, but given the show she just put on, it somehow looks perfect, falling just past her shoulders and framing her large brown eyes, high cheekbones, and bee-stung lips.
This is just what I don’t need.
Feeling that anger rise again, I don’t answer, and this causes her to bristle. Silence and shadows fall around us as the sun has dropped behind the western tree line across the lake and is close to setting.
“Well, thank you for coming over so quickly, but you can leave now.”
She’s dismissing me.
Her eyes return to mine, and we stare at each other in complete disdain. I can see how she might not think favorably of me after I insulted her, but seriously, who buys a house in the mountains, wanders around barefoot without a care at all for ticks, and screams like the world is ending over raccoons? Raccoons.
Not needing to respond to her, I bend down to retrieve my gun. I’ve never needed to use this gun, but everyone knows it’s better to be safe than sorry. Brushing it off, I turn to leave and just shake my head.
“Un-fucking-believable,” I mutter to myself.
“And would you stop swearing?” she all but demands. “It’s rude.”
Rude?
