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Chapter Seven
The last of Allie’stension from hiding her conflicting emotions from Brett didn’t ease until she heard the rumble of his big truck’s engine in the distance. Now that he was gone, she could admit spending the night with him had been a mistake. Padding into the kitchen, she started the coffee then took a can of cinnamon rolls from the refrigerator. The only way to cope with her idiocy in letting herself care too much for Brett Kincaid was to go on a sugar binge.
After popping the rolls out, placing them on a cookie sheet, and sliding them into the oven, she poured a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter to contemplate the error of her ways. In her defense, how the heck was she supposed to know giving in to her need for company last night, following the scare she’d suffered, would reveal an irresistible protective, caring side of Brett? She barely knew the guy despite feeling comfortable and safe with inviting him to share her bed. Damn, she had really enjoyed the press of his big body against her last night, his warm, smooth skin stretched tautly over bulging muscles as he shifted, the way his chest hair tickled her back and the idle stroking of his thumb over her nipple. She thought his slacks and dress shirts disguised an awesome body, but reality far exceeded her imagination, the stunning eagle tattoo icing on a cake she couldn’t resist.
As soon as she’d opened her eyes and seen the guilt on his face and anger swirling in his eyes, she worked at hardening her heart and marshaling her thoughts to keep him from worrying she would go back on her promise and cling to him this morning. Begging him for sex was a hard enough humiliation to swallow – she wasn’t about to add to it by turning into one of those women who couldn’t accept a man’s rejection without making a scene. She appreciated his concern over the bruises that didn’t show up until this morning but was careful not to read too much into it given his wariness when she dressed and walked him out without saying or implying she expected anything else from him. His soon-to-be- ex must have done quite a number on him.
The oven beeped, pulling her mind off Brett. That lasted until Allie spread frosting on the cinnamon rolls, watching it melt much like her heart when he’d held her with such care after seeing her bruises. She sat down and pigged out on four of the eight rolls, sipping another cup of coffee until she was so miserably full, the discomfort gave her something else to moan about.
Allie felt better after a shower and making a list of things she needed to get done today, starting with making an appointment with the body shop where she’d gotten a lot of the restoration work done on her car. She was confident they would replace the bumper and repair the damage without overcharging her.
The morning was almost gone by the time she left the apartment, the bright sun a welcome warm balm after the chill of last night’s ordeal. Slipping on sunglasses, she left her apartment the same time Ricky emerged next door. She groaned, hoping he didn’t keep her.
“Hey there,” he greeted her with a smile. “Where are you off to today?”
“Errands. How about you?” She kept walking to her car. It wouldn’t do for him to catch sight of her damaged bumper and start asking questions she couldn’t answer.
“I have a couple of showings this afternoon. After that, a few of us are going to Bud’s if you want to join us.” He put his hands up, as if to ward off her instant denial. “As friends, Allie, nothing more.”
Ricky’s real estate license covered both commercial and residential, and he often worked weekends meeting clients and went out afterward. Allie remembered he frequented the popular bar a lot when they were dating. It wasn’t a place she cared much for as it lacked the extra safety precautions other nightclubs offered, like the surveillance cameras and watchful bouncer at Casey’s.
“Thanks, but I had a late night last night and would rather spend a quiet evening at home.” Sliding behind the wheel, she started the car. She didn’t want to risk him offering to meet her at the body shop to give her a ride home so Allie didn’t mention her mishap, hoping he wouldn’t notice the damaged rear end until she left. “Catch you later.”
“See ya, neighbor.”
Allie caught sight of his concerned frown in her rearview mirror as she drove out of the lot, still wondering what brought about his change of heart in constantly harassing her to give him another chance. She didn’t completely trust Ricky’s sudden about face but welcomed the break from his constant push for them to get back together. It had only taken a handful of dates for his possessive tendencies to emerge, and his anger when he didn’t get his way. He was quick to flare up but also to apologize, which was why she’d given him a second and third chance. Before she had made the mistake of giving in to his constant date requests they had enjoyed a budding friendship and good times hanging out together, both with others and just the two of them.
All that changed when she’d broken off their relationship before making a bigger mistake and sleeping with him. Allie tried to think positive and believe Ricky had finally decided to give up on them getting back together and they could find their way back to the easy friendship they’d established when she’d first moved in next door.
Giving into exploring her fantasies surrounding the elusive Brett Kincaid had helped keep her mind off her neighbor, but she’d never counted on risking her heart. As much fun as she’d had with him, and as much as she’d love to explore the possibilities of his non-vanilla sexual preferences, she wasn’t about to turn into Ricky and pester Brett for more. The memories of last night’s off the charts orgasms would keep her company until someone else caught her interest.
Penny answered her text and arrived at the body shop to pick her up in time to get a look at her damaged car before the garage doors closed. Pushing the front side door open for Allie, she asked, “What the heck happened?”
“I’ll tell you on the way to get something to eat. Someplace with good desserts.” Allie closed the door and put her seat belt on, already craving another sugar binge thinking about last night. Too bad she couldn’t decide if it was due to the scare of that deliberate hit and run or regretting the end of her short association with Brett.
“Uh, oh, something has upset you. Ina’s?” Penny headed out of Casper before Allie answered.
“That works.” She wondered if Brett thought of her when he finished the pie she’d brought him then firmly closed her mind to thinking about him. She deliberately omitted the part where he’d spent the night after bringing her home when telling Penny about the damage to her beloved car, wanting to avoid questions she couldn’t answer.
“Oh, wow, Allie. That’s nothing to blow off. Do you think it was just a pissed off driver, a case of road rage?”
Allie gazed out the window, making out a herd of bison grazing in the distance. “I thought of that, but I didn’t do anything to set him off, or her, and I didn’t get a look at whoever was driving. It was a big vehicle, the headlights shining straight into my rear window, blinding me, and it came upon me fast, out of nowhere. I think that was the scariest part.” Remembering the shock of that first jarring hit produced a shiver rippling down her spine. “The whole incident seemed deliberate, but that doesn’t make sense.” Facing her friend again, she blew out a breath and shook her head. “I’ve pissed off someone. Brett thinks it may be Stephen, that guy I met the first night we went to Casey’s. He was there again last night, getting pushy enough to earn an escort out.”
Penny turned into Ina’s and parked in front of the laundry then faced Allie with a worried expression. “One of us should stay with you until the police can find this guy. If you don’t mind, I’m going to put in a load before we go down to the diner.”
“Go ahead. I’ll pick up a few things in the mercantile and meet you back here.” Allie laid a hand on Penny’s arm in appreciation. “Thanks for the offer. I’ll think about.”
“Think fast.”
Allie entered the mercantile feeling better already. It was good to have such loyal, caring friends.
Fifteen minutes later, they were strolling down the board-planked walk to the restaurant, reaching the large front windows that revealed the Saturday lunch crowd when Allie spotted Brett’s truck parked right in front. She halted, not about to appear like she was stalking him by showing up in the same place as he, after last night.
“I changed my mind. Let’s go into Eagle’s Nest and eat at Boone’s Barbeque.”
