Did insomnia-induced insanity count as a defense?
We were about to find out.
Nine
Shit.
I was definitely falling off the leader board in every aspect of my life this week.
I kept a safe distance from Rylee. I’d thought her ability with darts was dangerous—it had nothing on her in full-on anger mode.
Then again, I kinda had gotten her fired.
Fuck.
But she really was so much better than that job. She was smart enough and talented enough to be running her own shop. She didn’t have the personality to actually work for anyone. I understood, because I was very much the same.
She stalked across the street, the heels of her boots clicking ominously in that way that only women seemed to be able to do. I dashed after her when she didn’t even bother to look both ways to check for oncoming traffic.
“Jesus, woman.” I scooped her up and set her down on the sidewalk just as a cyclist zipped by.
Her huge dark eyes were startled, almost on the verge of shock.
“Look, I get that you’re mad, but you gotta slow down and think.”
“Think? Right now, I’m going through four different scenarios that I know of to hide your body. One of them might include that lake.” She shoved me back and practically ran down the sidewalk.
What the hell was it with the women in this town and threatening me with murder? I wasn’t that much of an asshole.
At least I didn’t think so.
Luckily, my long legs didn’t require the sprinting situation she had going on. I drove fast, I didn’t run. However, I did pick up the pace when I saw how close she was to her door. I knew she would not let me upstairs.
I managed to grab the door just as she tried to slam it in my face.
“I did not invite you in.”
“Rylee?”
“What?”
“Shut up.” I pulled her against my chest and covered her mouth with mine. It was the only way I knew to quiet her down long enough to let me in.
Miraculously, she didn’t even pretend to fight me. I knew she was riding that adrenaline wave and needed a target. Instead of stabbing me with whatever sharp implements she could find in her apartment, she allowed me to re-route her agenda.
She went up on her toes and dragged me down closer. “This doesn’t mean anything, you understand me?”
“Right. Not a thing.” I curled my arm around her waist and hauled her up against me, half carrying her and half dragging her up the stairs.
I slammed my hip into the doorknob as we got to the top of the stairs. Her apartment was the first one on her floor. She reached around me to twist it open and shoved me against the island right inside the door.
Memories of our first night slammed into me. She’d been much the same that night. Determined to find some sort of outlet using me and the crazy attraction that flamed between us.
I’d wanted it to be more that night, and those same feelings were crowding me now. I was the king of one-nighters, but nothing about Rylee felt as if it should be one and done, no matter what she said. And I was going to prove it to her.
But this go-round, I wasn’t going to let her make all the rules. We’d tried that before.
It was time for her to see just what—and who—she was dealing with.