A breath that filtered through me like peace.
Like warmth and light.
Milo nudged my hand, and a restless sigh pressed between my lips when I looked down to find those huge brown puppy eyes staring up at me. He whimpered again, his snout damp, prodding at me. Relenting, I ran my hand over the soft, soft fur of his head.
My chest tightened and I felt another piece of me break.
God damn it.
Rynna snuggled closer. God damn it straight to hell.
Rynna.
Fucking Rynna.
Little Thief.
27
Rynna
“No.” Nikki sat forward as if the tiny bit of information I’d let slip was the most scandalous thing she’d ever heard.
I glanced around the quaint city sidewalk where Nikki, Lillith, and I sat out front of a small café under an umbrella sipping our coffees. People meandered, peering into the large storefront windows, enjoying their Saturday morning. Lush trees grew up from planters, strategically placed along the walk, their bright green leaves and thick branches shade for the old two- and three-story buildings that had been renovated as part of a restoration project over the last ten years.
Macaber Street was much like what was happening on Fairview where the diner was located and the new hotel was going up. I could only pray Pepper’s Pies would see this same kind of revitalization. That it would flourish and mobs of people would move in and out of its doors. It was the life I was looking for right there. Within my reach.
Which was what had Nikki in a stir.
I lifted a shoulder and took a sip of my ice-cold Frappuccino. “What?”
She gave me a look that told me I was insane. “Um . . . you did just say RG Construction had taken over the renovation on Pepper’s?”
“So?”
She laughed and glanced at Lillith, who was burying her smile in the plastic lid of her coffee. Disbelief filled Nikki’s tone when she aimed her inquisition back on me. “RG. As in Rex Gunner. Asshole extraordinaire, who just so happens to be your neighbor and you have so clearly been crushing on since the day we met you.”
I would have bristled at the insinuation of Rex being an asshole if it weren’t for the heat that rushed to my cheeks, beating any other emotion to the punch. There was no stopping it. Not when I was immediately assaulted with the memories of last night.
Frankie had been at her grandma’s, which meant Rex had me all night. Again and again. The man hard and commanding and rough. Demanding my pleasure just as sure as he’d demanded his. My body his claim. I’d never had sex like that. Not in all my life.
I shifted in the metal chair.
Nikki’s mouth dropped open. “Oh. My. God.”
My eyes widened in as much feigned innocence as I could muster. “What are you talking about?”
Yeah. I was brilliant when I was put on the spot. I wasn’t much of a player of games. But I honestly didn’t think Rex would appreciate me gossiping about how freaking fantastic he was in bed to my friends.
“Don’t you ‘what’ me, young lady. I know there’s a story behind all of that.” She circled her finger around my face, as if in my expression was a written confession. “And a good one, too. Fess up. There’s no way you two are just doing business together.” She air-quoted the business part.
Lillith swatted Nikki’s arm. “If she doesn’t want to talk about it, don’t force her.” Lillith looked back at me with an apologetic grin. “I swear that she chases all the good ones away because she thinks she needs to know every detail about everything.”
“That’s what friends are for. The details. I want all the details.” She looked to the sky as if she were casting up a petition. Her attention dropped right back to me with a plea on her face. “Come on, Rynna. Tell me. I can’t stand it. I want to know how you convinced Rex to work for you. I mean, not that you’re not all kinds of gorgeous, because we all know you are, and I’m pretty sure you could enchant just about any man with your sexual wiles, but we’re talking Rex Gunner here. ”
Leaning forward, I rested my forearms on the table as I fiddled with a paper napkin. “He’s not an asshole.”
Not even close.
“He just . . . doesn’t normally let people get to know him.”
Nikki’s brows rose. “And you know him?”
“We’re . . .”
“You’re what?” This from Lillith. She shifted forward. “Are you and Rex seeing each other?” Shock lined every syllable of the question.
Uneasily, I glanced down the street, not sure how to describe what Rex and I were. What we had.
Not when it felt like everything but still lacked a name. “We’ve been spending time together,” I settled on.
Nikki smacked the table then pointed at me. “I knew it!”