Mastered by Malone (Haven, Texas 6)

“Your ceiling needs a coat of paint.”

Hmm, that wasn’t quite what she’d been aiming for.

She sighed. Then looked up at him. One eyebrow was raised as he stared down at her. There was amusement in his eyes.

Great, now she’d entertained him.

“I don’t like you right now.” And now she was acting like a teenager.

“So noted.”

She let out a low noise of frustration. Then she swung her legs around. “Cops gone?”

“Yes.”

“Anything I need to worry about?”

“I would tell you if there was.” He was watching her with interest now. She didn’t like it. Then she saw him take a sweeping glance around the office. She tensed. She’d left no sign of her snooping. She knew she hadn’t, and yet, she almost felt like he knew.

Time to leave.

“I have some laundry to do.” She tried to stand. He put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her back. It wasn’t a hard push. In fact, he barely exerted any pressure. But it was very clear he wasn’t ready to let her leave.

Shit.

“Malone, I—”

“Have fun snooping?” he asked.

Fuck.

When in trouble, she was fond of the ABDs. Avoid. Bluff. Deny.

“Excuse me?” she asked huffily. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

“You think I don’t know when someone has rifled through my stuff.”

She moved her gaze around the room again, coming back to meet his amused one. What did he find so funny?

“I’m insulted you think I would snoop.”

He leaned in, all humor vanishing. “And I’m insulted that the woman I take into my home, putting everyone on this ranch in danger in order to protect, proceeds to disobey and lie to me.”

Oh. Fuck.

It seemed all that amusement at her expense was just a front. Because he was really, really angry. Scratch that, he was furious.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t find anything.”

“Of course not, I’m no amateur.”

She had no idea what he meant by that. Amateur what? No amateur at hiding shit? So he did have stuff to hide, she knew it. No one was as closed off as he was without a reason.

“Earth to Calamity Jane.”

“Stop calling me that.”

He placed his hands on his hips, still standing over her. “Do not ever go through my stuff again, understand?”