Naughty and Notorious

Water drips from my hair, and I secretly hope it makes a little puddle for him to slip on. It could make me a rich widow if he broke his neck, and I don’t recall signing a prenup. This is his second mistake. Judge isn't prone to mistakes, so I’ll be snatching up any I can get my hands on.

“I think you ruined my cell phone.” I hold up the phone my sister got me. It isn't like those fancy touchscreen ones everyone has, but it was mine. It was my first cell, and now it’s ruined.

“I’ll get you a new one. This one is junk anyway.”

I snap my head up at him. “Junk?” I whisper at first. “Junk!” I jump up from the high-top stool I’m sitting on and I’m the one that ends up almost tripping in the puddle. Judge manages to catch me before I can fall, but I smack at his hands to get away from him.

“Careful,” he growls when I finally get a good three feet between us.

That’s the farthest we’ve been apart since he put me into his fancy truck. I was soaking wet and probably ruined the seat, which made me smile. Any other time I’ve tried to get space from him he’s right there manhandling me. I hope the inside of his truck smells like mold in a few days.

“Junk. Of course you think it's junk because you can buy anything you like. My sister busted her ass because she was the only one that was allowed to get a job so she could buy us those”—I hold my fingers up to make air quotes—“‘junk’ phones because we can't stand the idea of not talking to each other every day. And because, well, we love each other, which is something I suspect you don’t understand.” I let out a breath, feeling better that I got that all out. It feels good to yell. I should probably do it more often.

“I’m sorry.” He actually looks a little sheepish, and I stand there in shock for a moment wondering if I misunderstood him. “I’ll have a new one here in the morning.”

“Of course you’re sorry now,” I sputter, unable to think of anything else to say, and his lips twitch. I turn around because he’s too handsome to stare at. I’m just happy I’m not turning into the lovestruck girl that I used to be when I heard his name or saw him around town.

That died the day he asked for my sister's hand in marriage. Though he really hadn’t in the end, none of this would have been a mix-up in the first place if he didn’t spend his whole life ignoring me. Is this how he plans to make it right?

“Would you like to get changed?”

“I liked the outfit I had on before I was tossed into the water like I was nothing more than a rag doll.” I turn back around to face him, which is a terrible idea. It’s hard to keep my anger when I’m staring at how hot he is. I hate how I’ve dreamed of his big body on top of mine, holding me close when I needed it most.

“I’m sure you can find something to your liking in your closet.”

I perk up at this new information. All my stuff is back at my parents’ house.

“You’re taking me home?”

His smug look turns into a full smile, and I want to smack it. And possibly do other things to it, but I can’t focus on that right this second.

“You are home.”

Before I can come up with my own reply, he’s lifting me into his arms and carrying me up the stairs.

“I’m not a doll. I know how to walk, you jerk.”

A second later he plops me down on one of the softest beds I’ve ever felt. I look around the beautiful bedroom in shock because it’s perfect. There’s light gray wood flooring and giant windows overlooking the fields in the back.

This place could be in a home interiors magazine, and I know because I love them. I steal them out of the mailbox each month and bookmark my favorites by turning down the corners of the pages.

“No, you’re not a doll, you're my wife.” He stands at the edge of the bed, looking down at me.

One of these days I’m going to get to look down at him. Then my mind flashes to how that would be possible, and I instantly feel heat lick through my body.

“This is a really lovely guest room you have here, Judge. I’ve been wondering what the house was going to look like.”

He’s been building it for over a year now. I heard the other house he used to live in is now where the foreman lives. Judge can be a jerk, but it's never been said he isn't generous to the people who work for him.