evil cramps armed with a heating pad and ibuprofen, battling back against unwarranted bitchiness. Able to soothe with a simple hug.
She let go of his shirt and slid her arms around his waist. If he thought she was going to let an opportunity like this slip away, he was nuts. He’d been avoiding physical contact with her for a week, which only increased her craving for his touch. She laid her head just below his shoulder and pressed against him, not caring that her hair was a mess, or that she was a physical wreck.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“For what?” She could hear the smile in his voice.
“Being so bitchy.”
“You’re entitled.”
“You didn’t deserve it though.”
“It’s okay. I’m bulletproof.” He broke the embrace leaving her no choice but to let him step away. He ruffled her hair before removing the kettle from the burner, where it had begun to whistle.
She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her robe while he poured hot water into a mug and added a tea bag.
“I miss my cat,” she said, as if that explained her mini-breakdown.
“Bubba?”
She sniffed and nodded. “He’s this big ball of white fur. At home he follows me everywhere.”
Reif handed her the tea. “I’m sure you’ll be back with him in no time.”
She heard the buzz of the television from the other room. Suddenly she was feeling much better. Maybe instead of going back to bed, she’d have her tea down here. Sitting on the couch. With Reif.
Chapter Seven
Quinn set the alarm and stepped outside, turning the key in the dead bolt. Reif had told her not to leave the house without him. He’d given her the security code so she had easy access to the pool and the back deck, and a spare key in case of emergency. But while she was inside, all the doors and windows were to be locked and the alarm system engaged. Reif also showed her where he kept his gun, a Glock. He tried to explain the basics of gun safety to her, before she reminded him that she’d been raised by two cops.
Quinn had decided to operate using her own initiative from the moment she arrived and reminded herself every time she left the house that what Reif didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. He had a fairly regular work schedule and she wasn’t about to imprison herself in his house while he was gone.
She was free , and she was going to enjoy every last second of that freedom, but she wasn’t stupid. She’d keep herself on a short enough leash. Reif’s neighborhood seemed safe enough. The houses were similar to his, rehabbed craftsman and ranches, many of them nearly hidden behind wrought iron or wooden fences and well-tended landscaping. In the evenings, cars parked along the curbs or in the short driveways, but during the day, most vehicles were gone. The area was quiet, with only a few of the neighbors walking a dog or gardening.
She waited until he left each morning before she got dressed and went for a run. She’d been running for as long as she could remember. On the high school track team, on the beach, around her own neighborhood. Reif had a treadmill, but to her it wasn’t the same thing. Treadmills bored her and she didn’t need to be more bored than she already was.
She smiled as she meandered along the sidewalks, enjoying the cool, dry air, the glimmer of the sun shining down on her. How perfectly lovely, she decided, to have landed in a safe haven with a man like Reif, even if he was getting a bit too protective. She’d show him she could take care of herself.
She wouldn’t risk being seen in public for long periods of time. She knew better than to establish any kind of routine, just in case someone was looking for her. She took alternate routes, working outward in concentric circles, but was never more than a few blocks from Reif’s house. Maybe she wouldn’t go out every day, except for her morning run, but if she stayed in the house alone for days at a time she’d go crazy. She’d pop out every once in a while during the day for a
She let go of his shirt and slid her arms around his waist. If he thought she was going to let an opportunity like this slip away, he was nuts. He’d been avoiding physical contact with her for a week, which only increased her craving for his touch. She laid her head just below his shoulder and pressed against him, not caring that her hair was a mess, or that she was a physical wreck.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“For what?” She could hear the smile in his voice.
“Being so bitchy.”
“You’re entitled.”
“You didn’t deserve it though.”
“It’s okay. I’m bulletproof.” He broke the embrace leaving her no choice but to let him step away. He ruffled her hair before removing the kettle from the burner, where it had begun to whistle.
She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her robe while he poured hot water into a mug and added a tea bag.
“I miss my cat,” she said, as if that explained her mini-breakdown.
“Bubba?”
She sniffed and nodded. “He’s this big ball of white fur. At home he follows me everywhere.”
Reif handed her the tea. “I’m sure you’ll be back with him in no time.”
She heard the buzz of the television from the other room. Suddenly she was feeling much better. Maybe instead of going back to bed, she’d have her tea down here. Sitting on the couch. With Reif.
Chapter Seven
Quinn set the alarm and stepped outside, turning the key in the dead bolt. Reif had told her not to leave the house without him. He’d given her the security code so she had easy access to the pool and the back deck, and a spare key in case of emergency. But while she was inside, all the doors and windows were to be locked and the alarm system engaged. Reif also showed her where he kept his gun, a Glock. He tried to explain the basics of gun safety to her, before she reminded him that she’d been raised by two cops.
Quinn had decided to operate using her own initiative from the moment she arrived and reminded herself every time she left the house that what Reif didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. He had a fairly regular work schedule and she wasn’t about to imprison herself in his house while he was gone.
She was free , and she was going to enjoy every last second of that freedom, but she wasn’t stupid. She’d keep herself on a short enough leash. Reif’s neighborhood seemed safe enough. The houses were similar to his, rehabbed craftsman and ranches, many of them nearly hidden behind wrought iron or wooden fences and well-tended landscaping. In the evenings, cars parked along the curbs or in the short driveways, but during the day, most vehicles were gone. The area was quiet, with only a few of the neighbors walking a dog or gardening.
She waited until he left each morning before she got dressed and went for a run. She’d been running for as long as she could remember. On the high school track team, on the beach, around her own neighborhood. Reif had a treadmill, but to her it wasn’t the same thing. Treadmills bored her and she didn’t need to be more bored than she already was.
She smiled as she meandered along the sidewalks, enjoying the cool, dry air, the glimmer of the sun shining down on her. How perfectly lovely, she decided, to have landed in a safe haven with a man like Reif, even if he was getting a bit too protective. She’d show him she could take care of herself.
She wouldn’t risk being seen in public for long periods of time. She knew better than to establish any kind of routine, just in case someone was looking for her. She took alternate routes, working outward in concentric circles, but was never more than a few blocks from Reif’s house. Maybe she wouldn’t go out every day, except for her morning run, but if she stayed in the house alone for days at a time she’d go crazy. She’d pop out every once in a while during the day for a
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