Read Online The Voyeur Next Door by Airicka Phoenix - Free Book Online Page B

heated debate with the store clerk about whether or not the eggs had been broken before, or after I bought them. Neither one of us could prove it wasn’t our fault. Ultimately, the blame was placed on me for not checking before buying and I learned a valuable lesson.
    “Ali!”
    The unexpected explosion of my name sent every nerve ending in my body into automatic panic mode. I jumped. The eggs shot out of my hand and splattered in a yellow mess across the linoleum, yet the worst part was my undignified screech as I whirled around.
    Gabriel stared back at me, gray eyes enormous in surprise, like he couldn’t understand what the fuck just happened.
    “What the hell is wrong with you?” I exploded, clutching at my chest where my heart was threatening to vomit in fright all over my ribcage. “Why are you sneaking up on people?”
    He continued to gawk at me from beneath a filthy black baseball cap that was drawn low over his eyes. Stray wisps of hair curled around his ears and along the back of his neck where his t-shirt collar began. It was also black, as were his jeans and disgusting boots.
    “Are you robbing the place?”
    His brows furrowed as they seemed to do often whenever I spoke. It made me wonder if maybe we didn’t speak the same type of English.
    “I called you,” he said finally. “Everyone in the store heard me.”
    “I doubt that,” I countered, letting my hand drop down to my side. “This place is like the set of some war movie.”
    He said nothing and I wondered if I had to start explaining myself to the guy. I knew my wit wasn’t for everyone, but seriously, I thought I was hilarious.
    “So…” I began slowly. “This is awkward.”
    “Earl was asking for you this morning,” he said at the exact same moment. “But he didn’t know how to get a hold of you.”
    “So, you’re stalking me?”
    His eyes narrowed. “I came to get a few things for the flat and saw you.”
    It was then that I noticed the cart behind him, filled with things like whole grain and soy. It was all the things in the organic, healthy choices aisle I usually avoided like the plague and children.
    “Wow!” I mused, unable to suppress my amazement, and mild amusement. “You’re really taking this mountain man thing to the next level, huh?”
    So I had to admit that his beard wasn’t too terrible outside the rustic grunge of his auto body shop. Dressed in black with those intense gray eyes, he actually kind of looked … hot, like a really buff rocker.
    “Mountain man?”
    I decided to avoid his question by reaching for another carton of eggs. I gingerly set it down in the little spot reserved for children and started moving forward.
    “How is Earl?” I asked, feeling the full power of Gabriel’s eyes burning holes into my spine.
    “Upset.” He fell into step alongside me with his cart lining up with mine. “He really has his heart set on you working at the shop.”
    “And you still hate it,” I ventured, already knowing the answer.
    “Yes.” At least he was honest. “I will never like the idea.” He turned his head and I was caught in those silvery eyes. “But if this is important to Earl, I’ll learn to get over it.”
    “Just like that?” I stopped walking and turned to him. “You’ll put up with me because your grandfather is upset?”
    He stopped next to me and nudged the knuckle of one bent finger against the bill of his cap.
    “Earl raised me after my dad died,” he said evenly. “He did all the things a dad would do with his kid right down to beating my ass when I deserved it. There is very little I wouldn’t do for him, even if it means putting up with you.”
    While I wasn’t thrilled at being put up with , I came to the notion that I needed a job. Badly. I also had nothing lined up, nor had I bothered looking for anything since moving back and it wasn’t because I was lazy. I had wanted to take the time off and enjoy … me. Between getting emotionally stifled by my mother and then