But I wouldn’t be much of a hero if I didn’t eventually get rid of the snake. So I said, “Of course,” trying to infuse my voice with as much casual, manly confidence as possible.
With Emily still clinging to my back like a koala, I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a pair of barbecue tongs. Then I went back to the dining room, squatted down and grabbed the snake with them. The snake wasn’t quick enough to escape. Emily let out a small squeak and buried her face in my neck. I almost groaned as she tightened her hold on me because my mind went to sex…and I wondered if she’d cling like this when she came.
I put the snake down out in the backyard. It fled immediately, parting the grass as it moved away. I watched it go, then went back inside. Emily stayed glued to my back the whole time.
“Is it dead?” she asked in a small voice, probably to avoid attracting the snake’s attention.
I made a vague noise in my throat, enjoying the feel of her. “It’s been dealt with.”
“But it’s alive?” she whispered against my neck. Jesus, this was erotic.
“Yeah,” I said.
“Won’t it come back?”
“I doubt it.” The weather was too warm for it to want to hide inside a house.
“You’re not sure? I can’t have it come back.”
“The problem isn’t it coming back,” I said, not wanting Emily to climb down my back.
“It isn’t?”
“No. You know how snakes are cold-blooded?”
“Yeah…”
“That means they need a way to keep warm.” I let it sink in.
“Okay. So it’s going to be back.”
“Not it. They.”
“They?” Emily squealed.
“Not so loud.”
“Oh my God! What do you mean, they?”
“Snakes live in dens. With other snakes. They ball up to help stay warm. People do it, too. You know, in the wild when you’re stuck in a blizzard or something. You huddle together, and it helps you survive.”
“So…what? You think there are more in here?”
“Could be. You never know.”
A shudder ran through her. It wasn’t exactly like a sexual climax, but it felt good anyway. “What do I do? Can I stay with you until we make sure they’re all gone?”
Normally, I’d say yes. But lust was raging in my body, and the petty part of my mind brought up how she’d said I was only worth ten minutes of her time. Therefore, I shouldn’t give in easily.
“What’s in it for me?” I asked.
“Um.” She squirmed some more against my back.
Jesus. My dick said, Man up. She might offer to sleep with you. Women sleep with guys who perform heroic deeds.
Don’t count on it, I shot back at my one-track cock. Women also offered to sleep with rock stars, but Emily wasn’t even close to interested.
“How about dinner?” she said finally. “You like pizza?”
Was she serious? She could do better. “I can buy myself a pizza.”
“Okay. How about shrimp scampi? I make a great scampi.”
Well, then. I liked Italian. And having dinner together was a good next step. Like a date. Besides, based on how she ate crackers and junk food all the time, I could see how cooking for someone would be a big deal to her. “I accept.”
“Hey, can you grab my laptop and phone on the way?” she said, still on my back.
“Why?”
“I have to work. I’m about to wrap up Molly and Ryan’s story.”
“Molly and Ryan’s story” still sounded weird. But I picked up her electronics without arguing. “Anything else?”
“No, that’s it. Now carry me out of this nest of serpents!”
Chapter Nineteen
Emily
After calling the local pest control and animal removal company for some emergency service, I spent the rest of the day at Killian’s house working on my manuscript. Although Killian gave me full use of his dining table and took himself into the living room, I was braced for endless interruptions I couldn’t do anything about.
Sad to say, most people didn’t respect my time because I was home. Which to them meant I wasn’t doing anything worthwhile. That was the biggest reason I no longer bothered to date. None of the three men I’d been involved with before moving to Kingstree had learned the art of entertaining themselves while I was working. In addition, since I was “just on my computer,” they’d thought they had every right to bother me, no matter how many times I explained I was working. They hadn’t respected the fact that every time they tapped my shoulder or talked to me, I was pulled out of my flow, and it would take me at least half an hour to reimmerse myself in the story.
However, I couldn’t dump Killian because we weren’t dating. I needed him more than he needed me, and I owed him dinner for taking care of that awful snake.
But—amazingly—Killian stayed quiet. He put on a headset and read one of the books he’d borrowed the day before. The peace and quiet lasted the entire afternoon, and I had to admit I was impressed. Or maybe my book is just that damned good, I thought with satisfaction.
Finally, I typed the long-awaited The End, emailed it to my editor and jumped to my feet, closing my laptop. “Yes!”
It was done, done, done! I was sure I’d get hundreds of comments to review later, but for now, the thrill of having the basic manuscript finished was sizzling through me. It was the best thing I’d written, and if it didn’t resonate with my readers, I didn’t know what would. I couldn’t wait to see Dad eat his words!
Killian looked over from the couch, raising his eyebrows. I gave him both thumbs up, and he pulled the headset off. “All done?”
I grinned. “Yup. This baby’s off to my editor.” I put my hands up in the air triumphantly and did the “my book’s finished” celebratory butt-wriggle dance. “Ooh yeah.”
He laughed. “No wonder you write romantic comedy. You’re cracking me up.”
“Don’t let the dance fool you. I’ve considered writing dark, angsty romance, too.”
“So why don’t you?”
“Because my first book was funny, and it took off. Lucy told me I should stick to what works.” Then I added, “Lucy’s one of my closest friends. She writes romantic thrillers, and she’s brilliant.”
He smiled, genuine pleasure lighting his eyes. “Does this mean you’re ready to head out to grab whatever you need to make us dinner?”
“Is it already time to start thinking about dinner?” I asked, looking around for a clock.
“It’s a little after four.”
The scampi itself wouldn’t take too long, but the shopping… Well, that was another matter. I picked up my phone and checked to see if there was a message from the pest and animal removal company. Nothing yet. “Let me see what you have in your fridge. I don’t want to assume anything.”
“We’re gonna need at least the shrimp. But I’ll go to Sunny’s with you, to help carry everything.” He flexed his arm muscles ostentatiously.
I laughed. “Okay.”
His offer ended up working in my favor because I suddenly realized I didn’t have my keys. I’d left them in the house. And I wasn’t setting foot back in there until I knew it was safe to do so.