Hill scoffed. “A drama queen?”
Christina had always been particularly tough on women who showed a lot of emotion. She’d been raised with brothers and thought an ironclad poker face was next to godliness. Andi’s unedited, messy reactions wouldn’t compute for her.
Christina shrugged. “She seems like someone who would enjoy being the center of attention. The whole damsel-in-distress routine, you know?”
Hill’s jaw clenched. “Andi thought someone had broken into her house. I think she has the right to be dramatic over that. She didn’t leave her door unlocked. She’s the careful type. She was legitimately terrified.”
Brody ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Yeah, the lady looks scared. Go talk to her and reassure her she’s safe. And if anything turns up missing, tell her to give us a call.”
“Will do.” Hill shook Brody’s hand. “Thanks for coming out.”
“Anytime.”
Christina nodded instead of offering a handshake. Fine by him.
When Hill went back inside, Andi was standing in the middle of her living room, arms hugged to her chest, looking around like she was in a foreign place.
He ran a hand over the back of his head. “You okay?”
Andi turned to him, posture tight, guarded. “That female officer thought I was imagining things.” Her chin tipped up. “I’m not. This isn’t me creating scary stories. That door was locked. Someone who was not me opened it.”
He sighed. “I know. I believe you.”
Her shoulders drooped like her puppet strings had been cut. “You do?”
“Yeah. I know that feeling of someone being there even when you can’t see them yet. I’m sure Christina does, too. Cops rely on all those senses and instincts in dangerous situations.” He glanced back at the closed front door. “Don’t worry too much about her. It wasn’t about you. She was in a bad mood because I was here.”
Andi lifted her brows. “Why’s that? She have something against firefighters?”
“Just one.” He double-checked that the door was locked, giving it a tug to make sure the lock caught, before turning back to her. “We used to be engaged.”
Her lips parted. “Oh. Wow. Awkward.”
“Can be.” He shifted his weight off his prosthesis, his knee aching. “Do you need anything? I’ll call a locksmith in the morning, and I’ll get an alarm put in as soon as I can get someone out here.”
She leaned against the back of the couch. “Why didn’t you tell me you owned the place?”
He shrugged. “I use a management company for the rental properties I own. I didn’t want you to feel like you had to be on your toes around me or something because I’m the landlord.”
She twisted the string of the athletic shorts she’d borrowed. “Thanks for helping me tonight. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if you hadn’t opened your door.”
“You can always knock on my door,” he said, shoving his hands in the pockets of his sweats and stepping closer. “Honestly.”
Her mouth ticked up at the corner. “Even though you’ve been avoiding me since I barged in on you with brownies?”
He frowned. “I haven’t been avoiding you.”
She tilted her head, a wry look on her face.
He let out a breath. “Okay, maybe I have a little. It’s not about you. I’m just…”
“Not a social butterfly. I get it. You won’t be the first or the last to avoid my chatter. I can be hell on introverts.” She gave a little smile. “But I’m willing to forgive you for this avoidance because you opened the door and were my hero tonight.”
He shook his head. “Not a hero. Only a neighbor. You would’ve done the same for me, I’m sure.”
“Oh, of course.” She laughed and put up her fists like she was ready to box. “I’d totes protect my giant werewolf neighbor from the bad guys. They’d cower in terror at the mere sight of me.”
Something tense released in his shoulders. It was hard to stay serious when Andi was shadowboxing in his oversize shorts. “Your werewolf neighbor?”
A little color came back into her cheeks as she put her arms down, and a flash of guilt crossed her face. “You know. Bearded, stomps around late at night, hides from humans.”
He groaned and rubbed the spot between his eyes. “You’re going to murder me in a book, aren’t you?”
“Ha. No, you’re safe,” she said. “As long as you promise not to attack me when the full moon comes around. Or any moon phase for that matter.”
Hill nodded. “Deal.”
They stared at each other for a few quiet seconds, and he cleared his throat. “Uh, do you need anything before I head out? I’m sure you’re ready to get to sleep.”
She glanced at the front door, and the light in her eyes dimmed again, as if remembering why he was there in the first place. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep—possibly for the rest of my life now. But you’re relieved of your duties. Thank you again.”
He caught the waver in her voice, the anxiety there. She was putting on a brave face, but she was clearly still petrified. “I could stay.”
The words came out before he could evaluate them and declare them certifiably insane. I could stay? What the hell?
Abort. Abort. Abort.
Chapter Seven
Andi blinked at Hill’s offer. “What?”
Hill scratched his beard, looking altogether uncomfortable. “I mean, if you’re scared to stay alone, I could sleep on the couch. Maybe you could get some rest that way.”
Sleep on her couch? The neighbor she barely knew? Oh, hell no. She shook her head automatically. Guys didn’t sleep over. Period. End of sentence. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“You don’t have to ask,” he said with a shrug. “I’m offering. It’s only a few hours ’til morning anyway.”
Her gaze swept over him. The man was just so big. And intimidating. Even in sweats and a T-shirt, he looked like some comic superhero—or villain. Complete with bionic leg.
Sexy as fuck. But also scary as hell.
She didn’t know him. And even though her gut was saying good guy, she’d learned her gut was far from reliable when it came to men. Her gut had almost gotten her killed. She hated that she could just as easily imagine Hill kissing her breathless as she could imagine him putting his hands around her throat and choking the life out of her. Her imagination was her best asset and her worst enemy sometimes.