Callie woofed, her tail wagging. She followed Rose into the living room, going alert when she scented Seth. She sniffed him. Rose couldn’t help but notice that Seth allowed the dog to smell him without moving. Most people tended to reach for dogs without considering the consequences.
“This is Callie,” Rose said.
Seth waited another moment until Callie had completed a thorough sniffing. Deciding that Seth wasn’t a threat, she sat on her haunches, watching him with her dark eyes. Sometimes Rose wondered how much Callie perceived in people.
Seth kneeled down, and when Callie wagged her tail, he began to stroke her silky dark head. Callie woofed in pleasure, her tail wagging harder. A smile spread across his face.
“Pretty dog,” he murmured. He gave her one last pat before rising. “Is that it?”
“Is what it?”
His smile widened. “Is that everything you needed out of your car?”
“Oh!” Rose barely stifled a blush. “Yes, thank you. You don’t need to stay.” She winced and, feeling foolish, decided to focus on unpacking the few things she had.
But what could she do with blankets and pillows without a mattress? She hadn’t lied when she’d said she didn’t have a mattress being delivered anytime soon. Her brother, Heath, had said he’d buy her whatever she needed, but she’d declined. She’d taken care of herself for this long; she didn’t need anyone’s charity. Although, if she thought about how she could barely afford this apartment, she knew her pride would only last so long. She had agreed to borrow his car for the move, but that had been the extent of the charity she’d been willing to accept.
She tossed a blanket, annoyed with herself, and she heard Seth grunt a laugh.
“What did that blanket do to you, princess?”
She almost growled. “Will you stop calling me that?” She moved past him to go into the kitchen to get…something. More water? Maybe I’ll just hide in a cabinet until he finally leaves.
Callie sensed her sudden tension and pressed her wet nose against her palm. Rose stroked along Callie’s spine absentmindedly.
“Are you stalking me?” she blurted. At his raised eyebrow, she added, “Because isn’t it kind of weird that you keep showing up to help me? What do you want from me anyway?”
His lips twitched. “It’s a small town.”
“It’s not that small.”
“True. I haven’t seen you in a month. Usually people run into each other more often than that.”
That’s because I’ve been avoiding you. She’d seen him at The Fainting Goat, where she worked as a waitress. Every time she’d seen him at a booth or at the bar, she’d somehow sneaked into the back or persuaded a coworker to get his order.
She hated people helping her. Treating her like a princess. Princesses were kept in towers, hidden away, waiting to be rescued. Rose refused to wait to be rescued, because she knew all too well you’d be waiting for the rest of your life.
“Were you looking for me?” She wanted to sound accusatory; instead, she sounded breathy.
“I wanted to know if you’d gotten rid of your stalker. Did you?” His eyes darkened ever so slightly. “Did that asshole leave you alone?”
“For now.”
When he looked like he wanted to ask more questions, she shook her head. “I still don’t get why you’re at my apartment complex at all.” A frisson of fear coursed through her. Had her instincts been wrong again? Was Seth no different from Johnny?
Ice coated her veins at the mere thought.
But Seth only laughed. “Nothing like that.” He pointed over his shoulder. “I’m in 117.”
“Wait. You live here?”
“Generally more than one person lives in an apartment complex, yes.”
“You’re my neighbor.”
“So it would seem.”
She blushed scarlet, and then when he stepped closer to her, she blushed even redder.
“I think you’re the one stalking me,” he said in a low voice that made her blood simmer. “Although I can’t say that I dislike the idea.”
She wondered if he would kiss her. She wondered if this was what it felt like to be a gazelle when a lion spotted you. Yet the question begged to be asked—did she want to be caught this time?
She swallowed. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from his. With his height, his dark brown hair, his chiseled jaw, and those bulging arms, she would have to be deaf and blind not to notice how attractive he was. A faint beard darkened his face, although he probably had a five-o’clock shadow every evening despite shaving in the morning. She couldn’t help but notice the cleft in his chin, and the way his upper lip curved. All of him seemed hard, unyielding. Ruthless. A white scar cut along his left cheek, and he had smaller scars on his arms and his hands.
Callie barked, the moment shattered. Rose jumped away and tugged at her braid. She felt dizzy. She wished Seth would leave so she could find her equilibrium again.
“Let me take you out for drinks,” Seth said suddenly.
She almost laughed. She hadn’t gone out for drinks—gone on a date—in years. An eternity. Rose wasn’t the dating type. That was for women who didn’t wake up terrified of the memories, the past, the ghosts who would never let her go. Dating was for women who weren’t scared of every man they encountered.
Dating was for women who didn’t see danger around every corner.
“I can’t. I’m busy.” It was a lame excuse, but it was all she could come up with. Normally she could tell guys no more smoothly, but Seth was something else entirely.
She expected annoyance, but Seth just said, “One drink, then. It’s not marriage. You don’t even have to pay for it.”
That made her laugh. “I hope not. Isn’t the guy always supposed to pay?”
“Now you’re being archaic.”
She laughed, and when his eyes crinkled, her heart did that annoying little flutter in her chest. It was on the tip of her tongue to say yes when her front door opened.
“Rose, hey, I thought you’d like some coffee,” her brother, Heath, said. When he saw Seth Thornton standing in her living room, he stopped in his tracks.
The trio all stared at each other. Rose suddenly felt like she’d been caught doing something naughty, and based on Heath’s irritated expression, she’d have to explain that nothing had happened.
If only my brother wouldn’t treat me like a child.
Seth’s eyes widened. Then: “You’re his sister.”
“Yes. Did you not realize that?” She was confused now.
Seth shook his head. “DiMarco. Of course. I should’ve known.”
Heath pressed one of the cups of coffee into her hand before asking in a deceptively casual tone, “So, how do you two know each other?”
Chapter Two
Seth considered Heath DiMarco, whose expression looked very much like he’d enjoy throwing Seth out on his ass. Seth had known that Rose’s last name had rung a bell, but he’d been so wrapped up in her that he’d never considered that she had an older brother.
An older brother who was currently bristling with protective instincts.