Page 59 of Resisting the Grump

“You started all this with your hostile welcome note.”

My body boiled. “Don’t you dare put this on me.” I marched to the door and threw it open, wishing I hadn’t as soon as I saw him. “You were deliberately deceptive, slept with me, and stayed quiet about where you lived because—”

“Because you didn’t want that guy.”

I stared at him through wide eyes. “You’re the same guy!”

“It’s not that simple.”

I clenched my jaw. “If you can’t see how deep in the doghouse you are right now—”

He splayed a hand across the door. “There’s nothing wrong with my vision.”

“How about your feet?”

He furrowed his brow and glanced down.

I grabbed the leash off my shoe rack and threw it at his feet. “Take a walk.”

“It’s like that?” he asked, his dark eyes searching mine.

I closed the door in his face again, and it felt even worse than the first time.

Still, his footsteps didn’t start down the hall.

I dropped my forehead against the door, wishing I could go back in time. Or forward. I wasn’t picky. Anywhere but here would do.

“Don’t forget,” Oliver said a moment later. “I know your secret… Elaine.”

I scoffed. “Good thing secrets are safe with you!”

He didn’t answer.

I squeezed my fists and eyes shut. Who would’ve guessed the only thing more infuriating than fighting with him through the door was him not fighting back?

“You’ve got me there,” he said finally.

I inched to the right and looked through the peephole, surprised to see him staring back at me. But he wasn’t actually looking at me. Just at the door. Looking genuinely forlorn.

“I should’ve been clearer,” he said. “That first night. When I let you think I lived on the sixth floor somewhere else. That was the moment I should’ve set the record straight.”

“Go home, Sherlock.”

“Funny you mention that.”

“Why? You thinking of starting another case just so you can crack it?”

He sighed and his gaze strayed down the hall. “No. Because I’m going to solve this.”

“There’s nothing to solve.”

He looked back at the peephole. “I was looking forward to tonight.”

So was I. I chewed my lip, marveling at how naïve I’d been. How lucky that my situation with the neighbor improved the day after I slept with him? What a happy coincidence!

“I fixed the sticky door before we slept together.”

My lips fell apart.

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