Page 68 of Caught Stealing

“I’m fine. I promise. Rory showed up uninvited, but it's all okay.”

The poor man rushed all the way here to find this spectacle. I can’t imagine what he thinks right now, but I know what Rory is thinking. His stance says he’s looking for the nearest exit before Andrew loses it. But that’s not going to happen. I know Andrew well enough to know his stance isn’t confrontational, but confused. Protective, but not possessive.

At least, until he slinks his arm around my waist and pulls me flush against him, leaving no doubt in Rory's mind that Andrew will fight for me.

“Can I have just a minute and then I’ll explain everything?” I rub his forearm, hoping to ease his worry.

His gaze bounces between Rory and me again, but he nods and releases my hands. This has been one disaster after another, and I’m ready for it to be over.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Andrew

I still want to give the guy a colonoscopy with his own hockey stick, but I refrain for her sake. Only for her. Because I realize that I’ve become that guy, the one who will do absolutely anything for his girl no matter how big or small, including race to her house when she screams and goes dark, ready to tackle a psychopathic murderer. There’s only one problem with that scenario. It’s not a murderer. It's a man who can't take a hint, and I really, really want to whisper things in his ear he'll never forget.

They’ve moved to the driveway, but I can’t wait until he walks across the street to his car and disappears. Lottie’s arms are crossed and she’s still talking when he reaches up and tucks her hair behind her ear. A beast from the depths of my stomach rears its ugly head. I clench my jaw and hold back the stream of expletives itching to escape my lips. It won’t impress her or make her life easier, so I keep them to myself and turn around to sit on my bike. Maybe I won’t be so quick to resort to violence if I’m doing something besides lurking in the shadows.

Lottie swats his hand and adjusts her hair herself. Rory crosses his arms and shoots eye daggers at me. He asks her something I can’t make out. She shakes her head and he frowns. Again, he glares at me like I’m his competition. I’m not, but I am the guy that’s going to make him lose more teeth than any guy on skates ever has, and that’s for sure if he doesn’t stop touching her like he owns her.

I tap my fingers on the gas tank while she waves her hands around and he smiles. I can’t imagine anything she’s saying is positive, so he’s either a narcissist who thinks he can still win her over or…she’s not saying what I think she’s saying. I hate the doubt that creeps into my mind.

Lottie turns on her heel and heads my way so I straighten up and prepare for just about anything.

“I’m sorry you were frightened,” she says. “He’s just…” A soft sigh escapes her lips and she relaxes. “He’s got the hint. He's leaving. I’m so sorry, Andrew. I should have done this a long time ago. I hate that you sped all the way here worried about me.”

I offer my hand palm up and relax when she places hers in mine. “This isn’t your fault. He should have gotten a clue well before now. If you want me to leave to make things easier, I’ll go. Say the word.”

“No, of course not. I want you here, but I would like you to wait for me inside so Ginger will stop barking. Maybe give her something to eat? Is that okay?”

“Anything you want, just do me a favor?”

Her eyes narrow. “What’s that?”

“If he lays a hand on you again, deck him for me.” She arches an eyebrow and gives me the slightest grin. This is all the prompting I need. I wrap an arm around her and pull her close. “You’re my girl, and he really needs to get the point and get out of here so you can get some rest.”

She laughs and kisses my cheek. “Yes, sir. I’ll be in as soon as I can.”

There’s nothing left for me to do but head inside her home and hope Ginger remembers that she likes me. That and grinning like an idiot when I open her door and step inside while he’s stuck outside.

I realize once I’m inside that this is the first time I’ve been in her home. Everything about it is so very Lottie. It’s sunny and feminine, which I prefer over my monotone home. Ginger utters a low growl at first, but when I kneel and offer my hand, her nubber wiggles and she rolls over for belly rubs. I don’t know what’s going on outside, but I’m sure this sweet dog is probably as confused as I am. She’s got an empty bowl, and she keeps looking between it and me.

“Well, where’s your food?” More wiggles are my answer, so I check the first most obvious place, the pantry. There’s a large tub of kibble, so I offer Ginger about as much as Goblin gets though it’s probably all wrong. One night of too much food probably won’t hurt, and she nibbles at it, growling the entire time. Far be it from me to try to take a dog’s food, but it’s a little weird so I step into the living room.

I settle on the sofa and wait as patiently as possible for Lottie to finish her business. The twinkle lights Rory strung up in the back glow through the sliding glass door. In all fairness, I understand why he’d want to fight for her. She’s pretty perfect, but he should have thought about that before he ruined what he had with her.

The front door opens and Lottie walks in, then shuts it behind her and leans on it. With a heave, she relaxes. "I'm glad that is finally over."

I stand and meet her in the foyer. She pushes off the door and opens her arms to me, so I accept her into my embrace, but I don’t expect her to lift on her toes and kiss me. She links her arms behind my neck and pulls me down to her level. There’s an urgency to this kiss in the way she takes command of it almost as if she’s trying to prove something. Or maybe she’s taking out her frustration…seeking comfort…I’m not sure, but I let her decide where this goes. She’s all tangled up in my arms, her hair spilling out of her ponytail, hands buried in my hair. She’s a mess of tears and whimpers, and it breaks my heart.

Gently, I pull her away and wipe her tears. “Hey, talk to me.”

She closes her eyes and swallows, shakes her head a little, then opens her eyes and focuses on me. “I care about you a lot, so don’t take this the wrong way, but that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

“Oh, beautiful. I know. It’s not in your nature to take joy in doing things that hurt people.”

She sighs and takes my hands. “It's also hard to look at three years of your life as wasted.”

“Not wasted. For everything that happened, you’re still you. Life is all of our experiences, good and bad, and I really like who you are right now. For what it’s worth, I think you deserve a little moping time.”

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