Page 31 of Fierce-Zander

“Yes,” she said. “Why are you frowning?”

“When was this?” he asked.

“Last week maybe. He said he was meeting with you over something and then stopped over to just check in on the noise level knowing that privacy was important for me.”

Damn it.

The last thing he wanted was the Fierce men or women getting into his business.

He knew what they were about and Garrett was dropping more hints than he cared for.

“What did you tell him?” he asked. “Am I a bad neighbor?”

“Nope. Kind of perfect in a way,” she said. “Not that we see much of each other.” She finished chewing her last bite and herplate was cleared. “And speaking of that, you’ve got work to do and I’m taking up your time.”

“I’ll walk out with you,” he said. “I might as well go home and get work done there.”

“Now I feel bad,” she said. “For keeping you here when you could have gone home to eat.”

“Don’t,” he said. “This was the best break I’ve had in a long time.”

She dipped her head down. “Maybe for me too. I’ll help you clean up.”

“Just leave the plates here,” he said. “They are pretty much wiped clean. I’ll throw the food in the fridge and deal with the dishes tomorrow.”

She grimaced, but he didn’t want to leave her and bring the plates to the bathroom to wash them. She’d probably sneak out on him and he didn’t want her walking to the parking lot alone in the dark.

“Are you sure?” she asked. “They might harden?”

“They will be fine,” he said. “Sadly, it’s not the first time that I’ve done it.”

He’d come in and get them before Betsy found them or she’d feel the need to wash them. His father wouldn’t be in tomorrow so no big deal there.

They picked up the dinner together and he shut the door to the room and then locked up to walk out with her.

“Thanks for dinner,” she said.

“You’re welcome,” he said. “I’m sure we’ll do it again.”

This way he wasn’t leaving it in question.

“I might like that,” she said when they got to her car.

“Might?” he asked.

“You’re good at solving things, I’m sure you can figure it out.”

She laughed and got in her car and he had to say he was thrilled with the new Regan that showed herself tonight.

The question was why did it happen?

9

WOMAN NEXT DOOR

“Did you have a client meeting last night?” Betsy asked him the minute he walked into the office. He’d had every intention of beating her here. But good intentions don’t mean it works out when he gets a call in the middle of the night from a client.

“Why?” he asked. “And bill Justin Rogers double for three hours last night.”

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