Page 28 of Smith

“I’ll let you get back to it.”

Shamelessly I watched him walk away, with my gaze glued to his superior ass. It wasn’t until he’d disappeared into the house that I went back to the floodlight. Thankfully he wasn’t around to see me fumble two screws, also thankfully he wasn’t there to see my hand shaking when I screwed in the light.

The problem was I didn’t know if I was vibrating with excitement at the thought of spending the night with Smith or if I was scared someone had followed me to Philly and they’d done that from my home. Further from that, I was creeped out someone had probably been watching me while I was in the city and I hadn’t known. I was always careful. I checked my surroundings. I didn’t use my phone while I was walking in public. I paid attention to people. But I wasn’t a trained CIA officer, I didn’t know how to spot a tail—unless of course it was a red Tesla which was easy to spot because there were five million white ones on the road but I’d only ever seen a few red ones. But a person following me on foot, I’d probably miss.

Yep.

I was totally creeped out.

CHAPTER SEVEN

I was beginning to think there was a strong possibility I was having delayed effects of a TBI. Or the many concussions I’d sustained while in the field had finally caught up with me and that was what was impairing my cognitive function. There was no other excuse for my lapse in judgment.

My house?

What the fuck had I been thinking telling Aria she was coming home with me? There were a plethora of options at my disposal. I didn’t need to offer my home up to keep her safe.

Christ, I was a fool.

My idiocy hadn’t stopped there. I’d moronically called in to inform my team leader there was a change of plans knowing damn, good, and well Layla would sell me out. The woman was on assignment with the rest of my team. She never would’ve known if I hadn’t opened my trap. That particular gap in whatever good sense I had led to a fifteen-minute call from Zane, whereupon he took his time explaining, yet again, what he’d do with my testicles if I touched Aria. It was safe to say I enjoyed Aria’s exploration of my balls a fair sight more than I’d like what Zane would do with them if he found out I’d disobeyed his orders.

Then there was grocery shopping with Aria. Like some sort of lovesick jackass I pushed the cart while Aria tossed shit in, declaring she needed snacks for stamina. It was the insinuation she’d need sustenance for an all-night fuckfest that had me giving in to Goldfish, chips, hummus, crackers, and sparkling water. If the woman needed saturated fats and MSG to keep her topped up for the night I’d buy her ten bags of Goldfish.

Now I was in my kitchen browning chicken while she was lounging on my couch with her laptop and notebook, working.

“Oh my god that smells amazing,” Aria called out from the other room.

“Told you, baby, it’s passable.”

I waited for a smart ass reply. When none came I leaned back so I could see into the living room. Aria was staring at her laptop screen, frowning.

“Something wrong?”

Her gaze lifted and she shook her head.

“No. Just some jerk who left a shit comment on one of my videos.”

I didn’t like the sound of that.

“What’s it say?”

“Nothing important.”

“Humor me and tell me what it says.”

With a sigh she glanced back at her computer.

“I quote,” she began. “Not throwing shade but your ass looks better than your finish carpentry work.”

I tried not to think of some asshole watching one of Aria’s videos, pausing on shots of her ass then having the balls to comment on it. Not that it was surprising, in today’s world everyone was an internet shit talker. Though when I was scrolling her comments I didn’t see any commentary on her physical appearance.

“Do you delete those comments?”

“Yup. And the ones from the Timmy The Toolbelt Twits.”

“Timmy The Toolbelt Twits?” I asked, going back to flip the chicken.

“Originally I called them Toolbelt Thundercunts but I felt like I was offending all the females who enjoy their lady bits being called cunts…just and for your information, if the mood is set, I am one of those females. Anyway, I thought about twat but again, there might be a sister out there who likes a naughty twat to change things up. So, I went with twit.”

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