Page 6 of Cold Foot Komodo

“I’m this-fucking-close to walking away and putting her up in my place, don’t play with me,” Reed gritted out.

Sasha just stood there, staring at his hot face as he badgered this man and negotiated for her. She was used to doing everything on her own, but in this situation, when she didn’t know what was going on, she liked that someone was stepping up and stepping in.

“You have five minutes to figure this out,” he barked, and then hung up.

“Aaah, do I need to start looking for some other place to stay?” she asked.

“No, you can keep unpacking.” He left the water running as he made his way to a door and disappeared into what was apparently the garage.

“Do you want me to turn the water off?”

“Let it run,” he called.

Okie dokie. She ignored her pet peeve about running water and ripped the tape off of one of the kitchen boxes. A huge bonus to this house had been that it was furnished, so she could just move here with a few boxes and not make a huge deal of it, but now she was looking at the furniture with a scrunched-up face. The couch had holes that had apparently been doctored by thelisting agent online, and probably smelled, and the coffee table and dining table were barely standing.

Sasha didn’t really know if she even wanted to unpack.

On the counter, Reed’s phone vibrated.

“You have a text,” she announced.

“What does it say?”

“Look, I’m really uncomfortable with this. You have a right to your privacy. I’m a stranger, and you don’t need me looking at your phone. What if it was a girl messaging? A lady-friend? Someone you’re dating? She has a right to privacy. Her messages should be seen by just you.”

“I’ve been in prison for ten years,” Reed announced, poking his head into the garage entrance doorway. “I talk to four females. Timber, my Alpha’s mate. Katrina, the Second’s mate. Raynah, a croc shifter who is heavily pregnant and fucking hates me, and you. Sasha. Sister of the mate of my Alpha. If anyone messages me something inappropriate, it’ll be a surprise to us both. I’m not there yet.”

“Not there…to dating?”

He pursed his lips. “I’ve been in Wreck’s Crew for a few weeks. That time was spent trying to get my bearings and find a job, and figuring out who the fuck I am outside of the prison dynamics. I’m not focused on women right now. I’m focused on survival.”

And there was something so beautiful in that admission. He was a stranger. He didn’t owe her explanations.

She chewed the side of her lip, and then dove in. “I’m a thirty-eight-year-old woman who has never been married. I have no kids. I am just focused on my job, and making my parents happy, but I’ve recently figured out that was all for nothing. My baby sister stood up and showed me how unimportant all of that was, and that happiness actually exists. And now I’m in a new place with zero friends, trying to absorbsome of that good energy my sister found.” She inhaled deeply. “I guess we both don’t know what we’re doing.”

“You didn’t ask me the question.”

Oh, she knew what he was talking about. He was wondering why she hadn’t asked what he did that was so bad to get ten years in that shifter prison in Alaska. Sasha crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s none of my business.”

He nodded, and an empty smile graced his lips before he hung his head. “Yeah. I get that. I just keep expecting someone to ask.” He pointed to the front door. “I’m going to go get some necessities from the store.” He paused at the door though, and inhaled deeply before he turned toward her. “Do you need anything?”

She was still rocked from his admission that he’d been waiting for someone to ask what he’d done to get incarcerated. “Would you…” She swallowed hard. “I know you’re probably leaving for some space, and I respect that. You didn’t ask to come here and unpack my life, and I didn’t ask you to help. But would you mind terribly if I came with you? I don’t even know the closest store. I’m guessing you’ve been to it? Or if you want to give me the name of it, I can find it on my own. I’ve got a new truck outside just waiting for me to put more miles on it.”

He dipped his chin once.

“Great.” She offered her hand for a shake and said, “Can we start over? Since you are in my sister’s Crew, or Tribe, or Posse, or whatever it is. I’m Sasha.”

His strange eyes dipped down to her hand, then back to her face, and then he closed the space between them and slipped his huge hand against hers. It was warm, and strong. “I’m Reed.”

She gripped it gently and shook. “It’s nice to meet you, Reed.”

He held her hand for a couple seconds more, and parted his lips to say something, but there was a knock at her door. Reedreleased her hand and stepped back, ran his hand through his hair, and looked at the ground with a frown.

The moment between them broken, Sasha made her way to the front door and opened it. A giant of a man took up the entire front porch.

“Hi,” she greeted him, confused. This was definitely not Mr. Henderson either.

“Hey, I’m…” He laughed and shook his head. “I’m your neighbor. I saw your truck, and I figured I would come over and introduce myself.”

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