Page 34 of Loving My Enemy

It was like a knife in the damn heart. “That’s too damn bad, deputy, because that’s how it is.”

I knew when to push and I’d pushed enough. For today. So I flashed a disappointed smile and got back to chopping. Silently.

Chapter 20

Elka

Early morning in Tulip was absolutely stunning. The sun lit up the sky like a rainbow—if a rainbow were made up of gorgeous jewel tones and fell over the most beautiful landscape ever created. I sighed the way I always did when the beauty of this place took me by surprise, and reached for my coffee only to find it cold. Again. A small smile touched my lips and for a moment, it felt like everything would be all right. It had to be if the view was so incredible, I forgot about my coffee.

“So you really do smile at everyone and everything but me.”

Another sign that the view was too gorgeous was that it allowed him to sneak up on me. “Good morning, deputy.” Why did he have to look so good even first thing in the morning? It just wasn’t fair. “Have you been exercising already?”

He flashed that stupid panty-melting grin and held up two coffees. “I went for a run. It’s nice and quiet this time of morning.”

“Yes, it is.” I eyed the coffee cups longingly, wondering if there was a way to accept one without inviting his company.

“Want one?” He smiled and I squeezed my knees shut against the pulse of desire that shot unexpectedly through me.

“Um, no.”

“Was that a question?” A smug Antonio was somehow even hotter—or maybe it was the coffee, because it certainly wasn’t the long golden fingers wrapped around the cup.

I snatched the coffee from him, ignoring the way his laughter sent goosebumps dancing over my skin. When that didn’t work, I blamed the coffee. “Thank you.”

“I figured you for a tea drinker.”

“You figured wrong,” I told him and took a sip of the hot black liquid. “Is this some sort of test, then?”

He frowned as if that would be so far out of the realm of possibility. “No, but I figured if anyone could change your mind about coffee, it would be Big Mama.”

“Well I’ve found that I love coffee and I drink it whenever I can.” That spark of interest in his eyes was my first clue that I’d shared too much with a man on a mission to run me out of town. Or maybe arrest me. At this point, I wasn’t sure anymore.

“Are your parents hippies or something?”

“I wish.” I snorted, having a momentary flash of what my life would have been like running through dirt and playing outside. I couldn’t imagine anything but the sterile environment that was my childhood. “They were very conscious of my health,” I said diplomatically. “But I’m sure you know that too.”

He ignored my last words, his gaze lost to the view in the distance. “Because of your brother?”

“Yes,” I sighed. “Because of Austin.” He was their reasoning but I never blamed Austin because I would have done anything for him. And I had.

“That must have been tough.”

It was moments like this that I resented my parents most because I couldn’t tell if Antonio was being genuine or taking asmoother attempt at getting information out of me. “It wasn’t easy.”

“I don’t think I could have made it after my dad died if it hadn’t been for my mom.” And there was my answer.

I stood, determined that my learning curve would be a small one. “You almost had me, Antonio. Thanks for the coffee.” The day was too early to be so soundly ruined, so I finished my coffee and sweated it out to a Zumba workout video before I headed downstairs and got to work processing more orders.

If nothing else, business was good.

“Your chopping time has improved.”I sat down at one side of the kitchen table to taste our third attempt at cooking chili together. Antonio refused to sit at the place setting on the other side of the table, choosing instead to sit right beside me.

“Thanks. I’ve been practicing.” He flashed a smile that was all boyish innocence that I didn’t buy for a second, but damn, it sure was nice to look at. “And if I hadn’t improved, you would have stop letting me come over.”

“Probably. But then I’d have to do the dishes all by myself.” Not that I minded doing the dishes; it was a mundane task that gave me plenty of time to think.

“So you’re using me? I’m wounded.” If I hadn’t seen Antonio pretend to pierce his own heart, I wouldn’t have believed it.

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