Page 31 of Toxic

“How do you know Billie?”

“Gramps,” I said, the warning clear in my tone.

“I’m a friend of a friend,” Toxic told him with a grin, not at all uncomfortable with my grandpa’s meddling.

“What the hell kind of name is Toxic?” Grandpa asked, not paying any attention to me.

“My name is Boone.”

I looked over at Toxic in surprise. It hadn’t occurred to me, with everything going on, to ask his real name.

“That’s better. Though only a little,” Gramps said and I rolled my eyes. “I’m Robert.”

“Nice to meet you.” They shook hands.

My eyes dropped to Toxic’s forearm and I swallowed hard as muscles flexed when he shook Gramps’s hand. Ugh. I had a serious problem when it came to this guy.

You saw how those women fawned over him.

It didn’t seem to matter. Apparently I was one of the masses of adoring women who crowded around him. I huffed at myself for being ridiculous enough to fall for his charms. That was going to change. I was going to be polite, but aloof. I nodded in determination. My ovaries cried.

“What designs do you have on my granddaughter?”

I gasped. “Gramps!”

Toxic’s chuckle filled the SUV. “I’m not sure a man can take liberties with your granddaughter that she doesn’t grant, Sir,” he replied. It was a very politically correct statement.

“Smart,” Gramps said, but his eyes said he knew Toxic’s reply was bullshit.

I groaned to myself, wishing I could disappear into the seat when Toxic’s eyes met mine in the rearview. He winked. My eyes narrowed. He didn’t get to wink at me after kissing me senseless then flirting with nurses.

Technically,theyhad flirted. He’d only been polite. But that didn’t matter. It was just a confirmation of what every day would be like with a man like this. I’d had one like that before and I’dwalked in on him having sex with some random woman in our bunkhouse. Onmydamn property. I’d kicked them off, naked, then burned their clothes.

Looking out the window, I listened as Toxic and Gramps spoke. Toxic was asking him what other kinds of chores and things he could do while he was here. Gramps was more than happy to give him the huge list that only seemed to get bigger every year.

“Gramps, I can-”

“You shouldn’t have to be doing anything on that list,” Gramps said, interrupting me. “We should have men we’ve hired to do it, but fuck if we can get them to stick around. Cowardly bastards.”

“Agreed,” Toxic said, and our eyes met in the mirror again.

It was like he was trying to get under my skin. Only this time he was irritating me instead of me finding it endearing. “I can do the chores,” I muttered.

“You’re far too cute to be mucking out pig pens,” Gramps declared.

“Also agreed,” Toxic said.

I could hear the laughter in his tone and it made me grit my teeth. I’d seen the caring, sweet side of this man. And I would never be able to repay him for the kindness he’d shown me over the last few days. He’d helped me while I was sick, so I forced myself to calm down. He and Gramps were getting along like long time friends, so I smothered the words I wanted to snap.

“Someone’s feeling better,” Toxic said.

I glared at him in the mirror. “What doesthatmean?” I knew he wasn’t talking about Gramps.

“Oh nothing.”

“She can be as ornery as a bobcat with a thorn in its paw,” Grandpa said with a nod.

“Believe it or not, I’ve seen one,” Toxic replied with a chuckle.

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