Page 311 of Hate Mates

"Emmanuel, get down this instant! Do you hear me?"

The menace simply turns his back on me, and climbs higher toward the gable.

"Don't you turn your back on me! If you fall and break something, I amnotspending my savings on goat hospital bills."

"What do you think you're doing?" Adam's voice is low and dangerous behind me.

"Going up to get the goatformerly known as Emmanueloff my barn roof, before hefalls and breaks his neck!" I holler the last part, but Emmanuel doesn't even flinch. "Although, at this point, maybe Ishouldlet him."

"You're not climbing up there."

I scoff. "Yes, I am."

"No. You're not." His tone is quiet, but the fire in his eyes betrays his true feelings.

"Then, how else am I supposed to get him down?" I throw my hands up, gesturing to the roof.

"I'll get him. Brandon, hold the ladder. Patrick, find me a lasso. Eli,put the damn phone away."

The brothers snap into action, and before I can even process what's happening, Adam is already halfway up the ladder, rope in hand. I watch him, chewing my bottom lip, as he clucks encouragingly at Emmanuel.

"Come on, buddy. Let's not make this harder than it has to be," Adam coaxes, inching closer.

Emmanuel tilts his head, ears twitching. He chews lazily on the remains of my gardening hat, contemplating his options.

Adam reaches out a hand. "That's it, just stay right there?—"

Emmanuel launches himself off the roof, with a sudden burst of goat logic.

I gasp. Adam swears. The brothers scatter.

Emmanuel lands with athudin the dirt, shakes himself off like nothing happened, and trots smugly toward the goat paddock, completely unharmed.

I slap a hand over my chest, trying to steady my racing heart. "Are youkiddingme?!"

Adam glares down at me, still hanging on to the ladder for dear life. "You mean to tell me that demon could havejumped downthis whole time?"

Emmanuel lets out a victorious bleat.

Chapter Four

ADAM

Iwatch that damn goat stroll into the barn and laugh, until I remember Christiane was about to climb onto that roof. The humor vanishes instantly. By the time I hit the ground, I'm more than ready to give that stubborn woman a piece of my mind.

Then, I'm blindsided by a Chris-shaped missile, knocking me off balance.

"Thank you so much! I don't know what I would have done if he had gotten hurt," she mumbles into my chest.

I shake my head. "He would have gotten down just fine. I'm more worried aboutyou. You could have broken your foolish neck if you'd climbed up there. And then, where would you be?Dead!" I grip her shoulders and give her a slight shake.

"If that damn animal ever pulls a stunt like this again, you come get me. Or Brandon. Or Eli. Hell, call the sheriff, you love doing that. But you are never—ever—to go up on that roof after him. Do you hear me? You let the men do the dangerous work. You keep your lady feet on the ground.”

Chris glares up at me, and for a moment, I forget why I was so mad. Her hands slide up my chest, and my train of thoughtderails. I get lost in those bright green eyes, something Ishouldhave known better than to do, just as she shoves me hard. My shoulders slam against the barn wall.

"Tu te prends pour qui?"

I don't need to speak French to know I won't like what comes next.

---