Page 40 of Sticking Around

“As long as apartment hunting isn’t keeping you from anything.”

I wink at her. “It’s actually keeping me from cashing that rain check and ravishing you.”

“You hang on to that.” She glances out the window. “Darn…looks like sunshine for the rest of the day.”

I snort out a laugh. “Okay, Lanie, how do I get to your place?”

She sits back and gives me great directions and about thirty minutes later, I pull up in front of a duplex. “My roommate and I share that side.” She points to the blue sedan in the driveway. I recognize the vehicle from around the resort. “That’s my car having a nice long siesta in the driveway. You can pull in behind it.”

“You have no idea what’s wrong with it?”

“Oh, I do.” She reaches for the door handle. “The engine doesn’t work.”

“Funny girl. Where are your keys? I’ll take a look.”

She eyes me. “Are you serious? You know things about vehicles?”

I shrug. “I worked on a boat, and had to do repairs. If I don’t know, my buddy Ash will.”

“Ash, from the team? Cute defenseman.”

“Wow, you seem to know a lot about Ash.”

She laughs, as I portray jealousy on purpose, of course. “Yeah, I know he’s on your team and a defenseman.”

“Cute. Don’t forget you called him cute.”

“Right, cute. I know so much, I could do his memoir.”

I growl as I reach for her. “I had no idea you were such a smart ass.” I grab her arm and pull her toward me, needing a kiss before she leaves the car.

She kisses me back. “Um, I think you kind of did know that.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“I always knew you were one.” Her eyes bore into me, and I can almost feel her poking around inside my head. Maybe I should just go. She already knows too much about me.

“Yeah, that’s right. Smart ass. That’s what I am.” I turn from her gaze and glance at her front door as fight or flight instincts kick in. I really should just go. This woman is far too astute for me.

“Don’t ask Ash.” She frowns. “I can take care of my own things. I don’t want to be dragging any of your teammates into my life or problems. Come on.” She opens her door, not really giving me a choice. “Let’s go over the listings and see what we can view today.”

“Sure.” I kill the ignition and step from the car. After I grab her bags, I follow her up the walkway and stop to take a better look at her car. She opens the door and I hurry to catch up, but the second we enter the house, and hear loud sex noises coming from one of the upstairs rooms, I cringe.

“What the fuck.” I drop her bags in the entranceway.

She shakes her head, her cheeks heating with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry. I thought they’d be chafed raw by now.”

That makes me laugh. “Honestly, Lanie. I can see why you fled. They sound like two cats in an alley fight.”

“Ohmigod,” she giggles. “Do you think that’s what we sound like?”

“Yeah, probably, but no one was listening.”

She shrugs, and coming to their defense says, “They don’t know we’re here.”

Something tells me they heard us coming and started with these antics. “They drove you out of the house Friday. They knew you were home then.” It’s just fucking disrespectful, and I’m beginning to think they’re doing it on purpose. Her roommate wants her gone, likely so she can move her guy in. Can this woman not get a fucking break?

“Jess, I’m home, and I have company,” Melanie calls out loudly. A brief moment of silence, and then an upstairs door slams shut.

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