Page 43 of Protecting Andie

“I really do think of it that way. I’m thankful I met you and thankful you want me in your life.”

He brushed his lips over hers. “I’m glad you want me in your life. I feel like I won the lottery with you.”

She’d never had anyone talk to her this way, and her initial reaction was to reject his words. But she’d grown enough that she could hear him. He loved her. There weren’t strings attached, and it wasn’t transactional. Rider really loved her, and that freed her to really love him.

They were together and would be for a long time. Rider wasn’t like other men she’d been with. He was good and kind.She could trust him to take care of her and never manipulate her. Their relationship would be what she always wanted, and she would make Rider happy.

31

Bud’s new neighbor was driving him crazy. It was after seven in the morning, but the asshole hadn’t even waited until one minute after the hour to start up with the piano playing. Today was the day to go and confront them.

He pulled on a T-shirt and headed over to their door, ready to make them understand the piano was too much at seven in the morning on a Saturday. Part of the problem was they lived in a duplex, and the piano sounded like it was right up against the wall to his bedroom. If they moved it out to the den, or dining room it wouldn’t be so bad. It was absolutely imperative he get them to understand.

The sound of the piano wasn’t as loud as he pulled open the screen door and raised his hand to knock. There it was—proof the piano was in the wrong room of their place.

His fist pounded on the door, and then he paused. The sounds from the piano died, and he waited for them to come to the door.

He was about to start pounding again when the door opened just a crack, but no one was there. Then he heard a small voice and looked down, seeing dark eyes that were wide as saucers. It was a child.

“Did you need something?” the girl was small, maybe five or six years old, but she sounded older.

The anger bled out as he took in her braided hair and a gap-toothed smile. But he was over here, and he couldn’t think of anything else to do but complain about the noise. “The piano, it’s loud.”

“Oh, crap. Noa, you aren’t supposed to open the door. Who are you talking to?”

“Our neighbor. That’s why I opened the door. I recognized him. He’s wearing his booty shorts.”

Bud glanced down, looking at his thighs. He was wearing his short workout shorts. They were very short.

“Don’t call them that,” the woman said as she gently moved Noa away from the door.

“That’s what you call them,” the little girl said as she moved deeper into their house.

“I’m sorry, what did you need?” the woman asked as she pulled the door open more.

Bud froze as he stared into dark eyes that seemed to pull him in. Her dark, curly hair bunched around her face, making her cheekbones look even higher. Her pink lips were parted slightly, making her look a little surprised. Her skin was creamy, near perfect looking. He wanted to reach out and touch her and see if she was as soft as she looked.

“So, why are you over here at seven in the morning?”

He blinked, coming back to the reason he was here. “The piano. It’s loud.”

She narrowed her eyes. “No, it’s not on the wall we share. It shouldn’t be loud.”

“It woke me up. It’s loud.”

She shook her head while she turned her back on him and started pointing from one side of the house to the other beforeshe gasped. When she spun around, she slapped her hand over her mouth.

“Crap, I’m so sorry. I asked the movers to put it against the outside wall. I can’t believe I got that wrong. It shouldn’t be in the bedroom, should it? That was wrong. I’m so sorry. I can get someone out to—no, I won’t have money until two weeks from tomorrow. I spent everything—never mind. You don’t want to hear that.”

“I can move it for you. I just need to get one of my buddies out here.”

She jerked her head back and narrowed her eyes. “You want to come into my house?”

“No, I want to be able to sleep late on Saturday morning. I don’t want to be in your space, but that piano can’t stay where it is.”

Her lips thinned, and she pointed her finger at him. “If you misbehave, I know where you live.”

He wanted to roll his eyes but didn’t. “Trust me, I just want sleep.”

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