Page 30 of Knight's Fall

“They’ve only met you once. What makes you think they hate you?”

Olivia shrugged. “Hate may be too strong of a word. I’m not their first choice for Dex. I heard his parents telling him about his last girlfriend. She moved back to his hometown after she broke her engagement. So she was single and ready to mingle, evidently. Dex shut them down, but it was obvious to me they are hoping he rekindles things with her.”

“But it’s not what Dex wants.”

“That’s not the point. You should see how his family reveres him. His brother and sisters think he’s some kind of god. His parents brag on him constantly. It’s like the sun rises and sets at his command. They adore him, but all of that would change if he chose to marry me instead of the one they picked for him. They would never look at him the same, and they would blame me for it. I can’t do that.”

“But you can’t break up with him either.” Courtlyn reached over and squeezed Olivia’s hand.

“I can’t let him go, Coco. I love him. Eventually his family will win, and he’ll break up with me. I’ll be wrecked, but at least I wouldn’t have caused problems within his family. They’re very close knit, like my family is. I wouldn’t want anyone to drive a wedge between me and my family, and I won’t do that to Dex.”

“Doesn’t Dex get a say in any of this?”

“He doesn’t see things the way I do. He thinks I’m just using excuses because I don’t want to settle down. I’m a romance novelist. Relationships and happily-ever-afters are my thing. Why wouldn’t I want to settle down?”

“You know what I think you should do? I think you should confront his parents and tell them how you feel. Let them know how much you love Dex and only want the best for him. They love him, and that’s all they really want for him. Maybe if they realize you both want Dex to be happy, they’ll back off on trying to set him up with someone else.”

Olivia sat up straighter, her jaw dropping. “Are you insane? I can’t pick a fight with his parents. No way. Trust me. This is for the best.”

“I can’t help believing there has to be another way. You and Dex were made for each other. You deserve to be together.”

The mischievous look returned to Olivia’s eyes, and Courtlyn braced herself for what was coming. “All right. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll have the heart-to-heart with Dex’s family if you make a move on Sexy Neighbor. And not taking him food and making small talk with him. I mean making an honest attempt to seduce him like the hot eye candy he is.”

Courtlyn stared at her friend incredulously. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, I am.”

Courtlyn could see by the set of her friend’s face that Olivia spoke the truth. Her usual response when Liv was being outrageous was to bring her back down to earth. So her next words surprised her as much as her friend.

“You’re on!”

Chapter Fifteen

Courtlyn could almost hear her bed calling out to her to take a nap when she stepped into her house. She had indulged Olivia by plotting “her next move” when it came to Sexy Neighbor, but after they finished with their planning and laughing, she was too exhausted to think of anything more. Setting her purse and keys on her kitchen counter, she took out a bottle of water from the fridge and couldn’t resist peeking out her kitchen window into Wings’ backyard.

She lowered her water bottle slowly and set it next to the sink. Squinting, she tried to focus on what she was seeing. Then she smiled and laughed at the sight of Wings trying to bathe a big dog, only the dog wasn’t cooperating. She could hear faint sounds of Wings cursing and coaxing the dog to be still, and the dog’s lack of response only made her laugh harder. After a moment of indecision, she pocketed her cell and keys and stepped outside.

The dog noticed her approaching before Wings did. The German Shepherd watched her, and Wings let out a whoop that the dog had stopped running circles around him. He started to spray the dog with the water hose, but the dog trotted over to her before Wings rinsed the soap from his coat.

“Hey, buddy. You having a little fun with Wings, are you? I bet you hate baths, don’t you, fellow?” She kneeled in front of him, and he also sat, his tail beating against the ground as she talked.

“Watch out. The little prick’s in a playful mood, and the only commands he responds to are German ones.”

She petted the dog’s wet head before looking over at Wings. He wore only shorts and worn shoes, but both were soaking wet. His hair was piled in a man bun on top of his head. Water droplets clung to his beard. He was a mess and still the sexiest thing on two legs.

“He seems like a sweetheart. What made you decide to get a dog?”

“He’s a spoiled little shit, but he’s not my dog. I’m dog sitting, I guess, for a friend. Not my choice, but Mo and I go way back.”

She giggled at his description. Despite the name calling, she could sense Wings’ affection for the dog. She returned her attention to the German Shepherd with a smile, her hand continuing to scratch behind his ears.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Mo. I’m Courtlyn, and I thought I’d come over and help this guy give you a bath. Does that sound good?”

His tail started moving faster, and he turned his head so he could lick her arm. She flashed a triumphant smile in Wings’ direction. He scowled, but she thought she detected him biting back a smile. She stood and tapped her leg for Mo to follow her. They walked over to where Wings stood.

“I’ll talk to him and keep him in place while you rinse the soap off. If we don’t get it off soon, it’ll irritate his skin.”

“Keeping him still is easier said than done. I don’t know German the way my friend does. Isobel has a way to getting him to obey without question.”

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