Page 17 of Landon (In Safe Hands)
Angerheats my cheeks. “Forget it. I can take a cab to your house, then figure outwhat to do when I get home. You don’t have to bother your friend. I shouldn’thave called you.” I’m not sure why I did. I know better than to count on anyoneelse.
“Darewill get your car going or bring you here. So don’t be stubborn.”
“Don’tbe an asshole.”
Hisdeep chuckle rumbles in my ear. “It’s hot out. Go wait inside. I gave Dare yourcell number. He’ll text you when he’s there.”
“Fine,”I grumble. “Thanks.”
MaybeI interrupted him with his flavor of the week and that’s why he’s so testy. Ormaybe he’s sick of having an employee that can’t keep a car running. Thatreally isn’t fair, though. I was getting to work on time and I’ve never askedhim for anything before today. I’m sitting on a bench in the shade, sipping aniced tea when I get a text from Dare that he’s in the parking lot.
Ahuge black SUV is pulled nose to nose with my little car, the hood already up.A smile breaks across Dare’s handsome face as he approaches me. “There’s thedamsel in distress.”
Rollingmy eyes, I fight back a grin. “Thanks for coming. I’m sorry Landon called you.I only called him because he lives so close. I guess he was busy.”
Hisexpression darkens for a moment before he shakes it off and smiles. “I don’tmind. Pop your hood.”
Hehooks up the jumper cables—I really should get a set—then nods at me. Give it atry. Relief pours through me when my engine roars to life. Just a dead battery.Thank fuck. “Thank you so much,” I exclaim.
“I’llfollow you to Landon’s,” he offers.
“Youdon’t have to do that.”
“ButI’m going to.” He hops into his vehicle and stares at me expectantly.
Okaythen. The car runs fine. After I’m parked in Landon’s driveway, I kill theengine and promptly restart it, relieved when it fires right up. The last thingI need is to be stranded here. Dare takes a load of purchases from my armsbefore I can protest, and helps me get all Landon’s new stuff in the house. Aglance at my watch shows I’m nearly an hour late, but I was shopping for hisshit, so that should count as work.
“Whereto?” Dare asks, his arms full of bedding.
“Justtoss it on the couch so I can sort through it.”
Landonsaunters into the room wearing only a pair of sweatpants. I try to point myeyes away from his bare sculpted chest, but they seem to have a mind of theirown, sneaking glances that aren’t even close to furtive.
“Everythingokay?” he asks.
“Yep.Was just her battery.”
Daresmiles at me, and I grin back at him. What can I say? The guy grows on you.Landon glares at his friend. “You have the new list?” he snaps.
Darewaves a flash drive and Landon gestures to his office. “Then let’s get someshit done.”
Withouta word thrown in my direction, he leads Dare down the hall. Damn, he’s grumpytoday. After putting the new bedding into the wash, I head to the kitchen.Other than a few dirty dishes and crumbs, it isn’t too bad. I notice he ate themeals I left for him over the weekend.
Itonly takes me a few minutes to put together a pot roast with vegetables and popit in the oven. I really want to finish off the guest rooms while it cooks. Theold bedding and curtains get stripped and set aside for donation. A gooddusting and vacuuming leave the rooms looking bare but clean.
Thefront door bangs shut and I turn to find Landon standing behind me. “I like thecolors you chose,” he remarks, running a hand over the bedspread.
“Thankyou.” I adjust the new curtain and tug them open, letting a rare ray ofsunlight in. This house is always so dark.
Thematerial is wrenched from my hand. He jerks the curtains closed so hard it’s awonder they don’t rip. “Leave them closed!” he snaps.
It’sofficial. I’m working for Dr. Jekyll. “You need to watch how you talk to me.I’m not taking that shit no matter what you pay.” Turning my back on thefinished room, I stalk to the kitchen to finish dinner. He wanders in just asI’m taking a pan of rolls from the oven.
“Thatsmells fantastic. Eat with me,” he says, setting the table.
“No,thank you. I’m going to clean the bathrooms.”
Hishand wraps lightly around my wrist. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. I haven’t hadthe best day. Please, eat with me.”
