Page 14 of Undertow

Why?

I shove the thought away and grab a navy blue strapless one. I look at it, but my displeasure shows on my face.

“All right, what about a two-piece ensemble?” Parker suggests, seeing the difference in the dress she picked out and the one I did. “Your short black skirt that makes your legs look like they go on for days. You could pair it with—Oh! I’ve got it.” She snatches a sparkly navy blazer from the black section, then heads back into my bedroom and grabs the skirt and a black silk blouse I tossed on the bed. “This,” she says, handing the pieces to me. “This outfit with your strappy, black suede heels.”

I drape it across the bed and look at the outfit she picked out for me. It’s actually kind of perfect. If I’m overdressed, I can take off the blazer and I won’t be anymore.

“What would I do without you?” I ask rhetorically.

“You’re welcome,” she says, fleeing my room so she can get back to reading. “Have fun on your date,” she calls playfully before disappearing down the hall.

“It’s not a date,” I murmur, but she’s already gone so I’m only lying to myself.

___

When the royal blue Maserati that obviously belongs to Hayden Atwater pulls into my driveway, I rush out the door like a teenager reluctant to let her parents meet a date she knows they’ll disapprove of.

Parker is upstairs in her room, but I don’t want him to come to the door and risk her getting curious.

My heels click against the concrete driveway as I hurry around to the passenger side. I flash him a smile as I open the door and slide in. “Hello, again.”

“Long time no see,” he says lightly, watching me smooth down the back of my skirt and drop into the two-tone leather seat. “You seem like you’re in a hurry. You must have missed me.”

I shoot him a look and roll my eyes, but Iamin a hurry and have to resist the urge to follow it up with, “Now go, go, go!”

Hayden doesn’t hurry, though. If anything, I think my impatience slows him down. Clearly, he’s a man who does things on his own schedule.

His gaze rakes over me appreciatively. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” I say a bit shyly, tucking my hair behind my ear and looking at him in his black T-shirt and charcoal gray dinner jacket. Black slacks stretch across his muscular thighs, and my face warms as my gaze returns to his. “You look very handsome yourself.”

As he backs out of the driveway, I glance at the house to make sure it’s secure. Grabbing my phone out of my little navy blue purse, I text Parker and tell her I locked up on the way out and I have my keys. “If the doorbell rings, ignore it. Do not unlock or open the door to anyone while I’m out.”

Right as I push send, Hayden questions, “Something pressing going on over there?”

I glance over at him. “Sorry, I was just texting Parker to remind her not to answer the door while I’m out. I don’tthinkmy neighbor is actually dangerous, but since he’s escalating his attempts to run me out, I’m just not willing to take any chances.”

His brow furrows with concern. “You’re that worried about him?”

I shrug, uncomfortable actually saying it out loud. “I feel a little silly about it, but he was very threatening the last time he cornered me in my garage. He grabbed my arm and pushed me back against the shelving unit. I don’t know what would have happened if Parker hadn’t opened the door, but—” I freeze in horror as he cuts the wheel and turns into the Hartley driveway. “What are you doing?”

“Something impulsive.”

“Let’s not,” I say, my conflict-averse tendencies rearing their heads. “I was very clear that I wanted to send a strongly worded letter, not—” He ignores me, leaving the car running and climbing out of it. “Hayden,” I whisper urgently, opening my door and hastily following after him.

I don’t know if I’m supposed to follow or stay in the car. I feel so awkward I could die either way.

I arrive on the porch just in time to see Hayden ring the doorbell. It’s too late to turn back now, but interactions like these are literally the stuff my nightmares are made of.

Lisa comes to the door. At first, she looks pleasantly surprised to see a handsome man on her doorstep, but her expression changes swiftly when she sees me just behind him.

“How can I help you?” she asks uncertainly.

“I’m here to see Brent,” Hayden informs her. “Is he home?”

She realizes he must be here on my behalf, so her attitude resurfaces. “No, I’m afraid he’s out.”

“Ah.” Hayden nods. “Well, in that case, could you do me a favor? Tell your husband that the next time he corners my girlfriend on her property and puts his hands on her, the assault charges she’s going to file against him will be theleastof his problems. And I’ve installed extra cameras to ensure her safety, so next time, she’ll also have video evidence.”

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