Page 54 of Irresistibly Wild

“We’ve already given you an extra sixty days of leniency, Miss Brave.” Someone who hated their job at the internet company groaned over the line. “That’s far past our usual policy and way more generous than we’ve been with anyone else.”

“Please.” I begged. “I just need a little more time. I can put fifty dollars on the bill sometime this weekend, and seventy on it sometime next week.”

“And if you continue paying at that rate, you’ll get your internet back in three months,” he said. “Anything else I can do for you?”

“Times are really hard for me, and I’m trying to pay as much as I can.”

“Ma’am, I get paid twelve dollars an hour. I don’t get paid enough to care.”

“Ughhhh!” I screamed as I ended the call.

Picking up the electric bill, I dialed the number and braced myself for another unsympathetic employee.

“Thank you for calling New York Lights,” a robotic voice answered. “We are currently experiencing a high call volume, but we appreciate your business. Please hold.”

A loud knock sounded at my door, so I placed the call on speaker.

“One second, Miss Lewis!” I grabbed the twenty dollars I’d borrowed last week and rushed to the door.

When I swung it open, I didn’t see my neighbor.

It was Travis.

Standing under an umbrella with his jaw clenched, he was wearing a dark grey hoodie and jeans. Instead of the devilish smile he’d worn in my fantasy last night, he looked pissed as hell.

“Your sister doesn’t live here,” I said. “Would you like her address?”

“I didn’t fly here for my sister.” He looked me over, and my nipples hardened under his gaze.

“Well, whatever you flew here for,” I said, crossing my arms, “is not in my apartment, so…” I started shutting the door, but he wedged his foot between the frame and pressed his hand on the knob.

“Your line doesn’t ring when I call,” he said. “Is my number still blocked?”

“I’m sure you’re not surprised.”

“Not in the slightest,” he said. “I left you a voicemail a few days ago, though. I’m waiting for an answer.”

“You and everyone else.”

“What does that mean?”

“That I’ve been busy and my inbox is filled with tons of other unwanted messages, so you’ll have to keep waiting,” I said. “Preferably someplace other than my doorstep.”

“I’m not waiting another second.” He closed the gap between us. “I suggest you invite me inside.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Don’t make me ask you again.”

“You haven’taskedme anything, Travis. Try that and I’ll consider inviting you inside, if I feel like it.”

“Okay.” He let down his umbrella and grabbed my hand, pulling me into the living room.

“I’ll make this quick,” he said. “You owe me a favor and I’m here to redeem it.”

What the…“Please don’t tell me you suddenly expect me to pay you back for all the spicy tacos we ate together in the past.”

“I don’t.” A slow smile spread across his lips, but he didn’t let it linger. “This isa lotmore than that, and we’ve reached the part of the conversation where you ask me what the ‘favor’ is.”

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