6. Rowan #2
Scratch that. Nugget might be tiny, but the universe failed to inform him of that fact. He’d probably pull Larry’s shoulder out of joint.
Larry glares at me. “Whatever you’re thinking, put it out of your mind. I’m not going outside and exercising. I get enough of that as is.”
It’s not a good idea, but I can’t help but suggest it. Anything to tempt him. “Not even with Nugget?”
He glowers at me. “I don’t need to take your dog for a walk.”
I cock my head at him. He doesn’t look out of shape, but he doesn’t look like he moves much either. “Okay, so how about some hot yoga, then? Some tai chi in the park?”
“I’ll die. Is that what you want? You after my money?”
I snort and turn my gaze back to the TV. “No, Larry. I don’t care about money, as you well know. I just want you to live for a long time. You’re my best friend, I think.”
He settles deeper in his chair like he’s afraid I might bodily haul him from it. “You’re not mine.”
I ignore that because I think I just may be his one and only friend. I don’t even know if he has family. No one comes to visit him, and he never talks about anyone. The snooping I’ve done in his house has revealed nothing.
Then I realize I may be just the same as my unfortunate, aging friend.
Because my parents didn’t make it to see my twenty-first birthday.
The rest of my relatives are estranged. And the one person who was everything to me, I lost almost a year ago.
My best friend, my only family. He was the one who knew me the best, the one who had my back no matter what.
He’s gone.
Dead.
And it’s all my fault.
Larry eventually forces me back to my own apartment.
He poked me with his cane until I stood up and slunk back home.
I didn’t really want to leave, which tells you the state of my mind.
The thought of going back to my apartment alone is something else entirely.
I have Nugget, and he keeps me company, but he also causes chaos.
There’s no peace in there, just the crushing loneliness. I’ll have to put on some music to keep the shadows that try to descend at bay. Dancing will help too. Not tons of room in my tiny apartment, but I make do.
But when I make my way toward my front door, my footsteps falter. Someone is lingering there, metal glinting in the dim light as it moves between fingers.
“Samson,” I breathe as my heart kicks up a beat. “Buckingham,” I add, and I know he hears me say that because the metal stops glinting, his head tilting up slightly. It’s dark out, but I can see his eyes flash as he takes me in.
“Didn’t take you long to figure that out,” he murmurs grumpily.
“It’s the unique name. And you have quite a presence online.”
“Much to my fucking dismay.”
His eyes flash behind me, toward the apartment I came from, and his lips purse slightly.
“Where were you?” he asks, almost sounding jealous.
My lips curve. I like that a little more than I should. Not that I’m going to let him know that. “None of your business. Why are you here?”
Samson shoves away from the wall and steps toward me. He’s so fucking hot up close, his face unshaven today, a light stubble lining that strong jaw. “Tell me where you were first.”
I chuckle, the sound deepening at how his eyes narrow. “Fine. If you must know, I was with another man.”
His eyes are now slits. The hilt of his dagger is in his palm, the blade pointing toward Larry’s apartment. “What man?”
I wave my hand around, trying to go for casual, but the excitement of being this close to him again has caused a tremble to erupt in my fingertips. “Someone very special to me.”
Toying with Samson is…freeing. Distracting.
Exactly what I need.
A small growl leaves his throat, and I roll my lips between my teeth. “You know, Samson Buckingham, we aren’t exclusive or even dating. You have no right to growl at me like that. Even if it is very…hot. In fact…how do you know where I live?”
Light hits the dagger again, his thumb brushing up and down the decorative handle. I really should be more afraid than I am right now. I never gave him my address, and yet here he is. Armed and growling. “It was easy to find when your friends have loose lips.”
“Which one?”
“Marcy.”
I sigh loudly and then let out another laugh. I bet Marcy was thrilled when she saw a tall, handsome man asking for me. I bet Samson managed to charm her, too.
Because he is charming in an odd, grumpy way.
Just like Larry, only hotter.
“Well, fine. My friends are well-meaning but slightly ridiculous. Either way, it doesn’t matter… What do you want?”
The dagger flips in his hand. He doesn’t even look at it as he flicks it around with ease. “First, I want to know who this special man is that you were with.”
I sigh and then point to his knife. “Put that away, and I’ll tell you.”
He does as I ask, and I fold my arms across my chest, suddenly no longer wanting to play word games.
I’m starting to feel the stress of the day descend upon me.
Larry was a great diversion, and seeing Samson outside of my apartment gave me a burst of adrenaline, but both were short-lived.
The darkness is creeping in, and I don’t know how to stop it.
“I was with Larry. He’s about seven hundred years old and walks with a cane. I take care of him, much to his horror and disgust.”
Samson stands up straighter as I say that, his shoulders relaxing slightly and his hands loosening beside him.
I’m not finished, the darkness making my words pointed. “But then again, this is none of your business. Just because you had your tongue in my ass and your family owns the entire town doesn’t mean you get to pry into my life.”
He doesn’t so much as bat an eye. “I don’t own the town.”
“Well, your family does.”