Chapter 13 Shannon #2
This would be funny to watch if I weren’t the reason behind it. It’s like watching an angry game of tennis. I should go out there and put a stop to it, but I have no interest in getting on Wesley’s bad side again. Instead, I crawl back over my bed and pray for the engineer’s safety.
“Fuck my life.” A chuckle sneaks past my lips, but is quickly swallowed back down when heavy pounding on the front door rattles the floorboards beneath me.
“Shannon?” he bellows, and I let out a weary sigh, lifting myself up. Wesley is starting to feel like the neighbour from hell.
A neighbour who’s going to freak out when he sees a plane in my garden.
Keeping things civil, I need to calm this situation down. “One second,” I call out, all sweetness and light, stepping out to meet Mr Hot and Grumpy, who’s looking far too good for this planet with a thunderous expression. I think about ignoring him or turning on the charm, so I opt for the latter.
“What a pleasant surprise it is to see you, Mr Parker.” Fluttering my eyelashes before turning my back.
“Come in, come in,” I say, waving a hand over my shoulder as I head to the kitchen, positioning myself behind the island using it as a protective barrier.
“I’d offer you a ginger nut, but I’m all out.
” I look around my kitchen. “I may have a couple of sweeties in my bag,” I whisper.
“I don’t want a fucking biscuit, or sweeties.”
Okay, so sugar doesn’t turn his anger into smiles.
Wesley stamps his foot. His eyes pin me in place as he crosses his absurdly thick arms, biceps tensing.
The thought of being wrapped up in them flickers through my mind, but soon vanishes the second he speaks.
“How long is this going to take?” He points his finger at the engineer.
He’s also acting like a lit match, igniting my temper, and maybe I am a little unhinged.
I decide to use the engineer's genius words and fire back.
“I don’t know. How long’s a piece of string?” I chime, adding a pinch of sarcasm.
Wesley’s mouth twitches, like he’s caught himself on the verge of a faint smile, but he manages to waft it away.
I don’t miss the way his eyes drag over my chest, or the way his tongue darts out, wetting his lips. I abandoned my bra back in the bedroom, with intentions of throwing a cardigan on before the engineer came back.
But Wesley didn’t give me the chance, not with his fist hammering on my door.
If he can’t control himself, that’s his problem.
Tit for tat.
“I have somewhere to be.” He looks over my shoulder, trying his hardest to avoid eye contact with my chest.
“And?” I say, tapping my fingernails against the countertop. What does he expect me to do about it? I’m not backing down to him.
He glares at me, looking like he wants to say more but instead lets out a sharp, frustrated breath.
“I don’t know what your problem is, Wesley?” I retort, patience slipping. If he didn’t want neighbours, he should have kept the house off the market.
“My problem,” he snaps, waving a hand between us, “is that I can’t leave my house without you disrupting my life.” Wow, so uncalled for.
“I think you should leave.” I’m getting fed up with telling men to leave.
On the surface, I’m calm, but on the inside, I’m about to blow.
My fists clench at my sides, every muscle coiled tight.
Who does he think he is, barging into my home, throwing his big dickish arrogant energy around like he still owns the place?
Wesley recoils slightly, dropping his head like the weight of his outburst finally hits home. He sighs
“I’m sorry, Shannon, that was uncalled for.” He grips the back of his neck looking awkward. Too bad. He’s crossed the line, and I’m not a pushover.
“I think we’re beyond apologies, don’t you?” What does he expect me to do, live here in silence? I can see my glamping business is going to ruffle more than his feathers, best not to mention it just yet.
“You’ve been nothing but a prick since I’ve moved in.” I lean over the counter, my face burning hot with anger. “Thank you for helping me with the bull and fixing my fence.”
He shoves his hands in the pockets of his shorts, something like guilt shimmers in his eyes. His lips part on unspoken words before he slams them shut.
“Now, kindly, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart.” I clutch my chest. “Fuck. Off.”
I nod towards the door, message received, loud and clear…
hopefully. Before I can start the classic one, two, three countdown my mum used to do as a warning before I got a proper bollocking, the engineer’s voice cuts through the thick tension.
I fold my arms across my chest, suddenly feeling the need to cover myself.
Wesley notices, his lip curves slightly at the corner, like he’s pleased I felt the need to cover up.
Like he’s satisfied, only he had the pleasure of what was underneath my tank top.
“I’m done now, Miss Newton.” The engineer sneers at Wesley. They both need to take this outside and preferably off my property.
“Thank you,” I say, waving him off, then turn back to Wesley. “Well?” He shakes his head and walks away.
But then he turns and looks over me, once, twice. Blinking like the shutter on a camera, taking in every detail, building his own private gallery of me inside his mind. Then he’s gone, and I’m even more confused.
He either likes me or hates me.
Once the Wi-Fi and phone are set, I quickly ring Talia with my new number.
“Hey, it’s me.” The line is quiet.
“Can you hear me?” I ask, raising my voice slightly but she still doesn’t answer.
“Fuck’s sake,” she says, laughing down the phone.
“Really, Talia?” I groan, not in the mood for her jokes.
“I’m sorry, it sounded funnier in my head,” she says, with another laugh.
“You need to listen carefully, because I’m only going to say this once,” I say the words slowly.
“Okay, what’s going on?” She sounds worried and she should be, she is just as much to blame for the fucking plane as I am.
“Why. The. Fuck. Did. I. Buy. A. Plane?” The words come out in slow motion, she’s quiet for a minute.
“Are you serious? You wanted it.”
“Hey,” she says, clearing her throat, “this is a great glamping opportunity.” I roll my eyes. I knew she’d see the bright side of my drunken purchase.
“How’s the move going?”
“Good, good. I’m about to set my TV up.” I can’t be bothered to tell her about Wesley. When I told her about the bull, she wouldn’t shut up about him being interested in me, and well, after today, I doubt he is.
“I’m hanging up now, save this number.”
“Will do, love you.” I hang up the phone needing space from the house, from Wesley. Somewhere I can clear my head.