Chapter 20 #2
He used the key fob to unlock the door, then held it open and supported her as she lowered herself into the seat.
Once she was settled, he closed the door and rounded the car, then slid behind the wheel.
He knew where Audrey lived from his previous visit, and a comfortable silence fell as they turned in that direction.
As he drove, he snuck peeks at her from the corner of his eye.
Gradually, her lids lowered and her head rolled slightly to one side as she drifted off to sleep.
Twenty minutes later, he pulled into her driveway, then turned to look at her.
Faint scars were still evident on her forehead, and now she had new scratches and bruises to match.
A fierce protectiveness welled up inside him, urging him to reach across the console, pull her into his arms and never let go.
She wouldn’t appreciate the gesture, at least not yet.
Despite the fact that she continued to deny it, he knew there was a connection between them, something special that he wanted to explore.
He reached out and gently brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek. Her long lashes fluttered, and those pretty blue eyes slowly blinked open and met his.
“We’re here.”
Her gaze left his and darted toward the house, and she nodded slowly.
By the time he climbed out and made it to her side, she had already unbuckled her seat belt and opened the door.
He dug through her purse and fished out the keys to unlock the front door.
He closed it up once she had entered, but he didn’t bother to lock it.
They wouldn’t be there long enough to worry about it.
The soft scraping of nails against wood drew his attention as Peanut came tearing into the foyer.
A bright smile lifted Audrey’s lips, and she scooped him up using her good arm, then cuddled him close.
His little pink tongue darted out in frantic kisses, and Audrey jerked her head away with a little laugh. “I know, I know. You need to go out.”
Seizing the opportunity, he plucked him from her grasp. “I’ll take care of it. Why don’t you head to your room?”
After a moment, she relented. “Thanks.”
When Audrey turned down the hallway, he made his way to the backyard and let Peanut run around for a few minutes.
After he relieved himself, he brought him back inside and began to gather his things.
He carried his food and bowls out to the car, then left his leash by the door and headed toward her bedroom.
Audrey exited the bathroom just as he rounded the bed, and he decided to bite the bullet. “Where do you keep your suitcase?”
Her brows pulled together, her expression turning first curious, then wary. “Why?”
Spinning on a heel, he turned toward her closet and threw the doors open. “Because you’re coming home with me,” he said as he scanned the shelves. He pulled down the first duffel bag he came across and tossed it on the bed.
Audrey let out a disbelieving little laugh. “This is my home. I’m staying here.”
“Not right now, you’re not,” he retorted as he strode to the dresser and yanked out several pairs of socks and underwear, then tossed them into the bag.
She immediately reached in to retrieve them. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“In case you suddenly developed a case of amnesia to go along with your stubbornness, you were shot at today,” he snapped. “You’re out of your mind if you think I’m letting you stay here alone.”
“Getting shot isn’t something I’m likely to forget anytime soon,” she said caustically as she rolled her eyes, “but I have neighbors right next door in case anything happens.”
He jumped on her excuse. “So you’ll put someone else’s life in danger just to avoid coming with me?” Guilt clouded her features as her teeth sank into her lower lip, but he refused to give her an inch. “You’re coming with me, and that’s final.”
He snatched the socks and underwear from her hand and tossed them back into the bag. “Now, tell me if there’s anything specific you want, otherwise I’m just going to grab a bunch of random stuff.” Her frosty gaze narrowed on him, and she pressed her lips together defiantly.
She was spirited, he’d give her that. The woman was too independent by half and made winning her over all the more challenging.
But he’d never given up before, and he wasn’t about to now.
He let his eyes slowly trail down her body and back up as he fought a smile. “Or you can be naked. Your choice.”
That jolted her into action. She stomped to the closet and began to rip hangers from the rail, tossing them haphazardly over her shoulder.
Nearly a minute later, she retraced her steps and flounced down on the edge of the bed, refusing to look at him in her fit of pique.
She watched from the corner of her eye as he scooped each garment off the floor, removed it from the hanger, then folded it and placed it inside the bag.
“Toiletries?”
She popped up and stormed to the bathroom. He couldn’t hold back his grin as bottles began to fly in his direction. He hastily fielded the projectiles and dumped them unceremoniously into the bag, thanking God that she only had one good throwing arm.
“Impressive aim.”
It was apparently the wrong thing to say, because a dozen more bottles and tubes, half of which he was pretty sure she didn’t even need, came flying in his direction.
He snatched each out of the air and tossed it into the bag.
He missed the hairbrush as it hit the ground at his feet and ricocheted against the bed.
When nothing else came flying through the air, he met Audrey’s gaze where she leaned against the doorway.
“That all?”
Face set in a mutinous expression, she pushed off the doorjamb and started past him. He caught her around the waist and pulled her close, careful not to bump her injured arm. “Have I told you recently how much that temper of yours turns me on?”
“Have I told you how much I dislike you right now?” she shot back.
He couldn’t help the laughter bubbling up. “Is it gonna be like this every time we fight?”
With an irritated little scowl, she pulled free and propped her right hand on her hip. “This is literally the stupidest thing ever. A hotel would be perfectly safe.”
“You’ll be safer with me.”
Her lip curled up in disgust as her gaze swept over him from top to toe, letting him know exactly what she thought of his pronouncement. “I’d prefer a hotel.”
She would have been safe enough in a hotel, that much was true. But the fact of the matter was, he wanted her in his house where he could see her and know she was safe, and he wasn’t above playing dirty to get her there.
“Peanut!” he bellowed the dog’s name and was rewarded a few seconds later when he heard the scrabble of little feet tearing down the hall.
The dog skidded into the room, and he scooped him up.
“Want to come have a sleepover at my place?” The dog licked his chin, and he sent a challenging gaze in Audrey’s direction.
She stared at him, unblinking. “Are you seriously threatening to kidnap my dog just to suit your own agenda?”
“I am. And what kind of name is Peanut anyway? We need to come up with something new. You’re a boy, right?” he asked the dog as he held him up to confirm. “You need a masculine name, like… Thor. Or maybe Thanos?”
The dog tipped his head to one side as he inspected him curiously, and Audrey’s scathing retort cut through the silence. “He’s not a character in some stupid comic book.”
Her cheeks were almost as red as her hair, and her eyes snapped with barely restrained fire.
He loved that he could read every emotion flitting across her pretty face, and he loved to rile her, push her to the very brink of her patience until that aloof facade exploded.
Intent on goading her further, he tried again.
He turned back to the dog and scratched him under the chin.
“How about… Caesar?” The dog let out an excited little bark, then lapped at his chin.
“Caesar?” he tried again, with the same reaction. “Guess that settles it.”
He leveled a victorious smile on Audrey, who looked like she would happily rip out his entrails and strangle him with them. “You’re not changing my dog’s name.”
“Let’s go, Caesar. Time for a car ride.”
The dog tore out of the room the moment his tiny feet touched the ground, then he turned his attention back to Audrey. She blinked once, hard and slow.
If looks could kill…
Man down.