Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
“So, are you scared of anything else, or just crabs?” She shot Roman a mock glare as they cut across the sand on the way back to the rental house. “I wasn’t scared of the crab, it just… startled me.”
He laughed, a low sound in the back of his throat. “You sure about that?”
“Yes.” She lifted her chin defiantly, fighting the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Mhmm.” He gently bumped her with his shoulder. “Scaredy cat.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
“All right, all right,” he conceded. “So, you’re not afraid of the crab, even though you tried to climb me like a tree.”
She snorted but couldn’t help the smile that spread over her face. “You’re such a jerk.”
Beside her, Roman laughed. “Seriously, I’ve never seen anyone move so fast in my life.”
Now that her initial surprise had worn off, she could laugh at her reaction. “Fine, I may have overreacted”—she held up her thumb and forefinger an inch apart—“just a tiny bit. But, in my defense, I wasn’t expecting them.”
“I know, right? Who would suspect there would be crabs at the beach?” he asked drily, and she lightly backhanded his arm.
“It’s nighttime. I assumed they all… I don’t know.” Exasperation tinged her tone. “Don’t they dig themselves into the sand or something?”
Roman grinned. “Yeah, to hide from you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ha, ha. You’re so funny.”
“Coulda been worse.” He shrugged. “Florida has some of the most deadly snakes in the world.”
She snapped her head around to look at him. “That’s a joke, right?”
“Nope.” He kept walking, as if it didn’t bother him in the least. “Coral snakes, water moccasins, rattlers. It’s always a good idea to watch trees and bushes where they hang out. They like to get up off the hot ground.”
She knew that, of course. They had snakes in Kentucky, but somehow this little bit of news detracted from the beauty of her temporary paradise. “Well, that’s disappointing.”
He slid a look her way. “I take it you’re not a fan of snakes?”
A shudder of revulsion worked its way down her spine. “No. No snakes, no spiders. Nothing creepy.”
“Creepy?” His mouth tilted into a smirk.
“Yeah. Creepy. Eight legs are way too many legs for any living thing to have. But at least they have legs,” she said, on a roll now. “It’s not natural for something to not have legs at all. That’s just… disgusting.”
“It’s actually good to have snakes around,” Roman commented. “They eat all the little rodents.”
“Not for this girl.” She pointed at herself. “You know what else can take care of rodents? An exterminator.”
“Point taken.” Roman laughed. “I’ll add that to my list—Keep Irina safe from creepy animals.”
They had reached the house, and ever the gentleman, Roman held the gate open for her.
She felt a little tickle on the back of her neck as she stepped inside the patio area, and she swiped at it.
The palm fronds surrounding the fence danced on the light breeze as she felt the phantom sensation again.
From behind her, Roman spoke, low and serious. “Irina… Don’t move…”
His voice was low, filled with wariness, and she immediately froze. “What’s wrong?” she whispered.
The crawly sensation skittered across her shoulder blades again, and a high-pitched squeal left her mouth. Oh, my God. Something was on her. Panic took over, and she waved her arms wildly, trying to brush off whatever was on her. “Get it off, get it off, GET IT OFF!”
She twisted and contorted her body in an effort to get the thing off.
All the while, Roman never even tried to help.
She shot a glare his way in time to see him stumble against the wall, bent at the waist. Confusion welled up as the sound falling from his lips registered.
The jerk was laughing. Her gaze dropped lower to the palm leaf clutched in his hand.
Shock rooted her to the ground, then anger took over.
“You jerk!” She launched herself at him, but he caught her easily. Dropping the palm leaf, he fended off her clumsy slaps to his chest, still choking with mirth.
“Truce, truce!” he called between laughs.
“You’re such a jerk!” She winced a little as she punched him in the chest one more time. “I can’t believe you did that to me!”
She turned to storm off, but he caught her around the waist and pulled her back. “C’mere, trouble. It was just a joke.”
She yanked backward, trying to pry herself from his grasp. “I told you how much I don’t like them!”
“I know, I know.” Roman loosened his hold but didn’t release her. “I’m sorry. I was just teasing.”
In hindsight, she should have known. The tickle of the palm leaf didn’t feel anything like a spider. But her mind had been so preoccupied by thoughts of creepy, crawly things that she’d fallen for his trick.
“I hate you.” Even as the words left her mouth, she melted against him, a strange combination of emotions swirling inside her as she sank into the warmth and security of his broad chest.
A pair of huge hands swept slowly up her spine, then back down. “No, you don’t.”
“Fine. I don’t hate you.” This time, he let her go as she leaned away from him. “But I’m still mad at you. Jerk.”
“You know I would never let anything hurt you for real.” He turned and steered them toward the house. “But I kinda owed you for that little stunt you pulled at the restaurant. Brat.”
Her heart banged against her ribs as he draped one arm over her shoulders and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
She was so taken aback by the gesture that she almost missed a step.
As if realizing what he’d done, Roman let his hand drop, his fingertips skimming her arm as it fell to his side.
Disappointment hit her first, followed immediately by a warm glow around her heart.
Something had changed between them tonight.
She wasn’t sure what would happen next, but she knew instinctively that Roman would fight it.
He’d deemed himself her protector and was reluctant to cross any lines.
But she had no such qualms. She just had to figure out how to break down his resistance and make him see that she wanted this too.