Even though Beau was good company, I was unable to relax. Beau didn't realize that Ramsey was the enemy, too, but because I knew it, I remained on edge. Beau puttered around the house whistling as he checked the windows and doors and did a few other things that I questioned. For one, he sprinkled each windowsill with holy water.
I offered to help him, but as soon as I tried to do anything, he'd growl for me to sit down and relax.
And then he'd disappear, off to take a shower.
Confused at his actions, bored with having nothing to do, I used his cell phone since the battery on mine was low and I didn't have the charger. I called the office to check up on things and put out a few small "fires" that had arisen between badly scheduled dates and an audit.
Naturally, the girls in the office were curious about what was going on, and I didn't have a whole lot to tell them.
One guessed, of course. "There's a man, isn't there?" Ryder said over the phone, a speculative hint in her sweet, perky voice.
"There's no man," I said, but my voice squeaked.
She laughed with delight. "Girl, it's about time. I had money in the pool that you were heading for a nunnery."
"Pool?" I echoed, not following her line of thought.
"Betting on when you'd get laid."
My jaw dropped a little. "You guys have an office pool? On me?"
"We did." She sounded disgruntled. "Sara just won it. She had you pegged for thirty."
I couldn't believe they were taking bets on when I'd have sex. What was even more incredible was that the closest bet was five years off ... and from my own sister. Irritated, I made up some quick excuse and got off the phone, Ryder's cheerful laugh ringing in my ears.
Beau strolled by just then, his mouth curved in a smile. He'd probably heard every word of the conversation. I scowled at him and flounced up from the couch, causing his book to fall onto the floor.
I bent to pick up the book, and when I turned around he had disappeared again. A minute later, I heard the shower start once more. I frowned, puzzled by his abrupt disappearance. That was odd.
Something like ... me? And the heat due tomorrow?
I blushed, thinking of how I'd bent over and how that had sent him running. I'd have to be more careful. With that in mind, I settled in on one end of the couch and flipped through Beau's novel. A few minutes later, I froze when I heard a door open across the house. Careful not to make a sound, I shut the book and stood. From the other end of the house I could still hear the shower going.
Nervous, I edged to the kitchen, my first thought to head for the knives.
The intruder, however, was already in the kitchen.
It was a small brunette-petite and curvy, with short, curly hair and a huge rack. Freckles dotted her nose and she had the greenest eyes I'd ever seen. She was gorgeous, dressed in a low-cut top, tight jeans, and sandals. A heavy perfume wafted around her.
She looked at me with a hint of disgust, her nostrils flaring in a way that I'd learned to associate with shifters. Her lip curled. "Who are you?"
I stiffened at her rude tone. "Who the hell are you?"
She took a step toward me and her perfume became overpowering. I wanted to hold my nostrils shut. "I'm Arabella, and I live here." She held out her hand, displaying her keys. "That's why I have these."
She lived here? All my bravado died as I stared at the keys.
But if she lived here ... then ... something wasn't adding up.
