Page 13 of Hideaway Heart

If I’d have been in a better mood, I might have laughed. “No. I’m working.”

“Oh yeah?” She sounded interested. “What do you do when you’re not invading other people’s vacation space and calling it security?”

“I’m not even in private security anymore. I own a bar. But it’s not open yet.”

“What kind of bar is it?”

“A sports bar.”

“Of course it is.”

I finally looked up at her. The dying sun lit her from behind, giving her red hair a hazy golden halo. “What’s that mean?”

“Nothing.” She shrugged. “You just look like the sports bar type.”

“And what type is that?”

“Tall, muscular, varsity jacket in your closet. You know...sporty.” A smile played on her lips. “I bet you really like playing with your balls.”

I focused on my screen again.

She laughed, and it was a nice sound. Deeper and rustier than you’d expect from someone her size. “Oh, come on, I’m teasing. Are you hungry?” she asked.

“No,” I said, pride talking over my ravenous stomach. Right away, my stomach chose revenge by groaningveryloudly.

“I think your belly disagrees.” She gestured toward the house. “Do you want to come in and eat with me?”

“And invade your vacation space? I wouldn’t dare.”

She held up her hands. “Let’s call a truce so you don’t waste away out here.”

“No, thanks.”

For a second, she seemed startled that I’d turned her down. Then she shrugged. “Okay. Suit yourself.”

An apology was on the tip of my tongue—why was I letting her get to me like this?—but she went back into the house without another word.

So it surprised me when, a few minutes later, she came out with a bowl heaped with pasta in red sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese and a sprig of basil. She set the bowl at my feet along with a napkin and fork. “Here.”

I glanced down at it. “Is that my doggie bowl?”

“You don’t want it?” She bent down and picked it up again.

“I didn’t say I didn’t want it.”

“So youdowant it?”

“Yes.”

She tilted her head, like something had just occurred to her. “How bad?”

“What?”

“How bad do you want it?”

I swallowed hard.So bad.“I don’t know.”

“Does it look good to you?”