Page 13 of Return of the Bad Girl (Rock Canyon, Idaho 4)

Gabe’s thoughts shifted to the dark-haired beauty currently making his fresh start more difficult. “I have to deal with a pest problem before I move in.”

Chapter Four

“In my opinion, men and women cannot live together without at least some friction.”

—Miss Know It All

CAROLINE WAS LYING on the couch at eight o’clock, trying to go back to sleep. Between Val and Justin coming back here instead of going to his house, and Ellie sneaking in at four in the morning, only to trip over Gus, the bulldog, Caroline hadn’t slept more than a few hours. The last time she’d woken up, it had been to Ellie’s releasing a string of curses—and a m

umbled apology after she’d asked if Ellie was okay. Then, just as Caroline was about to drift back to sleep, Justin had come out of the bedroom with Val on his heels. After a ten-minute smooch fest by the door, Justin had left, and Val had made her way back to her bedroom.

There’d been no more sleeping after those disturbing noises, so Caroline had spent the last few hours debating how she was going to get into that apartment. She had a feeling Mr. Bad Ass wasn’t going to give it up without a fight.

If she was her father’s daughter, she’d do a little digging into her competitor’s past. A guy like that probably had a few skeletons, some undesirable qualities—besides the fact that he was a snarky, chauvinistic jerkoff. Telling her to find someplace else. Calling her “princess.”

Once upon a time, maybe, but she hadn’t been pampered or sheltered since before her mother died. But that was a long time ago. That girl wouldn’t have made it in the world on her own. Caroline had needed to adapt, change, and grow with every situation.

But if she wasn’t going to resort to dirty tactics or legal recourse now, what other options did she have?

A loud knock at the front door startled her, and she jumped, nearly rolling off the couch. Dressed in a pair of boxers and a T-shirt, she got up and walked to the entryway. Her hand was on the knob before another knock shook the wood.

Opening the door, her mouth fell open when she found Gabe the Badass standing on her porch, looking sheepish.

And hot. Can’t forget hot.

“I take it you’re surprised to see me,” Gabe said, a smirk turning the corners of his mouth up in a knee-weakening way that didn’t affect her at all.

Not one little bit.

“What do you want?”

“You dropped out of charm school, didn’t you?” Gabe asked.

“When it comes to you, this is about as charming as I get,” she said, resisting the urge to smooth out her messy ponytail. She didn’t even want to think about what her breath smelled like.

Why do you care? It’s not like you’re going to be kissing him. Maybe you can scare him away with your dragon breath.

“Fair enough,” he said, and she hated that he looked so damn good in a pair of faded jeans, a cotton shirt, and a leather jacket. If it weren’t for the piercings, he could have been in the cast of Grease. “I know we got off to a rough start—”

“You mean when you tried to steal my apartment and throw me out?”

Satisfaction raced through her as his jaw clenched. So she irritated him. Too bad. He irritated her, too.

“I meant that the confusion over the apartment caused us both to leave empty-handed,” he said.

“So what? You’ve come to convince me why I should just let you have it?”

“Actually, I was going to suggest we share it,” Gabe said, the smirk back in full force as he added, “if you think you can handle it.”

Caroline blinked at him. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Nope.”

“Why would I want to live with you? I can’t even stand to breathe the same air as you.”

He shrugged. “You seem like the type to get all sue-crazy over something like this, so I figured I’d be the bigger man and lay out a compromise. It’s up to you, though.”

“I am not sue-crazy,” she muttered.