Page 40 of The Promise Of Rain

I gripped her waist, thrilling at the feel of her between my hands, and moved her to the side.Stepping forward, I looked up the staircase to the door leading to her apartment.

“I don’t see any—fuck!”I exclaimed and jumped back.Dancing from one foot to the other, a violent shudder raced down my frame.

“What?”She yelped, freezing in place while her blue eyes bounced back and forth like ping-pong balls.“What is it?”

I pointed down at the floor, my eyes bugging out as they met hers.“It’s a hairy fucking Larry!”I shouted.

Fucking centipedes.

I kept one eye on the beast.

So many fucking legs.

Her lips twitched as she peered around me.“A hairy Larry?”

They were the creepiest of creepy crawlies; I hated those fucking things.“Those things are not right,” I stated.

She giggled, the sound falling over me like a summer rain.

Covering her mouth with her hand, she tittered, “You hated those things.”

“Still do,” I admitted.“Why could they possibly need that many legs?”

A shudder ripped through my body, jerking me around like a marionette.

“It’s okay,” she laughed out loud, her eyes bright.“I can handle this.”

I held up my hand and squared my shoulders.“Nope, no way.I got this.”

“Do you want rubber gloves?”she teased.“A hazmat suit?”

I growled and tossed her a fake glare.“I wouldn’t mind a bucket and a broom.”

She snorted, her face growing pinker with laughter as she ran to grab them and handed them over.

I edged inside the tiny vestibule.“Don’t lock me in here,” I warned.

She pressed her hand to her heart, her eyes crinkling.“I would never.”

I nudged the beast with the broom, jumping back as it rushed me.“Fuck, these fuckers are really fucking fast,” I griped.

Spinning around, I tried again.“Fuck me,” I breathed as it crawled up onto the broom.I tapped the broom on the bucket, and he fell in.“I got him.”

“Good job!”she clapped her hands.

“Move, move, move!”I cried.“The fucker is climbing the sides!”Rushing past her to the front door, I yelled, “Open the door!”

Almost doubling over with laughter, she picked her way through my mess, managed to unlock the door.and opened it wide.

I ran to the curb and tipped the bucket with a final, full-body, shudder.“Freeze you fucker.”

“Wow, you, uh, really showed him,” she said as I walked back in.

She stood, arms wrapped around her waist protectively, but her eyes danced with laughter.

Tipping my chin down to look into her gorgeous face, I smirked.“The staircase is now secured.”

She smiled and ducked her chin.“Thank you.”