Page 18 of Living Hell

He pushed away from leaning against the mantle and turned. I stepped back, giving him room but as soon as he faced me, Tyler pulled me back into an embrace. “I guess babies weren’t abandoned so your furniture could take up space in my living room.”

I sighed as I absorbed the vibration of his chest from his voice. The light was breaking through. The Tyler I used to love was back, and that confused the hell out of me.

His body was warm and what I needed after the hectic day. He gave me a squeeze like he used to, but there was more to it. Maybe it was that Tyler was stronger or bigger, or maybe it was because I was older and understood what bodies this close could do to each other. But this hug was more than friendly, it was explosive.

His hand slipped down my back and settled on my ass. Nothing more . . . it rested, waiting for instruction.

I glanced up and found a man with longing in his eyes. If I didn’t know Tyler, he would be perfect for a fling. More than perfect really, it would be exquisite.

But I grew up with him. At one time in my life, I could guess what he would do before he even knew. And that was the problem—love wasn’t real and he fooled me once but I’m a fast learner.

I couldn’t let that happen again.

“You’re beautiful, Iona.”

He was, too. I reached up to cup his cheek. “As much as I would like this to turn into more, we have a complicated problem on our hands. We need to figure it out.”

I lied. What I wanted to do was hop into bed with this gorgeous man, but he knew me. And that was a dangerous thing.

Tyler’s hands fell from my body and he turned. “You’re right. Best we focus on this house.”

A second later, he was gone. Tyler went into the kitchen and I wondered if he was going to return.

The blue couch had enough pillows to melt into and hide. That seemed like the perfect plan—melt away from this day and hope tomorrow was better. I fell into the softness with the hopes of never standing again.

But Tyler came back and shoved at my legs, forcing me to sit up.

“I started a list.” He slapped a piece of paper on the table and I stared in disbelief.

“Is that—” I asked and had trouble closing my mouth after.

“Yes. A list of rules for the house. If I’m paying rent to you, then you should explain what I’m not allowed to—”

“No. No. Not the list. Though you’re right . . . We do need to discuss that.” I reached for the keys he set beside the paper and lifted them. My finger traced the shiny white and gold of the key chain. “Hello Kitty,” I whispered.

When I stopped staring at the metal and glanced up, it was like stepping back eleven years.

“I’d never let her go,” Tyler said.

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