Page 83 of Driftwood Daffodil

He looked over at his Rover, then turned towards the church. “We haven’t even crossed the street yet.”

Okay that looked bad. I may need to start some kind of workout in the mornings.

“That just means it won’t take you long to get back in your car and leave before I call the cops.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right.” Defiance lifted my chin with that statement.

“And what are you going to tell them?”

“That you’re stalking me.”Duh.

It didn’t matter that I had no proof. I could still file a report.

“Uh huh,” Gio pursed his lips and nodded. “And what exactly are you going to use to back this up? Do you have pictures or videos of me parked outside your house, or in your room at night?”

“N— wait… you’ve been in my room?”

That was a truly terrifying thought. He had to be bluffing. I would know if someone was in my room. Wouldn’t I?

Gio didn’t say anything. He just gave me the smallest smirk, then turned around and continued walking.

I stood there wondering if this was another one of his games, or if he had actually invaded my personal space? Did he touch anything, or watch me sleep? There was a disturbing image. Gio looming over my bed while I drooled on my pillow.

There was no way he got in our trailer. He couldn’t even stalk someone properly. Who parked in broad daylight when they were following someone? Unless they wanted said someone to know they were following them. And Maw Maw did forget to lock the door sometimes.

God damnit, now I was going to have to sanitize everything in my room. There goes my night. Fucking Gio Mancini and his stupid mind games. I was definitely going to punch him in the nuts. As soon as I caught up with him.

That plan went out the window the second I spotted where Gio went. Instead of my fists striking out in anger, my brows knit in confusion.

He was over by the two panting guys who’d been trying to move the same log all afternoon. Not only that, but it appearedas if he was getting ready to lift the heavy piece of wood. I don’t know what Gio was up to, but it was not happening on my watch.

I stormed over and slammed my foot down on the log before he could lift it off the ground. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Well,” he sighed, “I figured I’d move this over to that wood pile. Why…” He looked up from his bent over position, “are you going to do it?”

“I could,”and die. That thing was huge. “But by all means,” I waved my hand, “Be my guest.”

Personally, I had no issue calling his bluff. There was only one problem with that. It wasn’t a bluff. Gio hoisted that thing up on his shoulder and I suddenly understood why girls got stupid around some men.

The muscles in his arms tensed and flexed, tearing away all logic thought in my mind until I completely forgot why I was standing there. The only thing that existed were those firm bulges under his tanned skin. I think I even tipped my head at one point to get a better look.

Thankfully Gio’s deep tone snapped me back into reality. “You’re either plotting my murder…”

Was his smirk always that cocky?

“Or you see something you like.”

I snorted, “don’t flatter yourself.”

Plotting his murder was the only option out of those scenarios. I’d come up with a few ways to end his life. It was the disposal of the body I didn’t have a plan for. It would be difficult to move something that big… and hard… and smooth… he kind of smelled good too. All woodsy and fresh.

I noticed that when he bent down and whispered, “you’re still staring.”

I was not staring. “It’s called plotting.”

“And what are you plotting?”

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