Page 34 of Rival for Rent

“Any of them have security cameras?”

“Not that I know of.”

He frowned, mouth pulling tight.

“What?” I said. “Do you want me to interrogate the Van Houtens about Pixie Dust? Is their dog secretly part of a surveillance op?”

“You need better home security,” he said. “I came by earlier today when you weren’t answering your texts. I was able to look through your windows and climb the wall into your backyard, no problem. No one noticed. No one stopped me. And those sliding glass doors?” He glanced towards them. “They won’t stop anyone who’s determined to get inside.”

“Youwhat?” I said. A chill prickled over my skin. I felt violated—and scared in a way I hadn’t before. Not of Mason, exactly, but of the vulnerabilities he was exposing. “You’re as bad as my stalker.”

“I wasn’t trying to get inside,” he said. “I was doing reconnaissance. But if I could do all of that in broad daylight without anyone asking questions or calling the police, that’s not a good sign. There are so many places for someone to hide on your block. It’s dangerous.”

“Is it really, or is your brain just so poisoned from the military that you’re seeing threats where there are none?” I said. “Why can’t you leave this—and me—alone?”

He flinched. A flash of something crossed his face—hurt, maybe—and for a second, I felt a little triumphant. But then he said, “Because I’m trying to keep you safe.”

“I’m in my own home. It doesn’t get much safer.”

“Someone left a dead pig on your doorstep,” he said, voice flat. “What happens when they decide they want to come inside?”

“That’s why I have Bella.” I reached down and ruffled her ears.

“She’d jump and slobber all over anyone who came inside, trying to get them to pet her.”

“Not if I tell her they’re bad and need to be attacked.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think she’s that great at picking up on your cues. You hate me, after all, but that doesn’t seem to make a difference to her.”

I flushed. I didn’t like how easily he read me. Or how right he was about Bella.

“Look, if I promise to call another service, will you go?”

“If you actually do call, where I can see you, then yes.”

“You’re a real pain in the ass, you know that?”

He smiled like a saint. “Just doing my job.”

He really did make me call another company right there, in front of him. Even handed me a list—three security services, ranked by his personal preference. I called the third one out of spite. A small, satisfying fuck you. I don’t think he noticed.

Unsurprisingly, my call went to voicemail. I left my info and asked them to call me back. That seemed to satisfy him, because after I hung up, he finally headed for the door.

“Take care, Kai,” he said—and then he was gone.

Gone from my house, but not from my head. I paced the living room, jittery. Part of it was the worry he’d stirred up, planting seeds that had already taken root and grown into tangled weeds. But mostly, it was the kiss.

What did it even mean? Was Mason into guys? If so, shouldn’t he have said something back when I accused him of being homophobic? Or was that the whole issue? Maybe he was scared to admit it. Scared of what it would mean. Maybe he thought I’d throw myself at him if I found out.

But if that were the case, why kiss me?

I sighed and moved into the dining room, staring out the sliding doors into the backyard. The golden light of the setting sun bathed everything in a warm glow. It didn’t make any of this make sense.

One minute, I’d been sure he was about to yell at me again. The next, his lips were on mine.

And damn it, it hadn’t been a bad kiss. It had, in fact, been really fucking good. His tongue was confident, his grip firm, his body warm and solid against mine. He’d tasted like cinnamon and sunshine and left me breathless. I’d never tell him, obviously, but the feeling was mutual. Itwashard to think around him.

Which probably meant I needed to get laid. If one kiss from a straight guy could unravel me this much, I was clearly overdue.

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