Page 16 of Pretty Wild

“Hulk?” I ask, the corner of my mouth threatening to curl up.

“Well, your shirt is stretched across your arms,” she says, her cheeks turning a delightful shade of pink. It’s as if she didn’t mean to confess the fact she was looking.

“So?”

She waves her hand and clears her throat. “How am I supposed to get it closed? Are you going to run back over here and close it for me later?”

My eyebrows draw together in confusion. “Then just leave it closed.”

“I shouldn’t have to,” she proclaims. “All windows should work accordingly, and this one doesn’t. It’s clearly broken.”

I glance at the window and then back to her. “Listen, Princess, it’s not broken. It’s just tight. It probably doesn’t get opened very much.”

“It should be fixed,” she states.

“It’s not broken,” I insist.

She throws her hands up in the air and stomps out of the room, leaving me standing here, staring and wondering what the hell just happened. I lift my hat and run my hand through my hair once more before replacing it.

“Women,” I grumble before returning my attention to the window.

I mess around with it for a few minutes, lifting and lowering it several times until it starts to move easier. They’reold windows, but are still effective, so I have no intention of replacing them anytime soon.

Spinning around, I head out of the bedroom, needing to put some distance between myself and her scent that only seems to have grown stronger since she left the room. I find her standing in the kitchen, sipping from a bottle of sparkling water. “It should be easier to move now,” I tell her.

She stares back at me, and I can’t help but wonder what she’s thinking about. She gives nothing away, just watches me intently. “Are you this crabby and difficult with everyone?”

Propping my hip against the counter, I reply, “Nope, I think it’s just you.”

She huffs. “Great. I’m honored,” she mutters sarcastically.

“Holler if you need anything else,” I say, turning around and heading for the door.

Just before I cross the threshold, I hear, “Marcus?”

I pause, glancing over my shoulder.

“Can I ask you a question?”

I don’t reply with words, but turn back around, giving her my full attention.

She straightens her spine and lifts her chin. “I need to purchase a hat, and I know most of the shops are closed until Tuesday. Does any other place sell them locally, or do I need to go to Hudson?”

“A hat? What kind of hat?”

“One like yours.”

I look up. “A ball cap?” The confusion is evident in my question.

“Yes,” she replies with a nod.

“Uhhh, you can get them just about anywhere. The gas stations sell them or the little general store in the Bluff,” I reply, reaching up and running my hand across the back of my neck. “Why?”

She shrugs. “I just thought a hat would come in handy when I take walks around the lake. You know, protect my face from the sun?”

I lift my head in understanding, but I can’t help feel a little surprised Ryan doesn’t already have a hat. You know, one of those big, fancy ones they wear to the Kentucky Derby or on some exotic beach. “Uhh, yeah.”

“I’ll just swing by some place and grab one. Thank you.”

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