Page 60 of Hot for the Jerk

Unfortunately, there was no peephole or windows on the side to look through to see who was there.I had to do it the old-fashioned way and yell.“Who goes there?”

“Here goes Jagger McEvoy.”

My mouth dropped open, and I glanced at Naomi.

Her brows flew up to her hairline, and her jaw hung loose as well.

“Go away.”

“What?Why?”

I growled and glanced back at Naomi who looked at me like I’d lost my mind.“What do you want?”I asked, still not opening the door.

“I came to check to see if you have lice?”

I swung the door open faster than lightning.“Lice?Did you get lice from the B&B?”

His grin instantly made my panties damp.Damn him.“No.I just wanted to stop yelling through the door.”He glanced inside a little and waved at Naomi.“Hey, Naomi.”

All smiles, Naomi waved back, tucking a thick, curly strand of her dark hair behind her ear.“Hi, Jagger.”

I glared at him.“Not funny.What do you want?”

Still possessing that dimpled smile and those sparkling, playful eyes, he wasn’t at all discouraged by my frosty greeting.If anything, he seemed motivated by it.He lifted up a small, red gift bag.“This is for you.”

“I don’t want it.”

“Raina,” Naomi chastised.“Don’t be rude.”

“I don’t need a gift.That’s not—”

“For fuck’s sake,” Jagger rumbled, reaching forward, grabbing my hand, and pushing the handle of the bag into it.“Stop being so difficult.It’s not like it’s the fucking Hope Diamond.”

Naomi snickered.

Glaring at him, I used two hands to open the bag, first pulling out a pair of … underwear.

“What the fuck?”I growled at him.

“They’re yours before you go all weird on me.Because we did our laundry together at the B&B, your undies got stuck by static to the inside of my sweater.I found them today when I pulled on the sweater.Thought your might like them back.That way you don’t go accusing me of stealing them because I’m some weird underwear thief pervert.”

Naomi snorted.“That was very kind of you, Jagger.”

He glanced at her and nodded.“I thought so.”

There was still something else in the bag.I put the underwear—floral bikini briefs—back into the bag, and pulled out an adorable, squat little cactus plant with a sparkly red ribbon tied around the rim of the silver planter.

“I was at the grocery store earlier, saw that, and it reminded me of you,” he said, like it was no big deal or anything.The hint of embarrassment in his tone had a smile threatening one side of my mouth.

I glanced up at him.

“Strong and prickly,” he finished.“And …” he glanced into my house again, his cheeks getting pink, “cute.”

“That is the sweetest freaking thing ever,” Naomi said, swooning.

“You’re sure it’s not because I can withstand neglect and birds shitting on me?”I spat back, too flustered by his kindness and gift to say anything nice.

“Canyou withstand neglect and birds shitting on you?”he asked, that telltale charming grin still on his face, which of course brought the dimples out to play, disarm, and distract.

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