Page 3 of This Time I'm Keeping You
“If I didn’t think it would take a wooden stake to do the job, I would take one off and ram the heel through your black heart.”
“Ouch, I believe that hurt.”
He had been drawn to her in college and never quite figured out why.They’d had a few classes together, and he’d started talking to her one day.Nick had found her funny and smart and totally different from the other girls he spent time with.He’d talked about his family, and home, and she’d listened.Then she’d told him she didn’t want to be his friend anymore, and it had stung.It had taken him a while to work out why.
“Damn you, give me my laptop!”
Nick smiled as she glared at him.Her deep green eyes looked bigger, lashes longer, and he guessed that resulted from whatever she’d painted around them.It worked; they sucked a man in.
“There must be a police officer around here somewhere!”
“Just coffee for old times’ sake—nothing more.Surely you can manage that, Poppy,” he coaxedin his most reasonable voice.
“There is no old times’ sake.I dislike you, end of story.You’re an asshole, and I doubt you’re capable of personal growth, so that won’t have changed.”
“Ouch,” he drawled.
“Give me my possessions back and go away.”The words were spoken through her teeth.
“I read your book.It’s good,” he said, hoping to soften her up.
That stopped her.She looked at him again, eyes wide, questioning.
“You can read?”
“Very amusing.”
She’d been quiet when he met her, and never raised her voice, and that was part of the attraction for Nick.He’d spent most of his life around loud, volatile people, so when Poppy came along, she’d intrigued him.
“I don’t remember you being such a hard-ass, Poppy.”
“Life lessons made me grow up.”
Nick hated that he may have contributed to those life lessons.
“Let me buy you a coffee, and I’ll tell you how much I liked your book.”He wasn’t sure why he didn’t want to walk away from her, but something was keeping him here, listening to her insults.“Just a coffee, Poppy.”
“I have no wish to become reacquainted with you.”She spoke in a slow, precise way.He knew this was because she’d once stuttered.“And I couldn’t give a shit what you think of my book.”
Placing a hand on his chest, Nick tried to look hurt.“You wound me, Poppy, and here I amextending the olive branch.”
Tilting her head to one side, Nick watched all the fight and anger suddenly ease from her lovely body.She lifted one hand and urged him closer.Leaning in, he took a deep breath and inhaled the subtle hint of her scent.It was musky and floral, and damned if it didn’t make him want to move closer and nuzzle her neck.
“I’d rather decapitate you with it!”
“Oomph!”The air left his lungs after she punched him hard in the stomach.
“Stay away from me, Atherton!”
Nick felt her wrench the strap of the laptop bag from his shoulder as he doubled over, gasping for air.He then heard the click of her heels on the sidewalk as she hurried away.
Relieved when he felt the welcome rush of air fill his lungs, he straightened.
Who knew someone her size could pack such a punch?
When he could focus, he looked left and right and found her, head high, those ridiculous heels clicking along the pavement.Nick saw the back of a man approaching her.A fan, maybe?Poppy tooka step backas if to evade him, and then a group of people blocked her from his sight.Her scream made his blood run cold.
“Poppy!”Nick ran toward her.The people parted, and he found her again.Theman now held her shoulders, and she was struggling to get free.
