Page 26 of Keeping Guard
“On one condition. The two of you come to dinner tomorrow night.”
“No,” Noah said.
“Okay,” she said at the same time.
“Good. Nichole will want to meet you.”
Noah groaned. “What? You going to adopt her, too?”
She scowled. “You don’t think I’m adoptable?”
He scowled right back at her. “Did I say that, princess?”
“No, but it sounded like you implied it.” She didn’t know why it was fun to rile him up. Maybe because when he was sparring with her, that haunted look in his eyes dimmed.
“I never imply. When I have something to say, I’ll say it.”
“Well bless your heart, sugar.”
His friend chuckled, but she kept her gaze on Noah.
Noah’s eyes narrowed. “For?”
Jack outright laughed. “He’s from Maine, Peyton, so that went right over his head. Valuable intel, Double D. When a Southerner blesses your heart, chances are that they’re insulting you without straight-out calling you a jackass.”
“That so?” Noah said. “I might be a jackass, but you’re damn sassy.”
“Humph.” Oh, yeah. There was that sign of life in his eyes she wanted to see. And why did Jack call him Double D?
“Humph? What the hell does that mean?”
Another chuckle had her glancing at Jack, who was watching them with a grin on his face. He handed Noah the end of Lucky’s leash. “I’ll leave y’all to battle this out. Come over around five and we’ll have a few drinks before dinner.”
“Maybe,” Noah said.
“We’ll be there,” she said.
Chapter Ten
This woman! Noah swiped his hand through his hair. “Sassy and bossy.”
“Well, aren’t you just precious?”
“You’re insulting me again, aren’t you?”
“A little.”
Humor flashed in those pretty blue eyes, and he ordered himself not to grin. What was it about her that made him feel alive inside? His urge to grin faded when his gaze fell on her arm again. He pulled his phone from his pocket.
“Hold your arm out.”
“Why?”
He sighed. “Just do it.” The bruise was already turning a deep purple. He took several pictures, then dropped his phone back into his pocket. “If you show these photos to the police, they’ll arrest your ex for domestic abuse.”
“I just want him to go away.”
“Not sure that’s going to happen, princess.”
