Page 21 of Erik's Salvation
“Yes.”
She looked down like she was considering denying him, then with a sigh, she handed it over. When she looked at him expectantly, it took him a beat to realize she wanted him to taste it now.
He peeled back the liner and took a bite.Shit. It looked bad, but it tasted worse. Like sweetened cardboard that had been soaked in liquid.
“It’s really good,” he said, once he’d forced the overly sweet batter down his throat. God, how could a muffin taste both burnt and undercooked at the same time?
Hannah lifted a brow, humor dancing in her eyes. “Really?”
The batter turned to sludge in his gut. “Yeah. Thanks.”
Her smile widened. “You’re welcome. And, again, I’m sorry we came over unannounced. I’ll talk to Brigid about not doing that again.” She whipped her phone from her pocket. “And if you’re willing to give me your number, I’ll text ahead if I need to come over for any reason.”
He hesitated. Why did it feel dangerous for this woman to have his number?
Her smile started to slip at his hesitation, so he quickly rattled it off, not feeling emotionally equipped to see her face fall again.
“Great.” She slipped her phone back into her pocket. “Enjoy the rest of the muffin.”
He watched as she crossed back to her yard, trying to work out why the fuck he was so drawn to her.
CHAPTER7
“Ilove him so much, I just wish he would up his romantic game. Some flowers here, a Magic Mike dance there.”
Hannah turned right, driving so slow a bicycle could have passed her. Fat raindrops came down hard and fast on the windshield, the wipers barely able to clear them before another deluge came.
Damn her idea to stay late at work, following up on some leads.
She cleared her throat before responding to Brigid, who was on speaker. “I’m sure he’s trying.”
“Trying? He hasn’t given me a good fuck in… God, I can’t even remember.”
Hannah’s lips twitched. Brigid had sent her an SOS message, then called the second she’d climbed into her car. If her friend ever spoke at normal-person decibels, Hannah was sure she’d barely be able to hear her over the storm. But Brigid being Brigid, she knew how to speak over any weather phenomenon.
“Brigid, there is more to a relationship than a good…” Nope. She couldn’t say that. Her inner child was too modest. “Than good sex.”
“I know, but I’m craving fireworks, Hannah! And we used tohavefireworks. We used to—”
Her words cut out, and Hannah shot a look at her phone in the console. Crap, she’d run out of battery. She’d known it was coming. Usually, she charged it at work, but she’d gotten so consumed in what she was doing, she’d forgotten.
At least she was almost home, then she could read the dozen messages Brigid would no doubt send between then and now, explaining all the things she needed from James.
She took the next right, spotting the entrance to her long drive halfway down the road. She was nearly there—and already picturing a long, hot Epsom salt bath—when a loud bang sounded from under the hood, quickly followed by clouds of smoke.
She’d just managed to pull the car to the side of the road when the engine switched off. It just…died.
No!
She tried turning it back on, hoping it might start and run just long enough to get her the remaining small distance home. Nope. Not even a jingle.
She threw the keys against the passenger door in anger, fully ready to go to battle with this hunk of metal. She stopped herself…just.
It’s fine. The positive is, I’m almost home. Yes, it’s raining, but once I’m inside, I can sink into the tub and forget all about the storm and my stupid car.
The raindrops on the windshield looked even heavier than seconds before, and anticipation of the cold already had her skin pebbling as she grabbed her work bag, then wrapped her fingers around the door handle.
Okay, quick race down the street and driveway, Hannah. Then a nice warm bath.
