Chirp(52)

“Nope. As you can see. Plenty of room.” Seth slid his box across the carpet.

This didn’t make sense. The lights flickered off then back on, much in the same way Rance’s brain was processing the discovery, jumping from one thought to the next. Sure, she was upset, but she’d never move in with Hanna. There was no room for her there. He rushed to the bathroom and opened the cabinets. Empty. He flew to the chair, reached behind it, and lifted the paint can. No need to open it; he could tell from the weight that the money was gone.

He rejoined Seth and stared at the blank space. “I don’t get it. She’s only supposed to stay at Hanna’s until Monday. Why would she take everything?”

“Beats me. Guess you’ll have to ask her.”

A vein throbbed below Rance’s ear as a terrible idea popped into his head. He slumped down onto the bed. “She’s not coming back.”

Seth turned to face him. “That can’t be right. Can it?”

Rance didn’t answer. Just sat in heavy silence.

“Rance?”

He rose and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Hell, if she wants to leave, fine. I don’t give a rat’s ass.”

“I think you do. Go after her. Fix whatever is going on between the two of you. It can’t be that bad.”

Rance hung his head. “I slept with her. Okay? I thought it was recreational. She didn’t.”

Seth sat, too. “Damn. We’re a pair, aren’t we? I’m trying to get rid of my woman, and you’re trying to get yours to stay. You’d think we could solve each other’s problem. Don’t know about you, but I don’t have a clue.”

“Guess we should ask Nicky. He seems to have his shit together.”

At three o’clock the next morning, Rance was still wide awake. Outside, another storm brewed. Low rumbles moved closer. But it wasn’t the weather keeping him from sleep. It was Chirp and the fact she’d taken all her belongings. Well, he’d had enough.

He took time to brush his teeth, slipped his feet into his boots, and grabbed his truck keys. By God, if she wanted to move out, she could, but not until they settled things.

Within ten minutes, he was in Hanna’s drive. No lights shone anywhere except for a dim glow in the barn. As the drizzle turned to a downpour, he ran inside.





Blaze


Thunder had Blaze hunkered down in the corner of the stall, clutching Muttly so tight the dog squirmed for air. There’d been a flash of light, and she wasn’t sure if it was the weather or someone in the drive. Either way, she wasn’t budging. Earlier, she’d turned on the battery-operated lantern so it wouldn’t be so scary.

The barn door flew open, and even in darkness, she recognized Rance. Six feet two of solid muscle and testosterone. She tried to speak, but her words came out shaky. “What are you doing here?”

In three long strides, he was in the stall, looming over her. “You’ve punished me enough, Chirp. It’s time to come home.”

She ignored the gruffness in his voice and hugged Muttly tighter. “I told you . . .”

He pointed his finger. “Just listen. I’m sorry for everything. I want you to come home because I miss you.” The soft glow cast most of his face in shadow, but she still saw the determination of his strong jaw.

He held out his hand, and without thinking, she released Muttly and slid her palm into Rance’s. He pulled her up and against his chest. “I want you to stop being mad at me. If you want us to be together, I’m good with that. But I’m not the right man for you. At least not long-term. Understand?”

His eyes were dark and dilated, and she could tell he meant business. She wasn’t about to argue. Besides, he’d finally said most of what she wanted to hear, so she’d settle for that.

“Chirp? You still want me, right?”

She struggled to find her voice, but that was impossible with her heart lodged against her windpipe.

“I can’t stop thinking about you. Worrying about you. I’ve already brushed my teeth.” Then he kissed her long and deep. And she melted into him.

He pushed away and locked eyes with her. “I have a few rules.”

Still unable to put a sentence together, she nodded.

“We’re not rushing this time, and I’m in charge. If I want to stop, we stop. You got that?”

Another nod.

“Good. And when we’re having sex, you don’t get to use anatomy terms. No penis. No vagina. Unless you want my dick to go limp. Understand?”

The way he looked at her caused a fire to ignite in the pit of her stomach. “Uh-huh.”

He dipped his head and pressed his lips to her throat just below her ear. “You were right. You can’t get better at sex unless you keep practicing. I shouldn’t have said what I did. It was mean. That’s what happens when I don’t take time to think about stuff before I speak. Forgive me?”

“Yes, and I’ll try harder.”

He slid his mouth across her cheek. “It wasn’t your fault. It’s my job to make it good for you. And I will.”

Her lips parted, and he fed her a hot, wet, carnal kiss that brought her to the balls of her feet. He slid one hand around her waist, the other past the elastic of her pajamas and into her panties, where he stroked her. “Sweet Jesus, Chirp.”