Seduce and Rescue

He’d expected an argument. Recrimination or tears. But staring into her apologetic eyes, he was appalled at his show of temper. The fury drained from his body like water through a sieve as guilt hit him full force. The poor woman had just lost everything she owned. This was the second time he’d lost command of himself. Around her. “I’m not upset.” He unclenched his fists.

“I just couldn’t stay here the way it was. The negative energy was bringing me down.”

Huh? What was he supposed to say to that? She had a way of confusing him and turning him on at the same time. Not good. He needed to get this conversation back to sounding rational.

Gritting his teeth, he glanced into his living room. It was only a plant and a few pillows. And a kitty litter box he noticed by the back door. And the noisy bird. But it was just for tonight and tomorrow. He could stand it for one day. Then he’d pack it all off with her when she left on Monday. “Fine, it can stay. But the roden—the guinea pig needs to be contained for his own safety.”

“Her.”

“What?”

“Scarlett. She’s a girl.”

“Well, she needs a cage.”

“But she needs her freedom. No animal should be confined against their—”

“Lily.”

“Yes, Ethan?”

He folded his arms across his chest. “It’s not negotiable.”

She sighed and cuddled the guinea pig under her chin. Then she looked up at him with that beautiful smile. “Well, I suppose every relationship requires compromise. But I want to get one that has a house, and a wheel, and—”

“That’s fine. Let’s go.” He fished his keys from his pocket and headed out the door while Lily set the tray of tofu burgers in the fridge.

Wait a minute. He stopped on the first step. Had she just used the word relationship?

3

ETHAN GRABBED A bright red Pet World cart as Lily bounced down the aisle. Sometimes he wondered if she’d been dropped on her head as a child. On the other hand, he also couldn’t stop picturing her naked. What kind of sicko did that make him?

“Good evening, sir, can I help you find something?” A teenager with a severe case of acne, dressed in khaki pants and a red polo shirt, stood near the cash registers.

“Guinea pig cages?” Ethan kept an eye on Lily as she rounded a corner into a side aisle.

“Yes, sir, the small pets section is in the back, to the left,” the teen answered, as another customer walked up to ask him something.

Of course it would be all the way at the back. Shopping of any kind was a necessary evil. But a pet store? With grim determination Ethan headed deeper into hostile territory, stopping at the corner where he’d last seen Lily.

“Aren’t these cute?” She held up several brown stuffed animals. “Rhett would love these. Which one? A catnip hedgehog or a catnip squirrel?”

Yeah. Just what he wanted. To buy the scary feline a toy. “Small pets stuff is farther down the aisle.” Ethan moved on, expecting her to follow. And she did, until they passed the intersection.

She squealed. “Oooh, Ethan. These are so adorable.”

Maybe if he just kept going she’d put down whatever she’d seen, and get on board with their plan of action.

“It’s a Cuddle Pal for Humphrey to lie on. Ethan, you’re not looking.”

Why couldn’t she act like a normal adult? He had better things to do than stand around looking at pet toys with a weird, infuriating female. He rounded on her. “Lily, our goal is to acquire a guinea pig cage. We get in, complete our mission and get out.”

She stared at him as if he was the crazy one, then shook her head and laughed.

“What?” He tightened his grip on the handle of the cart.

“This isn’t a combat zone. We don’t have to save the tropical fish section from reptile terrorist attacks.”

He narrowed his eyes. “It’s simply a matter of expediency. If you pick up and comment on everything we pass, we’ll be here until they close.”

“And what would be so bad about that? What else have you got to do tonight?”

“I—” He’d think of something in a second. Surely there was something he needed to do at home. “That’s not the point. The point is there is no reason to examine every single item when you don’t intend to buy them.”

“The point—” she emphasized the word “—is to have fun.”

“Fun?”

“You know. That thing you did as a kid? Playing? Cops and robbers? Cowboys and Indians?” She lowered her voice and wiggled her brows. “Doctor and nurse? Didn’t you and your friends play?”

“No.” Playing is for sissies. His dad’s words echoed in his head.

Her smile disappeared. “Oh.”

Avoiding the pity in her eyes, he pushed the cart toward the back of the store.

She caught up to him and tucked her arm in his. “Where did you grow up?”

“You’re the psychic, you tell me.”

“Actually, that’s my friend, Sunny. She’s amazing. But I like guessing games. How about after three wrong guesses you tell me the right answer?”

Ethan sighed. Nothing was going to stop this woman. “Fine.”

“Okay. Ooh, this is fun. Hmm …” She put her finger to her lips and tapped. “Let’s see, um, Detroit, Michigan.”

“Nope.”

“Is it south, east or west of Michigan?”

“That wasn’t part of the deal.” He bit back a smile.

“Humph.” She pouted. And it looked sexy, damn it.

She wasn’t going to ge—

“South Dakota.”