Page 8 of (Not) The One
‘Damn.’
And as I try to rotate my upper body a little to see what, the snag becomes a tearing sound. Not only am I stuck, but now I can also feel the evening air where I shouldn’t.
‘Give me a break.’ I stare down at the light-coloured tiles, my shoulders wilting along with my utterance.
Until I hear footsteps from somewhere farther inside the vast house—masculine footsteps, thankfully unaccompanied by thetap-tapof heels. From defeated to frantic, I begin to twist and thrust myself backwards, ignoring the rending sound of fabric in my haste. And if there’s anything guaranteed to make you sober up quickly, it’s the prospect of being caught doing something illegal. And stupid.Stupidly illegal?Maybe these are the reasons I close my eyes as the room floods with light, indulging in the toddler version of plausible deniability.
Maybe I’m not so sober after all.
‘Escaped again, have you?’
His voice is deep and smoky and a little amused. I screw my eyes tighter. I don’t need to look—really, I don’t—and not for fear of seeing a porn star moustache.Is being half in and half out of a stranger’s home, uninvited, only half a break and entering charge?
Footsteps sound, then falter, the soles of his shoes making a shuffling sound against the tile.
‘What do we have here?’Deep, smoky, amused, and a little bit posh.
I brace myself as I raise my head. ‘Hello. You appear to have your hands on my pussy.’
3
Miranda
As far as titles go,hot neighbour dudedoesn’t do him justice.
He’s so not a dude, even if he does look a little amusedly perplexed.
Fair-haired, tanned, and tall, he doesn’t have a moustache of any kind—though he’s more than old enough to grow one—and he’s handsome in a delicious sort of urbane way. And judging by the sexy half smile he’s currently raining down on me, he’s thoroughly aware of just how good looking he is. Black pants and a white shirt open at the neck, the silken strips of a bow tie lie on either side, giving him the air of a gift someone couldn’t wait to unwrap.
‘I don’t believe I’ve had that pleasure,’ he almost purrs, readjusting David Meowie against his chest, who looks perfectly at ease there. This from the cat that’s done nothing but hiss and bare his teeth at me since I arrived ten days ago.
Thatpleasure orthepleasure? It’s a strange kind of introduction, and one that sends my mind to review my previous statement.
You appear to have your hands on my pussy.
No. I couldn’t have said that because life isn’t that cruel.
‘I’m sure I would’ve remembered.’
Oh.
Damn.
‘Hang on a minute.’ I hold up my hand, though I’m not sure it adds any dignity to my current position. ‘Let me get this straight. You find a strange woman half in and half out of your house, andthat’syour response?’
‘Hm. You’re right. Half measures are never any fun. Are you in, or are you out?’ He issues his response like a dare.
‘What I am is stuck.’ His burst of deep laugher is startling, his head thrown back, the light in the room highlighting the rasp of sandy stubble on his chin. At least until he looks at me again, all faux seriousness.
‘I’m to believe this is the pussy you’re referring to?’
‘Obviously,’ I answer haughtily. Though I’m not sure I can carry it off, given my current position and circumstances.
‘You’re sure this cat belongs to you?’
‘Positive.’
‘Then I must take you for a cat burglar.’ The flash of his smile is almost disconcerting. His teeth are white and even and not a bit shark-like, yet... ‘Should I alert the authorities?’
