“Will he bite me?”
“That depends,” I smiled standing back up. “Will you bite him?”
He giggled shaking his head. “No!”
“Well then, I think we’re pretty safe.” I laughed. “Can you hand me that box over there?”
He picked up the small wooden crate, I once used to hoist up treats my mother would place inside for me to enjoy without having to climb down, and handed it to me.
Scrunching down on all fours, the boy returned to his spot in the far corner.
I reached under the table, staring at the terrified creature, willing it to stay still. Please don’t bite me.
Surprisingly, I was calmer than I thought possible. This was very much out of my comfort zone, but considering I had no one else to help us, it left me in charge of stepping up.
My body tensed as I carefully reached the box out—sympathizing with the horrified mouse, whose eyes were bulged out, frozen in fear—and dropped it over him.
“You got him!”
“We still need to get him outside though.” I glanced around, searching for something to slide under the box so I could lift it up, and found a square tin sign that had hung on the wall for years before it rusted across the top. My mother had it made for me; it read ‘Cassie’s Castle.’
“Can you hand me that?” I pointed.
The boy stepped forward and handed me the sign. This time however, he remained at my side and even squatted down for a better view.
He began clapping; a giant grin spread over his tiny face when I slid the sign under the box and pressed it to the bottom as I slowly crawled back.
“Will he fall out?” he asked, his eyes wide with excitement.
“Not if I keep this pressed under here,” I explained. “Let’s go down and put him in the forest.”
The climb down the ladder was not one I’d forget anytime soon. It was a struggle to maneuver holding tightly to the box while attempting to hide my terrified anxiety at the thought of the mouse running up my arm if I made a wrong move. Within minutes, we climbed down the ladder and stood at the edge of the tree line in my backyard.
“Ready?” I asked, watching him bounce up and down nodding his head.
Adorable.
Leaning down I placed everything on the ground and stepped back.
“You can do the honors,” I said, smiling down at him.
“Really?” His eyes grew wide with surprise.
“Yeah, all you have to do is lift the box,” I said, noticing his apprehension.
He stepped forward, stood over the box, and glanced back at me. I gave him a reassuring smile and his body noticeably relaxed.
When he pulled off the box, the mouse shot straight at him. His mouth flew open in a giant circle, spilling out a laughable shriek.
The mouse continued past him and out into the sanctuary of the trees, leaving the boy jumping around giggling hysterically.
“You okay?” I snorted. His laughter was contagious.
He nodded his head again, “I’ve never seen a real mouse before.” He grinned. “He was kinda cute.”
“Yeah, he was.” I agreed but before I could say more or properly introduce myself a woman’s voice began yelling.
“Answer me, Oliver!”
“Uh-oh,” he said, looking down at his feet.
I turned to see the stick-thin supermodel responsible for ruining my fantasies of Logan as well as my pool. She was even more beautiful up close. Exactly the type of woman Logan belonged with.
“There you are,” she said, stopping abruptly a few feet away and staring between the boy I assumed was Oliver, and me.
“We caught a mouse with giant ears and then I got to set him free!” Oliver grinned, looking back the way the mouse ran off. “You should have seen him!”
“Eww.” Her face dripped with repulsion and I couldn’t help laughing.
She shot me a nasty look and I bit my lip giving a tight smile.
“Hi, I’m Cassandra. I live here,” I said, tilting my head back toward my house. “Oliver was just playing in my tree house and—”
“What?” she interrupted, her expression stern. “I told you to stay in your yard.”
The look of despair in Oliver’s eyes was one I recognized all too well. He was too young and innocent to have that amount of sadness written over his face. My chest tightened and the sudden need to defend his actions pulled at my heart.
“He was only here because I asked for his help. I’m not crazy about mice.” I gave my most convincing ‘sorry’ face and hoped for the best. For the first time in my life I lied without guilt. The smile on his face was worth it.
The young woman sighed. “Well, if you don’t mind, Oliver needs to stay in his own yard. His father has enough trouble keeping his eye on him. The last thing he needs is Oliver wandering away.”
“I really am sorry.” It was all I could muster because her expression shifted so radically from bitchy to protective and worried, I shuddered.
Maybe my new neighbors weren’t as perfect as I made them out to be.
Her expression softened and she smiled down at Oliver. “It’s fine. I just worry about him out here. He’s only four and living this far out from the town—with no friends around to play with—it’s not fair for him.”
I nodded along, it was true, there were no other small children living around the area. It was one of the few things I disliked when I stayed with my grandparents any longer than a night.
“I’m sure your son will find a lot of fun things to do out here. I always did when I was younger.” I stopped talking when she began to laugh. Her face was soft and friendly.
I pulled my brows together; unsure what I said that was supposed to be funny. Was there something on my face? My body stiffened and I self-consciously ran my hand down my hair.
“Oliver’s not my son.” She was smiling but this time it was focused on Oliver who was snickering as well. “I’ve gotten that a lot this weekend. I’m his aunt—Julia.”
I sucked in my lips giving a tight, embarrassed smile and nodded. “Logan’s your brother?”
The rate in which her smile dropped off her face nearly caused me whiplash. Instantly her casual friendly demeanor was wiped away and the bitchy girl was back, glaring at me.
“You already met Logan?” She asked through gritted teeth. Her voice dripped with disdain.
Not good.
I unconsciously took a step back. What the hell just happened?
“Um, yeah,” I muttered, confusion undoubtedly written all over my face. “He seems…nice.”
She puffed a breath of air and crossed her arms over her chest. “Oliver why don’t you go inside and get cleaned up for dinner,” she said, her eyes never straying from mine.
I stiffened, waiting like a child to be reprimanded for something I was innocent of, my subconscious began screaming ‘uh-oh.’
Refusing to be intimated I broke her gaze and smiled at Oliver.
“Thanks again for your help.”
“No problem. Maybe next time we’ll catch a snake.” He grinned and for the first time I saw his father.
It was almost the exact grin Logan threw me more than once that morning.
“Oliver.” Julia warned.
“I’m going.” He pouted. “Bye Cassandra.” He waved as he walked away leaving me face-to-face with his strangely terrifying aunt.
She stood my height, barely five six, and weighed no more than I did. I felt fairly confident I could take her if need be. I was more athletic in stature than she was. Problem was, I still had no clue what the reason for needing to take her down was.
“Stay away from Logan,” she hissed once the door slammed shut behind Oliver. “He needs to focus on his son, not you.”
“I’m not—”
“Logan’s not known for self-control. If you show interest in him, he’ll waste no time luring you into his bed and, if you’re lucky, possibly keep you around for a day or two. But that’s all you’ll get.” Her tigh
t expression and cold tone slowly began to soften and I had a feeling it was due to my stunned expression.
I was well aware exactly how unlucky I was in life so I nodded dumbly, stunned at her harshness. “All right.”
“I’m sure you think I’m a bitch. I don’t mean to come off like some crazed sister from hell but you have to understand, my only concern is for Oliver. I saw the way Oliver looked at you, he likes you, and he just met you. Oliver’s not normally one to speak to strangers, let alone makes friends with them.” She dropped her arms from her chest and sighed. “Look, Logan plans on living here for at least two years so the last thing Oliver needs is to have you pissed off at his father when he plays with your emotions and then drops you like last week’s garbage.”
“No offense, but you’re really good at making your brother sound like a jerk. You do know that, right?” A nervous laugh cracked out, but I was completely serious.
“He’s really not.” She laughed softly walking back to the house. I followed, listening intently to every word.
“Logan’s an amazing brother and father. He’s paying my tuition at school and all my expenses and spends nearly every Sunday with our mother. The whole reason he moved here was because he wanted Oliver to be close to me while I went to school. I start this fall at the college in town. Logan just…doesn’t let anyone besides family get…close.”
Just as we stopped at Logan’s back door, the realization hit me—if Julia was not Oliver’s mother than where was she?
“She broke his heart,” Julia said, reading my mind. “Oliver’s mother was everything to Logan. She left shortly before Oliver’s first birthday and hasn’t come around since.”
My heart broke not only for Logan, but also for his innocent son. The sadness in his eyes now made even more sense and I wished I could take it away for him. I knew all too well what it was like to have a parent disappear out of your life never to be heard from again.
“I like Oliver. He seems like a sweet kid. I don’t mind keeping an eye on him when I’m around. As far as his father goes, I’m actually known to have impeccable self-control.” I laughed, lighting the somber mood we’d fallen into.
“It was nice meeting you, Cassandra.” Julia smiled sincerely. “Once school starts up next week I won’t be around much, I’m staying at the dorms, so I’m glad you’ll be right next door.”
“I have to ask. Why would you move here to go to school? Harmony has the smallest college in the state. I graduated from there last month and I have to admit it’s nothing special.”
“One guess,” she said, smiling ear-to-ear.
I knew that look. It’s the same one Hilary got every time Caleb was brought up.
“Ahh,” I chuckled. “The things we do for men.”
I walked away after one more—‘nice to meet you,’ ‘we should get together sometime’—and found myself whistling on the short walk to my own back porch.
Julia was lovely. Just the type of girl I would want to have living next door to me. Although she would be living in a dorm, she planned to be around and I looked forward to getting to know her better.
Grabbing the warm glass covered condensation from the heat, I felt a strange tingle flutter through my stomach. I looked up across the yard, and there standing beside the house, feet away from where Julia and I had just been talking was Logan.
I swallowed loudly, my eyes locked with his. I couldn’t smile or look away. I was frozen, unsure if he heard any of our conversation.
He blinked, looked down at the ground, and then slowly back up at me. His expression was heavy in thought and I knew he had heard us.
A deep breath helped soothe away some of my nerves and I was finally able to pull my lips up into a kind smile.
He continued staring, his brows pulled in and slowly that sexy smirk appeared and he was back to the man I met earlier.
I laughed to myself and shook my head as I walked inside; ignoring the growing attraction and flurry of emotions, I knew I could never act upon, growing inside me.
Chapter Four
The Muffin Man
The next day I awoke early and watched out my kitchen window, waiting for Logan to appear for his morning jog. By seven thirty, he walked out his front door, shirtless and gorgeous, and stared over at my house.
I dropped the curtain in my front room, startled. I didn’t want him to see me gawking. I really wasn’t. Maybe a little.
He seemed to be waiting, taking his time to stretch. I peeked out again as subtle as possible and caught his occasional glance back at my house. Every time he bent down to stretch another part of his toned body, I felt the image etch itself into my brain. Damn him.
Finally, after what felt like forever considering I was flushed with lust, he took off down the road.
I planned on becoming a night runner but waking up this morning I needed my morning jog more than my mother needed her coffee.
Grabbing the small duffle I stuffed with clean clothes for later, I snuck out, and hopped into my car.
If I couldn’t run here I’d find somewhere else. There were lots of great trails in the area. My biggest concern was getting out of the house after Logan left. Not only because I didn’t want to get talked into jogging with him but because I knew if he challenged me I’d have went with him. I sometimes hated my competitive side.
Also, because I wanted to see his face when I did…HONK!
Logan abruptly stopped, turning slightly to face my car, but if the horn startled him, he didn’t show it in his expression. Damn!
I still drove past smirking. That’s right chicks can smirk too.
By the time I finished jogging around the riverbed, which was located just inside city limits and less than two miles from my house, I felt not only satisfied but also proud.
Instead of driving back to my house and running the risk of seeing Logan again this early, I headed to Hilary’s apartment.
“Thanks for letting me shower here,” I said, sauntering out of the bathroom, hair wrapped up in towel on the top of my head.
“Anytime, but I still don’t understand what the big deal is?” She handed me a glass of orange juice and sat down with her coffee. “Maybe his sister was exaggerating?”
I gave a skeptical look and took a sip of the cool juice.
“You never know?” She shrugged.
With an unconvinced eye roll, I set down my glass. “She seemed pretty sincere to me. But it doesn’t really matter anyway. I won’t take a chance and have it turn sour and then be stuck living next to him. Besides, Oliver’s a good kid and with school starting soon I’ll have a class of students to keep me busy.”
“All right,” she said.
That was way too easy.
“If you think you can stay away from him then, good for you.” She scrolled through her phone, looking semi bored.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked appalled.
“I’m just saying it’s been awhile since you’ve been with a guy and it’s obvious you’re attracted to him…so we’ll see.” She sipped her steaming cup of coffee, finger still tapping at her phone, but the corner of her mouth twitched with the faintest smile.
I’ll show her.
I could be around Logan and resist any charm he threw my way. Besides, he had given me no real reason to think he was interested in me. I imagined the women he seduced looked more like a plastic Barbie and less like a fresh-out-of-college teacher.
No matter the amount of attraction and pure lust I felt toward Logan, I’d stand my ground. To protect not only my heart, which I knew would get hurt, but also because I felt I owed it to Oliver. He had a look that told me he needed people to look out for him. Between Oliver and my heart, I would never let either get hurt.
For some unexplained reason, I found myself in my kitchen the moment I stepped inside my house.
I spent the afternoon baking two dozen delectable muffins with fresh blueberries. Due to the broken air conditioner, every window in my house was opened. Today, it
created a perfect breeze swirling with the aromas from my new oven. I was too cheap to get the air conditioner fixed, but it was another thing to buy top of the line kitchen appliances. It was heaven.
After dinner, I placed all the muffins—minus the four I already ate and would regret the next time I slipped on my bikini—in a large basket I had stored in the spare bedroom.
Walking across my yard—muffins in tow—and seeing the sun was beginning to set, I realized I’d lost track of time. Arranging that many muffins to create a picture-perfect display, took nearly as long as creating a flower arrangement and still, I knew it could have looked better. My Martha Stewart OCD was showing again, I blamed that on my grandmother.
Glancing down at my watch, it read eight forty-five. Interrupting bedtime for Oliver had not been my plan but I was already here, and the muffins were deliciously fresh.
“Just drop it,” Logan’s smooth voice called out.
My head snapped up, my feet halting a stone’s throw from Logan’s front door, which was left cracked open.
I knew his remark was not meant for me considering it was followed by a very feminine moan.
“Don’t you have a bed in this giant house?” The woman giggled and I felt my gag reflex kick in.
Time to abort my official ‘Welcome to the neighborhood mission.’
Stepping back, I turned to tiptoe away from the open door but my focus was transfixed on getting out of there as quickly and quietly as possible, I didn’t see the black urn filled with dead flowers behind me.
I bit my bottom lip, hard, but the crashing of the vase against the cement porch sent my nervous system into overdrive and all I could feel was the searing gaze of someone in front of me.
“Cassandra,” Logan said, his eyes lit with amusement but his expression indifferent.
My cheeks scorched and my palms dug into the rough handle of the basket.
Why did my name sound so incredibly sexy rolling off his tongue? I shook my head once, blinking wildly to pull myself out of the trance his state of undress caused.
He stood there under the porch light wearing a pair of light wash jeans with the top button popped open as well as his belt unbuckled. His long sleeve button-down shirt was rolled up to his elbows and hung completely open. I’d seen his bare chest before but with a crisp white shirt exposing just a teasing amount I stood mesmerized.
Inevitable Page 4
