Page 38 of Winning His Wager
He was going to use that time wisely to convince her she didn’twantto go anywhere. That she wanted to stay right there with him. His dad had told him and his brothers multiple times, when a Tyler manknewthe woman he wanted forever, he justknew.
Fletcher had just known for a week now. He just hadn’t known what to do about it.
Fletcher was coming to terms with it. He wantedDylan.Dusty’s pain-in-the-ass baby sister who had been taunting him since the very instant they had first met.
There were just a few obstacles first. Like the woman seemed incredibly jumpy every time he got near her. He was going to have to find a way around that.
Slow and steady, maybe. Show her she didn’t have to be afraid of him. He suspected Dylan was a bit of a runner. He made her nervous. He understood that now. Everything that had happened between them before had contributed to that.
Well, now he had to fix it.
She ended her call and then finished in the kitchen. She flipped off the lights and came back to him.
Fletcher’s entire body tensed at the image that evoked. Damn, he wished he could just carry her down the hall and keep her there all night. All night long.
“We probably have another hour to go. We’re going to finish this, and then I will put you on a system, Fletcher Tyler. And you will follow it. Or else.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He liked it when she frowned up at him like that. Big green eyes that showed every emotion, the soft pink lips that made a man hungry. And not for cake. Definitely not for cake. His hands almost trembled with the urge to just scoop her up and kiss her.
To see what would happen.
But that would be too fast for her. If he rushed her, he had no guarantee she wouldn’t run all the way back to the inn and stay there.
He’d figured that much out this week.
He’d have to lure her right back out again. That would get complicated. He wasn’t going to give up now. His best bet to get what he wanted from her was to have herhere,in his home. With him. Where it felt like she belonged. “Let’s finish this. Everything okay at the inn?”
“Dahlia was upset about something. I guess that desk clerk Abby was saying mean things around her and Dahlia overheard. She wanted me to know about it. She’s really sensitive,” Dylan shrugged and then sank onto the couch. She pulled the throw his mother had knit so long ago around her shoulders. “I told her I’m not worried, and neither should she.”
“What was said?”
“My morals are apparently in major question. Did you know I was caught outside the community center making out with Mateo?AndQuade? Or maybe it wasorQuade. Both are tall and dark-haired, after all. I don’t know. I am the slut of the county. Everybody knows that, that’s why I am living here with you. Apparently, Uncle Gerald kicked me out of the inn or something. You took me in out of pity, by the way. We should probably make it look good next time we are at the inn at the same time. I can curl this wacky hair even more, dye it red, do the entire Orphan Annie thing. You want to be Daddy Warbucks?”
“And Abby Vanderguard told your sister this?”
“She said it right whereDahliacould hear, yes. Abby works at the inn, you know. She knows which one of us is the most sensitive. People like that know just who to bully.” A look crossed her face. One that told him Dylan was about to declare war if Abby didn’t leave her sisters alone. “I’ll take care of her next time I work at the inn.”
He'd gone to school with Abby. She had her share of problems back then—including a really bad attitude. Especially where other girls were involved. “She’s always been a piece of work. If anyone says anything to me, I’ll set them straight. In a heartbeat.”
“I’m not too worried about it. People have been talking about us since we showed up here. I’m getting used to it. We were invisible before, you know. That family peopleknewlived just down the road, but they didn’t even know all of our names. And they thought there were only three of us. Dahlia spent most of her time inside, reading. She and Devvie were rarely outside at the same time, I think. It’s taking us a while to get used to being in the center of the world here. It’s really annoying, actually.”
“I’m sorry. But if it gets too bad, I’ll kick asses for you.”
She looked at him. Batted those eyelashes. She was so pale, he had to look close to see them. “You would do that for me?”
Fletcher just acted. He didn’t think it through. He just wrapped his hands around her small waist and lifted her off her feet. Until they were eye to eye. “I’d fight armies for you, Dylan Geraldine. You are the kind of woman men fight to the death for. Remember that. Now…let’s get this finished. Aren’t you supposed to be in bed before midnight or something?”
“I like my routine. I like my routine,” she grinned, looking adorable. “The day after tomorrow is my day off, I may just sleep until noon.”
“Go right ahead. Nothing is stopping you.” And when he had her in his bed, he would keep her there long past noon, every single chance that he could. Show her what a woman like her did to a man like him.
Or maybe they’d just go to bed early every night…very early…
Fletcher’s entire body was tight and ready to do just that. He wanted her. More than he had ever wanted another woman in his life.
But for now, Fletcher lowered her to her feet, and they got back to work.
He was still sitting next to her, valiantly ignoring the urge to pull her closer and show her what she was doing to him and fighting sleep himself when a soft weight landed against his shoulder.