Page 47 of Lulu

I opened the fridge for another beer when my eyes lit on the chicken. Lulu must have taken it out for dinner. I pulled the package out. There was no reason why I couldn’t cook it and have dinner ready for her when she got home, a kind of thank you for all she’d done for me this week. I found a package of Jasmine rice, some fresh mushrooms and Brussel sprouts, and proceeded to put something together.

While it cooked, I set the table, and then I stood back and frowned. What the fuck was I doing? Christ, you would have thought we were a married couple or something. I didn’t like the domestic feeling that was suddenly taking over me. I sat down in one of the chairs at the table and shook my head in disbelief, chalking it up to a moment of insanity.

More like stupidity.

If I knew Lulu, she would walk through the door and laugh her fucking ass off after seeing what I’d done. Or maybe she’d be so appreciative that she’d jump into my arms, wrap her legs around me, and demand that I fuck her.

Yeah, I liked the thought of that better but doubted it was going to happen.

The only way I was going to get inside Lulu’s pants again was to assert control over her.

I snorted with amusement.

I really needed to get the hell out of there.

Chapter 19

Lulu

“That was really good.” I pushed my plate away, tempted to finish what was on it, but stuffed to the gills. The baked chicken, the rice, even the Brussel sprouts and mushrooms had been cooked to perfection. Brody had surprised me with his culinary talents. But then, he was a man who lived alone, so he probably cooked for himself all the time. “That’s the first time anyone has ever cooked me dinner.” Well, my mom had cooked me meals but that didn’t count.

His eyebrows shot up with surprise.

“It was very sweet of you.”

Amusement gleamed in his watchful eyes. “I can do sweet when I want to. And it’s the least I could do for you after all that you’ve done for me this past week.”

So it had been his way of saying thanks. Still, it was nice. “You’ve provided me with two firsts--my first pet, and this dinner.”

He cleared his throat. “You kind of kidnapped Buttercup,” he pointed out smugly.

I noticed that he didn’t seem to mind that I’d taken her from the clinic. I shrugged. “If you want we can share her, but I’m not giving her back.” I only suggested it because I knew that Brody wouldn’t take me up on it. At least I hoped he wouldn’t. “She loves going to the clinic with me, loves the attention she gets from everyone who comes in. She’s definitely a people dog.” It was a thing, just like there were people persons.

Speaking of Buttercup, where was she? She’d greeted me when I’d first come home, but she’d disappeared soon after. I began to look around for her, surprised that she hadn’t been at the table begging for scraps while we’d been eating.

“She’s afraid of the storm.” Brody had guessed my thoughts. “At the first sound of thunder she hightailed it to the bedroom.”

I nodded, and then took a sip of my wine to work up some courage. “So are you going to tell me what’s going on? Do you know who tried to kill you?” I’d been good and hadn’t pressed him for information since his unexpected arrival, but I couldn’t hold back any longer.

He ran a hand over his lower jaw and released a harsh sounding breath, obviously contemplating what he was going to say. I’d never worried that I might be at risk harboring a dangerous man like him, but it was clear that he was in trouble, that someone wanted him dead.

“I’m leaving,” he said, catching me by surprise. “And no, I don’t know who’s trying to kill me.”

“When?” I blurted out. I wasn’t sure how I felt about him leaving. I’d grown kind of use to having him in my space. I had so many questions that I needed the answers to, and I wasn’t about to let Brody just leave without giving me more information. I deserved to know the truth.

“Tonight.”

He kept his response short, and I could tell that I was going to have to drag out every bit of information that I wanted. “You were leaving before you got here, weren’t you?” It came out as an accusation. “That’s why you have your bug-out bag with you.” I could tell that I’d caught him by surprise.

“How do you know what a bug-out bag is?”

“I keep one under my bed.”Shit!I hadn’t meant for that to come out. I could see instantly that Brody wasn’t going to let that comment slip by.

A frown marred his features, and his eyes suddenly narrowed with suspicion. “Why the fuck do you have a bug-out bag?”

I had to think fast, and while I racked my brain for an answer that wouldn’t be the truth, I avoided his eyes because he saw too damned much. I’d kept a bug-out bag since my days at Crystals Palace, the brothel owned by the Desert Rebels and a place that I’d worked at for two years. “Um, doesn’t everyone?” I cringed at how inadequate that sounded.

I could tell that Brody wasn’t fooled. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, bringing my attention to the strong, vein-filled muscles flexing there. The sight actually turned me on.