Page 6 of Her Rugged Guardian
“Then I’ll visit you in jail while you’re awaiting trial. I hear the judge is on an extended vacation. And so you know, he’s the only one who can reside over your case.”
The fucker was now threatening me. I tossed the toaster onto the dining room table, fisting one hand, ready to throw a hard punch. He disarmed me by lifting a single eyebrow, as if a woman could never best him. “What punishment?”
“Let me think.” Jake dared to take the time to rub his fingers across his stubbled chin. “Ah, yes. I know exactly what’s perfect for you. A hard spanking.”
Whoa. Hold on. What? What did the Neanderthal just say? “I beg your pardon?”
“There’s nothing wrong with your hearing. One solid spanking with my belt across your bottom. Yep. That’s the only thing that will keep you from spending your first few months in my hometown behind bars.”
It took every ounce of control not to punch him several times. “Your hometown? I don’t think so.”
Mr. Grinch swaggered closer, a sly smile crossing his face. “Sweetheart, I’ve been here my entire life. What about you? If I had to guess, I’d say you were from New York.”
“Why would you say that?”
“You have that stuck-up look about you.”
I couldn’t believe the conversation had gone so far downhill it was circling quicksand. “To hell with you.” I slapped my hand on my hip, offering him the same rebellious, nasty look.
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
“Yeah, you’re dead wrong.” I glanced away, cringing inside. “I’m from DC.”
“Ah. The land of corrupt politicians. Perfect. We don’t need your kind here.”
“My kind. Well,yourkind is even worse. The world doesn’t need a card-carrying, foul-mouthed jerk.”
He puffed up as if he was going to explode. “What’s it going to be, Cinnamon Girl? Prison or a date with my belt?” The way he fingered the thick leather strap around his waist drew my attention.
Unfortunately, I could tell the jerk was serious. I glanced down at Moose, who was watching the action as if enjoying an action and adventure movie, his tail swishing back and forth, my goodest boy drooling in anticipation. “What are you looking at, buddy?”
Woof.
“Even your dog knows you deserve punishment. I’m waiting and the clock is ticking. You should know I’m not a patient man.”
There were at least a dozen nasty things I wanted to say. I’d always had a sharp tongue, something my mother had told me would eventually get me in the kind of trouble my beauty couldn’t get me out of. I raked my hand through my hair, hating the fact it was shaking.
“Tick tock,” he pushed, tapping his watch.
“Fine but I never want to see you again.”
“That’s going to be tough since I live next door.”
“Like I said. I might sell the place.”
“You won’t get any buyers.”
“And why is that?”
Jake grinned as if he held a deep, dark secret. “The place is haunted.”
Stiffening, I couldn’t tell whether he was joking or not, but a wave of butterflies formed in my stomach. My mother had been into all things haunted, her love of the paranormal something my father had hated. “Stop that. Just get on with it.”
“Good girl.”
Was he joking? No one called me a good girl. That’s probably because I wasn’t. I’d been a shark in my formal job, tougher than most men inside the Fortune 500 firm. Maybe that’s because I’d been required to be.
The devious grin remained on Mr. Grinch’s face as he reached for his belt buckle, nodding toward the kitchen.