LITMIR.BIZ

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      Zack drew a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

      After a heavy beat of silence, she said, “Yeah, me, too.” She smirked and shook her head.

      That drew him up. “Sorry for what?”

      Wynn pushed to her feet and faced him eye to eye. “At the moment, I’m pretty sorry for everything.” She turned away. “Good night, Zack.”

      He was so stunned by the dim sight of her wet back, the cotton shirt clinging to her behind and upper thighs, that he almost let her get away. He shook himself. “Wait a minute!”

      “No point in waiting. Believe me, I understand.”

      Zack caught her arm and whirled her around. In the next instant she was on tiptoes and huffing in his face.

      “Don’t think for a single second that you bested me, buddy!” She poked him in the chest, making him stagger back a step. “The second I realized it was you, I went half-go. Besides that, you caught me asleep and sluggish. Now I’m wide awake and you’re done kissing and you’re acting all nasty and hateful again, so do not try manhandling me.”

      Zack had at least a dozen questions for her, but what came out of his mouth was, “You actually think you could best me in strength?” He was so incredulous he barely knew what he said.

      Wynn snorted. “I’ve trained all my life. I know exactly what I’m doing.”

      And she thought...what? That he was a marshmallow? She’d called him sweet. What the hell had she meant by that? Through his teeth, Zack heard himself say, “No way, lady. Not on your best day.” Then he wanted to smack his own head for challenging a woman! What was he thinking?

      With a look of utter disdain, she said, “You keep living that dream if it makes you happy, big boy.” And again she turned to walk away.

      “Wynn.” Even to his own ears, her name sounded like a warning. But then it had been strained through his clenched teeth.

      Arms spread, she whipped around to face him and demanded, “What?”

      He was a reasonable sort, Zack reminded himself. He was logical and calm and a pacifist. He absolutely, under no circumstances, wrestled with women, not even big bold pushy ones.

      One slow deep breath helped a little. The second breath pushed the red haze out of his vision so he could see her clearly, or as clearly as the night-dark sky allowed. “Why,” he asked, sounding more like a sane man, “were you sleeping on the hammock?”

      She looked at the hammock as if to verify which one he meant. Then she shrugged. “I’d worked all day, I was hot and sweaty and after my shower I just wanted to rest my tired bones and get some fresh air. Only I nodded off. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

      Zack clasped his hands behind his back to keep from reaching for her. Brows raised in inquiry, he said, “Do you, by any chance, know how risky that can be for a woman?”

      “You mean with crazy neighbors lurking about ready to throw me on the ground and kiss me silly and paw me until I’m all excited and ready and then stop with no warning?” She gave him a smug, distinctly mean smile. “Yeah, I do now.”

      “I meant,” he said, inching toward her, but watching her closely at the same time, “because of strangers who would do things to you without a second’s hesitation. Men who would rape or murder or...”

      “Rape and murder about covers it. No reason to go overboard.”

      “This is not a joke, damn it!”

      She crossed her arms under her breasts and cocked one hip. It shouldn’t have been a seductive pose, but damn, it made him sweat.

      “Did I just say it was an accident, that I didn’t mean to fall asleep? I thought I did, but given your attitude, I can’t be sure.”

      Tension mounting, Zack flexed his shoulders and rolled his head on his neck. “It was irresponsible.”

      “Well, thank you, Mother, for your concern.”

      “Wynn, I know you’re excited about your new house—”

      “And my new neighbor? My new neighbor who likes to tease and lead women on, then pull away and act as if his finer sensibilities have been lacerated by my coarse and carnal behavior?”

      Zack was again caught between wanting to shout with anger, and the urge to laugh. From the moment he’d met her, Wynn Lane had been too outspoken and honest for her, or his, own good. He rubbed his neck and concentrated on not smiling. “I didn’t mean to tease.”

      “Oh? You call what you did—given the fact you pulled up short—fulfillment?” She shook her head. “You poor, poor man. You’re missing the best part.”

      “Look, Wynn, it was a mistake for us to do—” he gestured at the ground “—this. I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the habit of indulging in one-night flings.”

      She didn’t confirm or deny what her habits were, which only made him edgier. Little by little his neck and shoulder muscles tightened into a painful cramp. He’d strained something at work the night before, and arguing with Wynn only exacerbated things.

      Her eyes narrowed and she strode toward him. “What’s the matter with you? Did I hurt you?”

      His hand fell away from his neck. “Of course not.”

      “Ha! You’re in pain, I can tell.”

      He started to say she was the pain, but held it in. It was past time he listened to himself. They were neighbors, no refuting that fact. They needed to get along in some civil but distant and detached way.

      With that decision made, he waited until she stopped directly in front of him, then explained, “I dealt with two pretty nasty emergencies last night. The first was a case of domestic violence.” His tone sounded raw even to his own ears, but the emotional devastation of the night still lingered. “I took a woman in with two broken ribs and multiple contusions. The bastard who’d worked her over had gone to a bar. Luckily the cops caught up to him there.”

      Zack had to be grateful that the man had been gone when he got there. He wasn’t at all certain he could have contained himself otherwise.

      Wynn, evidently sensing his turbulent emotions, reached out and smoothed her hand over his arm. It was a soothing touch, and it helped him to recall himself.

      He shook off his lingering anger and reminded himself that the woman had pressed charges. That wasn’t always the case, but luckily this particular woman had had enough. He’d left her in the hands of the social services.

      “Then there was a car wreck. We had to cut the door away to get to the woman inside. She was in shock, covered in blood from a head wound, and getting her out wasn’t easy, especially since she wasn’t exactly a small woman.”

      “She was big like me?”

      Zack’s temper jumped a notch. “I could handle you easily without straining a thing.”

      She smirked.

      “No, this woman was obese.” Wynn remained quiet and waiting so he continued. “The reach was awkward, and I strained something in my neck and shoulders when I lifted her out.”

      “Hmmm. Sounds like you strained a trap. That happens a lot in clumsy lifts. Turn around.”

      He stalled. “What?”

      “Trapezius muscle,” she explained.

      And Zack said, “I know what it is. I just didn’t...”

      Grabbing his upper arm, she forcibly turned him—something he allowed—and then began pressing her fingers into his neck, his shoulders, his spine. Zack groaned. Her touch had an electrifying effect that both soothed and excited.

      “Right there?”

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