sandals. The extra height felt empowering in her new take-charge frame of mind where her aunt was concerned.
“You seem to be getting along with my aunt amazingly well,” she said, plunging right in. “I heard you two talking and laughing like old friends while I was in the kitchen.”
He raised his eyebrows at her confrontational tone. He shrugged. “We have a lot in common.”
Now it was her turn to look surprised. “You’ve only just met her. How much in common could you possibly have with a woman twenty years your senior?”
He was amused at her implied accusation. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he said, “Jealous, are we?”
Her face instantly flamed scarlet. “Of course not! Why would you even—”
She was so angry she couldn’t find the words she wanted to say, which was usually what happened when she was upset. She drew herself up to her full height and tried to look dignified. “You are a very egotistical man,” she finally managed.
She looked so outraged, he didn’t dare smile. The moon appeared between the clouds scuttling across the night sky, lighting her flushed face. He couldn’t quite figure her out. She was definitely a looker, but she didn’t seem to know just how gorgeous she really was. Unlike the cool, aloof beauties he was brought up with, she seemed to wear her feelings on her sleeve, every emotion showing up in her expressive face. An open book, he suspected, easily hurt.
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” he drawled, again masking his amusement. “I was only teasing, really. I’ll try to be more humble.”
She was put off by his mannerly comeback. She expected a show of temper, an exchange of heated words. Of course he’d been teasing, and now she felt stupid for over-reacting.
“Yeah well,” she finished lamely. “Good night, Mike Rodgers.” She turned and began to walk along the pier, then turned back, pointing her finger in a last-ditch effort to regain control of the situation. “I’ve got my eye on you, mister.” She swirled around, head held high, and walked away.
“Hey,” he called.
She stopped and looked back.
“I’ve got my eye on you, too. Both of them, in fact.” He grinned and waved.
She looked at the house, her back to him. Think of something witty to say! she commanded herself. Something. Anything! The moment stretched out. Finally, she shook her head and walked without looking back, mentally beating herself up the whole way.
Just before she reached the porch, the dog barked and Mike said something she didn’t catch. But she did hear his soft laugh that floated on the night air and seemed to caress her back, sending chill bumps down her arms.
She sent up a silent prayer for strength as she softly closed the screen door.
Chapter 4
Rocco staked out Lydia’s apartment for two days, but saw no one come and go except her roommate. Was it possible she had escaped his vengeance again? His anger grew exponentially more intense with each failure. Twice he had gotten close, but each time fate intervened on her behalf.
Once he’d spotted her leaving work at Barney’s. He’d walked up behind her, timing his approach perfectly to drag her into the alley beside the diner and take care of business. Just before he reached her, a car pulled up to the curb. She got in and they drove away. She was unaware of how near to death she had come.
He’d arrived at the diner early the next morning and waited in a back booth half the day. He could just picture her asking to take his order, and then the look on her face when she realized who he was. The restroom was just a few feet away, and he could have her in there before she could blink. But she hadn’t shown up for work and his frustration mounted.
Now she had simply vanished.
It wasn’t enough now that his little Pocahontas had to die. Now he would see to it that she suffered a slow and painful death.
As he watched, a chubby young woman approached the apartment carrying a McDonald’s bag. She
“You seem to be getting along with my aunt amazingly well,” she said, plunging right in. “I heard you two talking and laughing like old friends while I was in the kitchen.”
He raised his eyebrows at her confrontational tone. He shrugged. “We have a lot in common.”
Now it was her turn to look surprised. “You’ve only just met her. How much in common could you possibly have with a woman twenty years your senior?”
He was amused at her implied accusation. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he said, “Jealous, are we?”
Her face instantly flamed scarlet. “Of course not! Why would you even—”
She was so angry she couldn’t find the words she wanted to say, which was usually what happened when she was upset. She drew herself up to her full height and tried to look dignified. “You are a very egotistical man,” she finally managed.
She looked so outraged, he didn’t dare smile. The moon appeared between the clouds scuttling across the night sky, lighting her flushed face. He couldn’t quite figure her out. She was definitely a looker, but she didn’t seem to know just how gorgeous she really was. Unlike the cool, aloof beauties he was brought up with, she seemed to wear her feelings on her sleeve, every emotion showing up in her expressive face. An open book, he suspected, easily hurt.
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” he drawled, again masking his amusement. “I was only teasing, really. I’ll try to be more humble.”
She was put off by his mannerly comeback. She expected a show of temper, an exchange of heated words. Of course he’d been teasing, and now she felt stupid for over-reacting.
“Yeah well,” she finished lamely. “Good night, Mike Rodgers.” She turned and began to walk along the pier, then turned back, pointing her finger in a last-ditch effort to regain control of the situation. “I’ve got my eye on you, mister.” She swirled around, head held high, and walked away.
“Hey,” he called.
She stopped and looked back.
“I’ve got my eye on you, too. Both of them, in fact.” He grinned and waved.
She looked at the house, her back to him. Think of something witty to say! she commanded herself. Something. Anything! The moment stretched out. Finally, she shook her head and walked without looking back, mentally beating herself up the whole way.
Just before she reached the porch, the dog barked and Mike said something she didn’t catch. But she did hear his soft laugh that floated on the night air and seemed to caress her back, sending chill bumps down her arms.
She sent up a silent prayer for strength as she softly closed the screen door.
Chapter 4
Rocco staked out Lydia’s apartment for two days, but saw no one come and go except her roommate. Was it possible she had escaped his vengeance again? His anger grew exponentially more intense with each failure. Twice he had gotten close, but each time fate intervened on her behalf.
Once he’d spotted her leaving work at Barney’s. He’d walked up behind her, timing his approach perfectly to drag her into the alley beside the diner and take care of business. Just before he reached her, a car pulled up to the curb. She got in and they drove away. She was unaware of how near to death she had come.
He’d arrived at the diner early the next morning and waited in a back booth half the day. He could just picture her asking to take his order, and then the look on her face when she realized who he was. The restroom was just a few feet away, and he could have her in there before she could blink. But she hadn’t shown up for work and his frustration mounted.
Now she had simply vanished.
It wasn’t enough now that his little Pocahontas had to die. Now he would see to it that she suffered a slow and painful death.
As he watched, a chubby young woman approached the apartment carrying a McDonald’s bag. She
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