stairs.
“You were not kidding when you said your taste was worse than your singing. This is hideous.”
“What do you mean?” Collin asked, plopping down on a squared, blue gingham couch. “It’s comfy.”
“It is not comfortable. I would not even let a dog sleep on this thing,” Brooke grumbled, sitting on the other end. “Look! I am sliding off of it! And the cushions feel like bricks.”
“You think you could do better? I mean, you are a woman, but that does not mean your taste is any better than mine.”
“Oh, baby. My taste will beat yours any day of the week. You can take this ugly ass couch and put it in your den. Or in the trash. As long as I don’t have to look at it.”
“But I like this couch.”
“Find somewhere else to like it. Excuse me?” Brooke said to the mover. “Will you please put this thing in that little room down the hall? Thanks.”
“And you say I am bossy,” Collin grumbled as his couch was removed out of Brooke’s sight. “That couch reminds me of my grandma…”
“I am not stopping you from enjoying it, so stop the pouting. And I am happy for you that it brings back fond memories, because that couch is where you are sleeping tonight,” Brooke huffed.
“I am not pouting, nor am I sleeping on the couch. There is a perfectly good mattress up in the loft and—”
“Where I will be sleeping. Alone.”
“Really? What if I choose to challenge you?”
“I will stop you.”
“You will?” Collin’s expression took on a playful glint as he started towards her. He backed her against the wall and placed his hands on either side of her head. “Just how will you do that?”
“I have skills!” Brooke retorted, poking him in the stomach.
“We will see exactly how well they work for you later. Let’s get stuff unpacked.”
Several hours later, the two sat on the floor atop two cushions stolen from the offensive couch. The fire was crackling heartily, warming the room and casting shadows on the walls.
“Sorry about the electricity,” Collin said for a third time as he handed Brooke his ‘pizza bone’.
“It isn’t your fault,” she responded, taking a bite. “Anyone who gives up their pizza crust is forgiven. If you really get yourself in trouble, let me have your fried chicken bones to nibble.”
“You are quite the little scavenger, aren’t you?”
“That’s me. Is your laptop working? I want to order some real furniture.”
“Yeah. Here is my card number. What are you getting?”
“Get your nose out of here. Hey! Respect my personal space here, mister.”
“I wanna see,” Collin said, pushing himself next to her.
“You are seriously a pain in the ass,” Brooke said, standing with the laptop in hand. She made some quick selections and then snapped it shut. “They will deliver day after tomorrow. I paid extra for rush.”
“What? How much did you spend?”
“Not much. What is your credit limit?”
“The department is not going to reimburse me for furnishing my house.”
“Write it up as therapeutic preoccupation. Did you say there was a box of clothes for me?”
“Up in the loft. Let me get the fire going for you up there. It is a bit tricky.”
“You are not sleeping with me,” Brooke reminded him firmly.
“Don’t forget your sleeping pill, dear.”
“Don’t change the subject. I’m gonna take a hot bath. Didn’t you say that the propane tank and hot water heater is working? Good. I expect you to be gone from this room when I come out.”
* * *
Collin woke to the sound of screaming. He instinctively grabbed his gun as he simultaneously looked over at Brooke. She flailed under the blankets, her words unintelligible. He placed the gun down and reached across to rub her thigh.
“I’m sorry!” she cried out in her sleep, “I shouldn’t have looked! How could anyone do that? Fish hooks!”
“Brooke? Wake up, baby girl. Wake up. You are having a nightmare,” Collin called out softly, his hand gently
“You were not kidding when you said your taste was worse than your singing. This is hideous.”
“What do you mean?” Collin asked, plopping down on a squared, blue gingham couch. “It’s comfy.”
“It is not comfortable. I would not even let a dog sleep on this thing,” Brooke grumbled, sitting on the other end. “Look! I am sliding off of it! And the cushions feel like bricks.”
“You think you could do better? I mean, you are a woman, but that does not mean your taste is any better than mine.”
“Oh, baby. My taste will beat yours any day of the week. You can take this ugly ass couch and put it in your den. Or in the trash. As long as I don’t have to look at it.”
“But I like this couch.”
“Find somewhere else to like it. Excuse me?” Brooke said to the mover. “Will you please put this thing in that little room down the hall? Thanks.”
“And you say I am bossy,” Collin grumbled as his couch was removed out of Brooke’s sight. “That couch reminds me of my grandma…”
“I am not stopping you from enjoying it, so stop the pouting. And I am happy for you that it brings back fond memories, because that couch is where you are sleeping tonight,” Brooke huffed.
“I am not pouting, nor am I sleeping on the couch. There is a perfectly good mattress up in the loft and—”
“Where I will be sleeping. Alone.”
“Really? What if I choose to challenge you?”
“I will stop you.”
“You will?” Collin’s expression took on a playful glint as he started towards her. He backed her against the wall and placed his hands on either side of her head. “Just how will you do that?”
“I have skills!” Brooke retorted, poking him in the stomach.
“We will see exactly how well they work for you later. Let’s get stuff unpacked.”
Several hours later, the two sat on the floor atop two cushions stolen from the offensive couch. The fire was crackling heartily, warming the room and casting shadows on the walls.
“Sorry about the electricity,” Collin said for a third time as he handed Brooke his ‘pizza bone’.
“It isn’t your fault,” she responded, taking a bite. “Anyone who gives up their pizza crust is forgiven. If you really get yourself in trouble, let me have your fried chicken bones to nibble.”
“You are quite the little scavenger, aren’t you?”
“That’s me. Is your laptop working? I want to order some real furniture.”
“Yeah. Here is my card number. What are you getting?”
“Get your nose out of here. Hey! Respect my personal space here, mister.”
“I wanna see,” Collin said, pushing himself next to her.
“You are seriously a pain in the ass,” Brooke said, standing with the laptop in hand. She made some quick selections and then snapped it shut. “They will deliver day after tomorrow. I paid extra for rush.”
“What? How much did you spend?”
“Not much. What is your credit limit?”
“The department is not going to reimburse me for furnishing my house.”
“Write it up as therapeutic preoccupation. Did you say there was a box of clothes for me?”
“Up in the loft. Let me get the fire going for you up there. It is a bit tricky.”
“You are not sleeping with me,” Brooke reminded him firmly.
“Don’t forget your sleeping pill, dear.”
“Don’t change the subject. I’m gonna take a hot bath. Didn’t you say that the propane tank and hot water heater is working? Good. I expect you to be gone from this room when I come out.”
* * *
Collin woke to the sound of screaming. He instinctively grabbed his gun as he simultaneously looked over at Brooke. She flailed under the blankets, her words unintelligible. He placed the gun down and reached across to rub her thigh.
“I’m sorry!” she cried out in her sleep, “I shouldn’t have looked! How could anyone do that? Fish hooks!”
“Brooke? Wake up, baby girl. Wake up. You are having a nightmare,” Collin called out softly, his hand gently
Similar Books
