Her eyes had grown soft with sympathy and she’d reached out and hugged him. For a long moment his arms had hung loosely at his sides, but then he wrapped them around her and they’d clung together. In those brief moments while in her arms, he’d experienced a peace so deep it rocked his core.
Nick had no clue what the dream could possibly mean, if anything. All he knew was that it had been a welcome relief from the terror of the nightmares he suffered through most nights.
Enough with this woman. He had more than he could deal with as it was. He certainly didn’t need an unknown female runner messing with his head. For all he knew, she could be married and have a half-dozen snot-nosed kids at home, waiting for her return.
Still angry, he stomped down the stairs and opened the door. The crisp morning air felt cool against his face as he stepped onto the porch. The sunlight nearly blinded him. He hated the light and squinted against the brightness. For the last year he’d stayed away from daylight to the point he felt as though he was becoming a friggin’ vampire.
Elvis barked and loped toward the orchard, eager to greet his friend. She might be a friend to Elvis, but she wasn’t anything to Nick and he wanted her gone.
The woman was already halfway through the trees and stopped as Elvis came into view. He followed close behind the dog, his steps swift. Already she was down on one knee, petting Elvis and talking to the German shepherd in a low whisper, when Nick approached. Looking up, she didn’t seem surprised to see him and automatically smiled.
“Oh hi,” she said breathlessly, her eyes bright and warm. “I’ve been wanting to meet you.” Her mouth widened with her smile as she rose to stand.
Apparently, she hadn’t gotten a good read on him, because he had no intention of welcoming her.
“I stopped by a couple times, but apparently you weren’t home.”
“I heard you.” He kept his voice low and even and didn’t return her smile. He wasn’t looking for friends, and Nick wanted to be sure she got the message.
She blinked, taking in the fact that he purposely hadn’t answered the door.
“I’m Emily,” she said and extended her hand. “Emily Gaffney. I recently moved to the area and…”
She paused when he ignored her outstretched hand.
“This is private property.”
“It’s a beautiful piece of land and—”
“You’re trespassing.” He held her gaze, narrowing his eyes, making sure she understood that she could no longer use his orchard as part of her running regimen.
“I’m not causing any harm. The trail was already here and…”
“I don’t want you on my property. If I see you again, you’ll leave me no choice but to contact the authorities.”
She let out a small gasp. “There aren’t any signs that say NO TRESPASSING .”
What was it going to take to make his point clear to this woman? Emily whatever her name was? “I’ll get one posted.”
If he expected to intimidate her, Nick realized he’d failed. Her response was to place both her hands against her hips, to look him full in the face, and laugh. “I realize it was probably rude of me to come onto your property…that’s the reason I came to your door. I wanted to be sure you didn’t mind.”
“I do mind. I suggest you run elsewhere.”
A shocked look came over her, and for a moment he thought she would argue. True, she wasn’t hurting anything, but she’d already taken up too much space in his thoughts. He didn’t need or want the distraction. The need to get back inside the house was nearly overwhelming.
“Then please accept my apology.”
“I believe we’re done here.”
Her gaze narrowed with what looked like disappointment or surprise.
He didn’t mean to be rude, but he didn’t want her messing with his head, and she was definitely doing that.
“I’m not hurting anything and Elvis and I have gotten to be friends and I’d really like to talk to you about—”
“It’d be best
Nick had no clue what the dream could possibly mean, if anything. All he knew was that it had been a welcome relief from the terror of the nightmares he suffered through most nights.
Enough with this woman. He had more than he could deal with as it was. He certainly didn’t need an unknown female runner messing with his head. For all he knew, she could be married and have a half-dozen snot-nosed kids at home, waiting for her return.
Still angry, he stomped down the stairs and opened the door. The crisp morning air felt cool against his face as he stepped onto the porch. The sunlight nearly blinded him. He hated the light and squinted against the brightness. For the last year he’d stayed away from daylight to the point he felt as though he was becoming a friggin’ vampire.
Elvis barked and loped toward the orchard, eager to greet his friend. She might be a friend to Elvis, but she wasn’t anything to Nick and he wanted her gone.
The woman was already halfway through the trees and stopped as Elvis came into view. He followed close behind the dog, his steps swift. Already she was down on one knee, petting Elvis and talking to the German shepherd in a low whisper, when Nick approached. Looking up, she didn’t seem surprised to see him and automatically smiled.
“Oh hi,” she said breathlessly, her eyes bright and warm. “I’ve been wanting to meet you.” Her mouth widened with her smile as she rose to stand.
Apparently, she hadn’t gotten a good read on him, because he had no intention of welcoming her.
“I stopped by a couple times, but apparently you weren’t home.”
“I heard you.” He kept his voice low and even and didn’t return her smile. He wasn’t looking for friends, and Nick wanted to be sure she got the message.
She blinked, taking in the fact that he purposely hadn’t answered the door.
“I’m Emily,” she said and extended her hand. “Emily Gaffney. I recently moved to the area and…”
She paused when he ignored her outstretched hand.
“This is private property.”
“It’s a beautiful piece of land and—”
“You’re trespassing.” He held her gaze, narrowing his eyes, making sure she understood that she could no longer use his orchard as part of her running regimen.
“I’m not causing any harm. The trail was already here and…”
“I don’t want you on my property. If I see you again, you’ll leave me no choice but to contact the authorities.”
She let out a small gasp. “There aren’t any signs that say NO TRESPASSING .”
What was it going to take to make his point clear to this woman? Emily whatever her name was? “I’ll get one posted.”
If he expected to intimidate her, Nick realized he’d failed. Her response was to place both her hands against her hips, to look him full in the face, and laugh. “I realize it was probably rude of me to come onto your property…that’s the reason I came to your door. I wanted to be sure you didn’t mind.”
“I do mind. I suggest you run elsewhere.”
A shocked look came over her, and for a moment he thought she would argue. True, she wasn’t hurting anything, but she’d already taken up too much space in his thoughts. He didn’t need or want the distraction. The need to get back inside the house was nearly overwhelming.
“Then please accept my apology.”
“I believe we’re done here.”
Her gaze narrowed with what looked like disappointment or surprise.
He didn’t mean to be rude, but he didn’t want her messing with his head, and she was definitely doing that.
“I’m not hurting anything and Elvis and I have gotten to be friends and I’d really like to talk to you about—”
“It’d be best
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