The sound of her purr and the singing birds outdoors lulled me into a peaceful sleep. I could’ve probably stayed there until dark, but I woke to bright sunshine and the crunch of approaching footsteps.
Chapter Four
Trying to move as few muscles as possible, I opened one eye and glanced at the cat next to me. She was zonked out, belly up, wholly unconcerned about the possibility of imminent danger.
Where was my phone? Oh, right. On the table next to the daybed.
A sharp rap on the metal part of the screen door made my eyes peel wide open and a surge of fear shoot through me. There had been zero unexpected visitors to my apartment back in the city.Just the way I liked it.
Catsy righted herself and yowled, digging her claws into my thigh. As I swore aloud, she darted into the living room, a blur of white fur.
“Hello?” the male baritone called through the screen door. “Anyone home?”
I sat up and twisted my body in the direction of the door. A shirtless, black-haired man, with equally dark stubble on his face, was on the other side. He looked slightly wild, standing there in jeans and sneakers, scratching his bare olive-skinned chest. A very muscular bare chest. I spotted a couple of tattoos, one on his left bicep and another over his heart.
He looked like a romance novel cover come to life. One about a motorcycle gang leader, possibly. Or a mafioso. He was hot as hell. But that didn’t mean I trusted him one bit. In fact, it made me trust him less.
“Hi. Can I help you?” I climbed to my feet, scooping up my cell along the way. I’d call the cops if this guy was dangerous, although police in town were sparse, generally useless, and easily ten minutes away. I didn’t get a threatening vibe from him, but still.
One could never be too careful. In my mind, I played out how I’d kick him in the nuts then make a run for Dad’s shotgun, which was mounted on the wall in the living room.
I stood about a foot from the door, peering at his startlingly handsome face. My eyes flitted down at the handle to make sure it was locked. Like that would make a difference if he wanted to get in. My fingers gripped the cell.
He must’ve noticed my discomfort because he stepped back a foot or two. I spotted he was holding one of our Gator Queen–bookstore business cards in his hand.
“Sorry to bother you, I thought Vera would be home. No worries. I can call her on the number on the card.” He ran a hand through his mop of unruly black hair.“I’m checking in and had a question.”
In my fuzzy brain, I recalled how Vera had said the new guest was coming today. This must be him. “Oh, hey. I’m her sister, Maggie. I live here too. Well, recently moved back.”
“Maggie! Vera told me all about you. You lived in Boston and worked with reptiles, if I remember correctly.”
“Yeah.” The guy was at least a foot taller than me, and seemed a little older, probably in his mid-to-late thirties. He was definitely easy on the eyes, in a bad boy kind of way. Although he wasn’t a boy. He was all man, with those muscles. The tattoo on his chest was a lightning bolt, and the other, on his bicep, a detailed and lifelike shark.
“And you are?”
He smiled ferally, showing off dazzling white teeth. “I’m the new renter. The name’s Jack Bianchi. Got here an hour ago.”
With a name like that, he sounded like an extra inThe Sopranos. “The university professor? Writing about serial killers?” I squinted. It had been a while since I’d graduated with a degree in animal biology, and I’d had plenty of contact with professors in Boston. I didn’t recall any teacher looking this hot. Huh. Maybe things were different in Miami.
He chuckled and looked down at his chest, running a hand over his muscles. He looked like one of those Italian underwear models you see in a men’s magazine. “Sorry. I don’t seem too professional today. It’s hotter than hell out here in this swamp. Worked up quite a sweat moving my things in.”
This was the guy staying for six months? I licked my lips as my eye caught a trickle of perspiration trailing down his rock-hard pectoral muscle. “Is everything OK? Is the keyless lock not working?”
“It’s perfect. I got into town a little early and did some shopping because check-in wasn’t until 4 p.m. When I arrived, everything about the place looked great.”
“Well, that’s good to hear.” Then why was he standing here? Probably to show off his physique.
“It’s exactly what I need for my sabbatical. I came over because there’s a problem with the bathroom sink.”
“Oh dear.” After a glance around to see if Catsy was near—and seeing that she wasn’t—I edged closer to the still-locked door. I considered opening it, but decided against that. “We need to get that fixed.”
“I think it’s a washer, something super simple. I could easily run to the hardware store and grab the parts. But I wanted to check with Vera first.”
I rubbed my eye. What time was it? Time in Florida seemed to bend and stretch because the days were so filled with sunshine. I’d fallen asleep around three, and it could be three thirty or six, by the way the sky was still bright.
“If you could do it, that would be amazing. I’ll be sure to tell Vera. Bring us the receipt and we’ll reimburse you.”
“Sure thing. And hey, maybe we can all hang out sometime. I make a mean lasagna and a killer tiramisu.”