A Gnome Inheritance: A Smitten in Seattle Romance by Anna Alkire

Author:Anna Alkire [Alkire, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Water's Edge Publishing LLC
Published: 2023-12-04T16:00:00+00:00

Penny watched Maddox shake his hand out, her fingers covering her mouth. Jason lay on the ground, not moving.

“You should have told me,” Maddox said. He glared at her, his fists clenched. There was a vein pulsing in his neck.

She walked over to Jason and crouched next to him. He’d fallen into a clump of uncut grass, cushioning his fall, far enough away from the fire that he wouldn’t roll into it. Jason started snoring.

“He’s going to feel that one in the morning,” she said. “I wonder if he’ll remember it or just blame the rum…” She pushed to her feet then stopped, grimacing. The cut on her leg was still sore.

Maddox handed her the crutches, his eyebrows furrowed together as he stared at her. She forced herself to keep moving, limping toward Gus.

The fire sizzled as Maddox poured water on it—he must have carried over a bucket. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, not sure what she wanted to say to him.

“Why would you move Gus over to the fence with that drunk near you?” he said, seeming furious. “Never hesitate to attack. You’re weaker and smaller, dealing with the most dangerous predator on the planet—man. Has he hurt you before?”

“No.” She gritted her teeth and continued along the bumpy ground.

He grumbled something.

She untied Gus from the fence post. “I’m headed to bed.”

“In the basement.” He glared at her, his arms crossed.

The almost irresistible urge to contradict him surged up to the tip of her tongue. Gus leaned on her good leg. “Yeah. I suppose so.”

She moved slowly along the bumpy gravel driveway in front of Aunt Elsie’s house. Maddox was a storm cloud beside her. One of her crutches slipped and she stumbled.

Before she did more than tilt precariously forward, he’d grabbed her arm, keeping her upright.

“It’s too damn dark,” he muttered.

“Phew—thanks. I guess I’m a little tired.”

Before she could start moving again, he bent over and scooped her up into his arms. She could smell alcohol on his breath and something minty.

“Thank you,” she said, a little breathlessly. “But I can walk.”

“It’s fine.” He hitched her up a little.

“Gus is slacking on the job. Are you succumbing to male predator urges?”

He grinned at her and walked toward his house. Heat spiraled up her spine. Why had she said that?

He held her closely, high against his chest so that their heads were level. She hooked her arm around the back of his neck, his dark hair brushing her skin. There was something so focused about him, like he’d pointed a stage light at her and now watched her every move.

She closed her eyes for a moment with a sensation like feathers tickling her insides. He didn’t feel like a stranger anymore.

He covered the ground quickly, Gus trotting contentedly at their side. Maddox turned the corner and crossed into his yard, walking onto his patio. It was dark with the lights off inside and out. He opened the door and Gus hopped inside. Maddox didn’t follow.

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