Claiming Tara by CL Rowell

Author:CL Rowell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romantic comedy, marine, romcom, wounded warrior, second chance romance, brothers best friend, best friends sister
Publisher: Cindy Larie

9

Tara

“I am looking at you.” Those five words echoed in my head over and over as the days stretched out into weeks and it became obvious that James was avoiding me. If I showed up at work and he was there, he found an excuse to leave. It was almost like he was afraid of me. Even Keith noticed and he never was very observant.

“More like, he’s afraid of how he feels when he’s around you.” Dani was adamant it was him, not me. “He’s terrified he’ll end up losing control next time, taking you against the wall in the supply closet.”

“We don’t have a supply closet.”

“Fine. In the bathroom, then. It’s as plain as the nose on your face—that man wants you.”

“Yeah, right,” I scoffed at her. “You don’t have to save my feelings. He’s avoiding me because something about me turns him off.”

“Have you been sniffing glue? No? Paint fumes? Perhaps the pest control guy sprayed the shop with an experimental bugspray and forgot to tell you, and you’re stoned off your gourd, quietly turning into bug girl, sniff by sniff, and that’s why you’re so out of touch with human reactions.”

“Haha, not funny. He is avoiding me. It’s not my imagination.”

“I didn’t say he isn’t. I’m just disagreeing with your reasoning as to why he’s avoiding you.”

I let myself into the shop earlier than usual one Monday morning, a couple weeks after the kiss. To my surprise, the door was unlocked and, when I went to disarm the security system, I discovered it was already deactivated. I pulled up short, cold chills snaking down my spine. The parking lot was empty. The lights were off. Had the guys forgotten to set the alarm when they left on Saturday and someone broke in? Did they forget to lock up and leave it unlocked both nights? What if someone was inside, hiding and waiting for a victim to stroll in, unaware?

Locking the door behind me, I grabbed the first weapon I saw, an umbrella, and tiptoed over to the counter. Peeking behind it, I saw no one. I didn’t relax, though. I still had the rest of the facility to search. Bypassing James’s office since I knew he always locked it when he left, I visually searched Keith’s before continuing toward the back area where all of the supplies and expensive equipment were stashed. I tiptoed down each neat aisle, searching every hiding spot I could think of. Finding nothing, I headed back to the front room, convinced I’d let my imagination run away with me. Or I was convinced until I passed by James’s office again and heard noises.

Freaking out, I texted Dani. Someone is in James’s office!

Duh, maybe it’s James?

His truck isn’t in the parking lot.

Shit! Get out of there and call nine-one-one!

They’ll take too long to get here. I have a weapon. I’m going to investigate.

OMG! You’re not Nancy freaking Drew. Get out of there and call the police. If you don’t, I will.

And if it is James? That would be awkward.

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