Black Rose (In the Garden 2) - Page 83

Yes’m. He sat, studying her face. Not a scratch on you.

Hmm? Distracted, she glanced at her own hands, then looked at her face in the mirror over the sink. I guess you’re right.

I don’t think she wanted to hurt you. Not that she won’t, directly or inadvertently, being as she’s more than a little crazy. But this was a warning. It’s interesting.

I admire a man who can get cut up by an angry bitch of a ghost and find it interesting.

I admire a woman who goes toe-to-toe with an angry bitch of a ghost and wins.

My house. Her voice gentled as she tipped up his chin. Here now, this won’t hurt.

That’s what they all say.

But she cleaned the cuts with a deft and easy hand while he continued to watch her face.

Looking for something? she asked him.

I’m wondering if I found it.

This one here barely missed your eye. Shaken more than she cared to admit, she bent down to brush her lips over the cut. There. She stepped back. You’ll live.

Thanks. He took both her hands, those sharp green eyes on hers. I have some theories.

And I’m anxious to hear them. But I want to clean up that mess in there first, then I want a glass of wine. A very big glass of wine.

I’ll give you a hand.

No, I’d rather do it myself. In fact, I think I need to.

You make it hard, always asking me to take a step back.

I guess I do. She brushed a hand through his hair. Maybe it’ll help if I tell you it comforts me to know you’re confident enough in yourself to take that step back when I need you to.

Maybe that’s something else that makes this a good fit.

I think so. I’d appreciate it if you’d go down with the others, give me a half hour to put things back to rights. It’ll settle me down a little.

Okay. He got to his feet. I’m staying the night. I’ll take a page from Stella’s book and tell you that part’s not negotiable. But you can use the half hour to decide if I’m staying in there with you or in a guest room.

He left her frowning after him.

HE FOUND EVERYONEin the kitchen. Like family, he thought, gathered together in the hub of the house with something simmering on the stove, a baby c

rawling on the floor, and two young boys pulling on jackets while their little dog jumped with excitement.

Every eye shifted to him, and after a beat of silence, Stella began speaking brightly to her sons. Go ahead and let him run, but stay out of the flower beds. We’re going to eat soon.

There was a lot of scrambling, barking, a scream of laughter from Lily, then dog and boys were gone with a slam of the back door.

Stella’s hand slipped into Logan’s. How is she?

Steady, as usual. She wanted half an hour. Mitch looked at Harper. I’m staying tonight.

Good. I think that’s good, Hayley said. The more the better. It gets so you’re used to having a ghost in the house, but it’s different when she starts throwing things at you.

You, specifically, from the look of it, Logan put in.

Noticed that? Mitch rubbed absently at his cut cheek. Interesting, isn’t it? There was a lot of rage up in that room, but nothing – nothing tangible – was directed at Rosalind. I’d say there was deliberate care not to do her physical harm.