Free The Mermaid and her King by Scarlet Wolfe Page A

something mean last night, please forgive me. I’m sure it was the alcohol talking.”
    There he goes wi th the stare and silence. I swear I’m starting to think he suffered a brain injury?
    “It’s just better you go home.”
    It’s just better . What the hell does that mean? I want to ask, but I’m sure he’d just stare at me.
    “I’d rather walk . I’ve waited too long to call the agency, so I’ll be here Tuesday, but then I won’t be back to make you uncomfortable. I’ll be sure there are no more rescues, too.” I’m pissed, and I’m sure he can tell.
    “Skyla, you don’t feel well. I don’t want you to walk—”
    I leave him talking and hurry to the front door. Great, I’m doing the walk of shame in last night’s dress. I’m also barefoot, carrying my heels. I should’ve at least got sex out of it. What an ass. How many times am I going to let him humiliate me? Furious, I call Eric on my way home.
    “ Eric, it’s Skyla.”
    “Hey, chick. How are you feeling this morning?”
    “Like shit , and even more so since I woke up in bed with your jackass friend.”
    “ Dammit, I told him not to touch you.”
    I hold the phone away from my ear as Eric yells curse words.
    “ Eric, we didn’t have sex. He slept in the bed with me, but he froze up again this morning. Did I do something last night that would’ve upset him?”
    “I’m just trying to figure out what posses sed Chase Kalani to sleep in the same bed with you. I doubt he’s ever slept in a bed with a girl he hasn’t had sex with.”
    “ I think he takes pleasure in rejecting me.”
    “ Sorry, Skyla. I had to call him. I thought Andy was going to be sober to drive you home, but he was just as trashed, so I didn’t know what else to do.”
    I take a deep breath and calm my nerves. He’s right. He had to call Chase if he wanted to get me home safely. “I know you had to call him. T hanks for looking out for me, but you didn’t answer my question. Did I do something that would’ve upset him?”
    “Y ou called him an asshole as soon as he got to the bar. Then I kept seeing you run your hand through his hair on the way home, but he kept moving it. That’s all I witnessed.”
    “ That’s all? Are you kidding? I’m going to die. I have to go.” I hang up. Nothing nice is going to come out of my mouth. When I get home, I shower and hide under my covers for the rest of the day.
    ***
    I put on my tightest booty shorts and a low cut tank top to clean at Chase’s on Tuesday. If he wants to look but not touch, then fine. I’ll give him that and hope that it tortures him.
    If I’m honest, there’s a part of me that hopes it’ll cause him to cave and talk to me before he puts his hands all over me. Damn, I miss sex.
    Armed with my cleaning supplies and my iPod, I knock on th e door. Dammit , my palms are sweating. I don’t want him to sense my fear or sexual tension. Maybe he won’t answer, and I can use the key.
    “Hi, Skyla.”
    Shit. I want to say ‘Hello, Mr. Moody, Mr. Erratic, and Mr. Pensive. Which one are you today?’ Instead, I scowl. “I’ll get to work and get out of your life.”
    He looks hurt , but I have no clue why. He doesn’t follow me or say anything, so I shove my ear buds in and crank up my iPod. I get to work in the downstairs bathroom first.
    After finishing there, I walk out and catch a glimpse of something moving. I l ook to my right and see Chase talking to himself as he paces in his wide open kitchen. I stand with my hand on my hip and stare at him. I hope he turns around.
    Two c an play this humiliation game and bingo . Check out those big eyes of his looking at me. I smile, and I’m now satisfied, so I go to the living room to clean. I’ve always been kind to people, but he drives me crazy.
    I want to jump his bones because of his hotness, smack h im in the face for his rudeness and sooth him over the sadness in his eyes. I’m one screwed up woman. I crank up rock music and begin dusting. It’s