Free Sacrifice by Luxie Ryder Page B

on the opposite side. The expensive furnishings put the
modern utility style units in her bland beige home to shame. Still, it wasn’t
her fault she didn’t have as much money as him.
    Hallie
couldn’t help but notice he had no pictures of family or friends…or even girlfriends,
but then Ethan Butler had been an enigma since the day he’d moved in.
    When
her grandmother passed away earlier in the year, Hallie decided to rent out
half of the house she’d inherited. Since losing the only family she’d had—her
mother dying in childbirth and she’d never known her father, Hallie’s
grandmother had been everything to her. The convenience store she’d inherited
along with the house kept her busy at first but after only a few short months,
Hallie was desperately lonely. The few friends she’d had growing up, either married
or moved away as soon as they were old enough. Hallie stayed on in Fairborne to
take care of her grandmother and never got around to dating much or making new
connections.
    Converting
the house into two apartments would give her extra income to aide her flagging
business, and possibly the company she craved.
    When
Ethan turned up to view the apartment a few days after she placed the ad, Hallie
was thrilled someone showed interested in renting so soon. But when he arrived
to view the apartment, she didn’t know what to think. The gorgeous Ethan looked
about her age, but wore a ten thousand dollar watch and rolled up in a vintage
Aston Martin. Hallie almost told him he had the wrong address, but a desire to
spend a little more time drooling over the visitor had her leading him into the
house. He signed the lease a few minutes later. By the time he left, Hallie had
a major crush on the tall, delicious man with the tousled brown hair and
dazzling smile, and she got a fistful of cash. He’d paid six month’s rent in
advance and asked how soon he could move in. Two days later, he arrived with a
van load of furniture.
    The
local gossips must’ve heard about the handsome stranger living in her house, by
next morning business boomed at the store. The very people who’d caused her
financial problems by choosing to get their supplies at the new mall close by,
suddenly couldn’t stay away.
    “What’s
the story with that tall drink of water living in your Grandma’s house?” one of
them had asked, causing the half dozen others in the store to stop their
chatter and pause to listen. The woman let her gaze roam over Hallie’s long
blonde hair and slim body, as if assessing how much competition she’d be should
the woman try to get friendly with Ethan herself.
    “No
story. I needed the money and he needed a place to stay. That’s it.”
    “What’s
he like?” asked one of the women, her gaze sharp and calculating. “Is he
dating?”
    “I’d
pay that pretty young thing to live in my house!” someone shouted.
    The
women gathered around, inundating Hallie with questions and comments. She put
up her hands to keep them at bay. “I don’t know much about him. He’s only just
moved in and we’re not really acquainted yet.” She’d gazed around at their
eager faces and smiled, knowing one sure fire way to put an end to the
conversation. “Now, did you ladies just come in to snoop, or are you actually
gonna buy anything?”
    They’d
drifted out of the convenience store, a few of them paying for an item or two
before they left, and hardly came back since. It was clear all they wanted was
a bit of gossip and she didn’t have any to give. Hallie groaned as she
remembered that that wasn’t quite
true anymore, not that she’d have told them anyway. No, she’d take her embarrassing
seduction attempt to the grave.
    Hallie
blushed at the memory of the welcome dinner she’d organized a couple of nights
after he’d moved in. Okay, so she’d been attracted to him at first glance but
it seemed only sensible to get to know him better, after all, the man was living
in her house. They’d spent a pleasant