Free Sean's Sweetheart by Allie Kincheloe Page A

pickup. They caught the tail end of an argument between Zane and his dad as they walked up.
    Her father grunted. "That couch is damn heavy and once we go up and down those stairs twenty times with all those little boxes, we're going to be too tired to carry that couch upstairs. I swear the darn thing is made of lead."
    Releasing his hand, Talia wrapped her arms around her dad from behind in greeting. "Would it make you feel better if I said I brought someone strong to help with the heavy lifting, Daddy?"
    The older man glared in response as Sean shook hands with Zane. He turned to the older man and stuck his hand out in greeting. "I'm Sean." Her dad's eyebrow rose, but didn't offer his own hand in return. Well, alrighty then. Would it have killed him to be polite?
    The older man scowled at him and said simply, "Sam Richmond." The overprotective father crap was getting old.
    Zane broke the tension. "Okay, Dad, we will do it your way. Sean, you think you can handle one end of the couch while Dad and I get the other? It's really heavy. I didn't realize how heavy, until Dad and I were loading it by ourselves. I, for one, am glad you are here."
    He nodded and the three of them pulled the couch off the truck. Talia tried to help, but he didn't want her underfoot when they went up the stairs. "Just grab a box and stay out of the way, will you? Let us get the couch."
    Zane snickered, but didn't comment until Talia stomped up the stairs ahead of them. "You are a brave man, Sean. Brave, I say. You haven't seen her temper yet, have you? She acts all sweet and shy, but she's a little hellion when you piss her off. And I think you may have done just that."
    Sam chuckled at Zane's words, but didn't say anything as they carried the weighty couch up, pausing at each landing to angle it around the support posts in the breezeway.
    Once they got it to the landing of the third floor, Sean could see Talia standing with her arms crossed outside the locked door of her brother's apartment. She tapped her foot impatiently. Crap, Zane was right. He was in trouble.
    Where'd that spirit go when she was dating that asshat?
    They eased the couch down next to the door and Zane dug the keys out of his pocket to unlock the door. Shoving past her brother, Talia snatched up her box and stomped inside.
    Sam laughed out loud. "Yup, she's mad."
    Sean sighed and shook his head. Well, at least he'd made her dad laugh even if it was because he'd pissed Talia off. The heavy couch put up a hell of a fight going through the door. They finally battled it through and had to take a minute to catch their breath. The crashes and bangs coming from the kitchen made Sam and Zane both snicker.
    Zane elbowed Sean, mock-whispering, "Good luck."
    When the other men started back down the stairs to grab some boxes, Sean followed the noise to Talia. With her back to him, he watched as she slammed the cabinet door with such force it rattled.
    "Hey, I didn't mean to upset you out there," he murmured. As he laid his hand on the small of her back, she tensed at his touch.
    "You said I was in your way. Do I look like a child? Or maybe you think I am too stupid to get out of the way?" Her eyes flashed in anger as she spun to face him.
    "Now, I never said that. I didn't want you to get hurt, that's all."
    "I thought you were different, Sean. Caleb always treated me like I was too stupid to breathe on my own, and I won't go through that again. I can't."
    "Sweetheart, I really didn't mean it like that. I should have phrased it differently, I can see that now. I'm sorry." He didn't get how he'd called her stupid, but he enjoyed seeing this side of her. He'd have to piss her off more often if she'd look at him like that. It was a heck of a turn-on for her to be confident enough to stand up to him. He liked his women to have some spunk. Damn, she's gorgeous when all worked up. He wondered if her eyes filled with such fire when she made love.
    He moved closer and she retreated in response until