Within fifteen minutes he pulled his SUV into the garage. He opened the door to his condo and stared around the room as he slowly stepped inside. A leafy tree as tall as the ceiling sat in a clay pot beside his television. The sofa was covered in bright yellow, orange and green pillows. And a neon pink beanbag chair sat in the center of the room.
What had she done? Irritation burned through his insides like acid. His stomach growled at the aroma of barbecue wafting from the kitchen. He looked to his left to find the culprit of this reverse home invasion.
Lily was pulling something out of the oven, head banging to the beat of a song only she could hear on her iPod earbuds. Her hair was parted on either side of her head and tied with ribbons beneath her ears, and she wore a baggy pink shirt and a pair of plaid men’s shorts that looked as if she’d stolen them off a retiree at a golf course.
She glanced up and saw him, and her eyes widened. “Ethan.” She flashed a dazzling smile. “You’re home.”
Her million-watt grin hit him like blowback from an F-16. Something caught in his throat and he had to clear it. No one called him Ethan. And no one had ever been glad he was home.
Before he could fully push down the unwanted feelings, she was chattering again. “You’re just in time for dinner. I made tofu burgers, with sweet potato wedges to help balance your chi. Do you like honeydew?”
“Lily.”
“And I want you to try this wine. It’s made from mangos, but you’re going to love it. Mist says it balances his energies.”
“Lily.”
Squawk. “You can’t handle the truth,” the bird called out, clear as a human.
“Rhett, get off.” She shoved the orange tabby—Ethan’s archenemy—off the closest kitchen bar stool. “Here, Ethan. Sit down and I’ll make you a pla—”
“Lily!” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d raised his voice.
“Yes, Ethan?”
“Turn off your music.”
She reached up, pulled out her earbuds and waited for him expectantly.
“Where did all this stuff come from?” He gestured back into his living room.
“I know. It looks so much better, right?” She grinned.
“You can’t just come in here and redecorate.”
“Oh, it cost me hardly anything.” Her eyes twinkled. “I got all this from the Goodwill store. They have some wonderful stuff. Come on, let’s eat.” She was on her way back to the kitchen, when Ethan took a step to grab her arm, but he didn’t see the rodent in his path and tripped over it. The animal squealed as if it was being tortured. “I thought I told you to get a cage for that thing.”
Lily scooped up the long-haired rat. “Oh, poor baby. Are you all right?” Her brows crinkled as they had yesterday. “You’re mad about the pillows and stuff. I should have asked first. But I wanted to surprise you.” Those big blue eyes gazed up at him. “I’m so sorry I upset you.”
He’d expected an argument. Recrimination or tears. But staring into her apologetic eyes, he was appalled at his show of temper. The fury drained from his body like water through a sieve as guilt hit him full force. The poor woman had just lost everything she owned. This was the second time he’d lost command of himself. Around her. “I’m not upset.” He unclenched his fists.
“I just couldn’t stay here the way it was. The negative energy was bringing me down.”
Huh? What was he supposed to say to that? She had a way of confusing him and turning him on at the same time. Not good. He needed to get this conversation back to sounding rational.
Gritting his teeth, he glanced into his living room. It was only a plant and a few pillows. And a kitty litter box he noticed by the back door. And the noisy bird. But it was just for tonight and tomorrow. He could stand it for one day. Then he’d pack it all off with her when she left on Monday. “Fine, it can stay. But the roden—the guinea pig needs to be contained for his own safety.”
“Her.”
“What?”
“Scarlett. She’s a girl.”
“Well, she needs a cage.”
“But she needs her freedom. No animal should be confined against their—”
“Lily.”
“Yes, Ethan?”
He folded his arms across his chest. “It’s not negotiable.”
She sighed and cuddled the guinea pig under her chin. Then she looked up at him with that beautiful smile. “Well, I suppose every relationship requires compromise. But I want to get one that has a house, and a wheel, and—”
“That’s fine. Let’s go.” He fished his keys from his pocket and headed out the door while Lily set the tray of tofu burgers in the fridge.
Wait a minute. He stopped on the first step. Had she just used the word relationship?
3
ETHAN GRABBED A bright red Pet World cart as Lily bounced down the aisle. Sometimes he wondered if she’d been dropped on her head as a child. On the other hand, he also couldn’t stop picturing her naked. What kind of sicko did that make him?
“Good evening, sir, can I help you find something?” A teenager with a severe case of acne, dressed in khaki pants and a red polo shirt, stood near the cash registers.
“Guinea pig cages?” Ethan kept an eye on Lily as she rounded a corner into a side aisle.
“Yes, sir, the small pets section is in the back, to the left,” the teen answered, as another customer walked up to ask him something.
Of course it would be all the way at the back. Shopping of any kind was a necessary evil. But a pet store? With grim determination Ethan headed deeper into hostile territory, stopping at the corner where he’d last seen Lily.
“Aren’t these cute?” She held up several brown stuffed animals. “Rhett would love these. Which one? A catnip hedgehog or a catnip squirrel?”
Yeah. Just what he wanted. To buy the scary feline a toy. “Small pets stuff is farther down the aisle.” Ethan moved on, expecting her to follow. And she did, until they passed the intersection.
She squealed. “Oooh, Ethan. These are so adorable.”
Maybe if he just kept going she’d put down whatever she’d seen, and get on board with their plan of action.
“It’s a Cuddle Pal for Humphrey to lie on. Ethan, you’re not looking.”
Why couldn’t she act like a normal adult? He had better things to do than stand around looking at pet toys with a weird, infuriating female. He rounded on her. “Lily, our goal is to acquire a guinea pig cage. We get in, complete our mission and get out.”
She stared at him as if he was the crazy one, then shook her head and laughed.
“What?” He tightened his grip on the handle of the cart.
“This isn’t a combat zone. We don’t have to save the tropical fish section from reptile terrorist attacks.”
He narrowed his eyes. “It’s simply a matter of expediency. If you pick up and comment on everything we pass, we’ll be here until they close.”
“And what would be so bad about that? What else have you got to do tonight?”
“I—” He’d think of something in a second. Surely there