“Come on Mia, you’re as much a Tiger as I am.” He pointed at his shirt and her shirt. Once a Landstad Tiger, always a Tiger. It had been a joke around town forever.
She shook her head. “No way. I’m not a Tiger. I’m getting out of here.”
“You own and run the café in town. You’re just going to leave that?” She was already a part of the town; she couldn’t leave that.
“I’m hiring a manager,”
“People like the place because you’re there. No manager can be you.” He wouldn’t go in there four times a week if she wasn’t there.
“Yes, the right one can.” She walked away from him in a huff, and opened her closet.
“Dream on, Mia.”
Still angry, she turned on him, “No, Rafferty, you don’t get it. You got to spent years out of this town. I’ve been here the entire time. I want out before it kills me.”
“Quit being overdramatic. The rest of the world is nothing special.”
“I want to find that out for myself. I want—”
Her words stopped when there was a loud knock on the front door.
Rafferty almost laughed at the panic that spread across her face. Rushing past him, she slammed the door shut as she left it, leaving him alone in her bedroom as she let her friend into the apartment. He should have been offended that she didn’t want her friend to even know he was there, but he didn’t want her any more upset with him so he let it slide.
Sitting on the bed, he waited for her. No way was she going to town in that outfit, and he knew for sure she had no bra on. She was coming back in here. He could wait.
Which was why he was still on the bed when she came rushing in, closing the door behind her. Turning to him, she stated in a whisper, “I have to change.”
“Okay, I’ll watch.” He leaned back on the headboard, grinning.
“No, you won’t.” Turning from him, she pulled out a shirt from the closet.
“I’ll go out and keep Natalie company then,” he quietly suggested as she picked up a pair of jeans from the chair in the corner.
Her dark eyes went wide at the idea, and she looked at the closed door in panic. “No.”
“Then I guess I’ll watch.” Sitting down on the bed he nodded at her indicating she should be changing. Rolling her eyes, she pushed off her sweatpants and shimmied on the jeans. He was happy he was forced to be there.
“You will shut your eyes, Rafferty Brooks,” she hissed as she grabbed a bra from the same chair the pants were on.
“Nope.” He barely said the word loud enough to be heard as he turned to see her better.
“I hate you.” Shooting him an angry look, she pulled her shirt off.
“A husband can enjoy his wife’s strip tease if he wants.” Forcing himself to stay put with her breasts on full display for him. All he wanted to do was jump up and take them in his hands, taste them.
“No, you’re a pervert.” Hooking her bra, she covered the beauties from his view.
“Just because I enjoy your body?” he asked.
She pulled her shirt on and said, “No, because a gentleman would haven’t watched.”
“Then I’m a pervert, because I like to watch you,” he admitted as she grabbed a pair of socks form a drawer.
“At least you admit it.” Slamming the drawer closed she turned to him as she headed toward the door. “You don’t have to lock up on your way out. It’s Landstad.”
“Love you,” he said quietly to the already closed door since she was gone.
He sat there for another few minutes until he heard her front door close. Knowing she was gone, he got up and picked up the outfit she had left on the floor and tossed them into the dirty clothes hamper, then he went out to the main room of the apartment. Quickly, he washed the dishes from supper and left them in the sink to dry.