The Complete Unleashed Collection: The Westport Mysteries, #1

By Beth Prentice

From USA Today Best Selling Author comes a series that's gone to the dogs...

This box set includes Killer Unleashed, Deadly Tails and two holiday themed stories featuring Chloe and her little dog Theo.

Killer Unleashed:
Meet Chloe: she has a house, a best friend, and absolutely no idea how to say "no." So when her elderly neighbor asks her to surrender a little dog named Theo to the animal shelter, of course Chloe agrees. And when Theo pulls out his big puppy dog eyes, Chloe reluctantly gains a dog. And that's when the trouble starts. An attempted dog snatching, a break in, a masked attacker, and a hit and run all add up to big problems. Everybody seems to be looking for something. If only Chloe knew what that something was. And with a sexy new neighbor named Brody, a creepy new neighbor named Rick, and her ex-boyfriend Jack snooping around, the men in Chloe's life seem to be multiplying. With the help of her new neighbor, Chloe may just be able to figure out what key Theo holds to the whole mess...if she can keep them both alive! "Who knew one little dog could cause so much trouble?

Deadly Tails:
Chloe McDermott's life in Westport is pretty close to perfect. She has a good job, a gorgeous boyfriend, Brody, and an adorable little dog, Theo.
But when Chloe receives a gift of an old chessboard from an elderly friend, her perfect life unexpectedly falls apart. Theo is dognapped, the chessboard is stolen, and her friend apparently commits suicide in his home. But when the autopsy reveals a murder, Chloe knows something doesn't add up and she suspects the old game board is at the center of
it all. She enlists the help of boyfriend's hot-headed father and her flamboyantly fabulous BFF to get to the heart of the truth.

Can she solve the riddle and find a killer before Theo is added to the body count? Or will she lose her little furry friend forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Beth Prentice
• Release date: Nov 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9780645004687

Beth Prentice

USA Today bestselling author Beth Prentice was born in Manchester, England, but after moving backwards and forwards across the world 13 times in 14 years she decided that at the age of 18 that Australia was to be her home. She now lives on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia where every day is a good one. She is the lucky mother of two grown up children, and, along with er ever-patient husband, she is the proud but sometimes flustered owner of four dogs, a cat, and a canary. She has always had a love of reading, and even though her background is in accounting, she has now discovered her love of writing. Her main wish is to write books you can sit back, relax with, and escape from your everyday life...and ones that you walk away from with a smile! When she's not writing you will usually find her at the beach with a coffee in hand, pursuing her favorite pastime —people watching!

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Meet Theo. He’s ten inches tall, white with big, brown spots, extremely hairy, and when he looks in the mirror, he sees The Rock. He’s my neighbor’s dog. Well, technically, he’s now my dog.

This morning Betty, my seventy-year-old neighbor, asked me to take him to the animal shelter. You see, her family has forced her to move into a retirement home, and she can’t take Theo with her. That is a real shame. I, of course, said I’d take him, as I pretty much do whatever people ask me to. According to my counselor, I need to value and stand up for myself more, but that’s a whole other story.

Honestly, this didn’t make any sense to me. I’d never met Betty’s family. In fact, I’d never even heard her mention them. So, as you can imagine, it was a surprise to me that not only was she going to move as they wanted, but she was also going to give up her beloved, little dog. I sighed and promised myself that when I was elderly, I would not do what my children told me to do.

Who am I kidding? I may as well pick out my nursing home now.

So I, being the weak-willed person I am, agreed to help her. Only when I got to the shelter, I sat in the car and looked at the prison-like entrance gates. I could hear the noise of hundreds of dogs calling out to each other, and I watched as two volunteer workers walked some of the bigger dogs down the dusty laneway. My heart cracked as a man dropped off his faithful friend at the reception counter and left without even saying goodbye. The dog tried to follow him, whining longingly. I looked at Theo, and my eyes filled with tears.

You know, you’re really cute, and I’m sure you’ll find a home quickly. I think I was trying to convince myself more than him.

He looked up at me, his brown eyes as big as saucers, his ears pinned back.

That was such a low blow. My heart was already breaking. I did not need him to look cuter than ever.

Don’t look at me like that. This really is for the best. I reached out and rubbed his furry little head as he turned his soft, little brown face toward my palm and snuggled into it.

Humph. He really knew how to play this game, didn’t he?

I ran my thumb over his little Chihuahua nose and thought about the day he was having. The home he knew had been ripped away from him along with the person he loved the most in the world. To make his day even worse, he would have to spend the night in solitary confinement surrounded by strange personnel.

I thought about this last year I’d lived opposite Betty. I’d never once seen Theo bark or snap. Before meeting him, I had thought all Chihuahuas were snappy, nasty little creatures. I was wrong. This one in particular was adorable.

A tear ran down my cheek and dripped off my chin.

I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have it in my heart to hand him over to complete strangers, letting him believe he’d been abandoned by all those who loved him. Sure, Betty had already organized for me to hand Theo over to a lady named Lucy, but surely she wouldn’t care if I kept him. And I was sure Lucy was far too busy to follow up on a dog that didn’t get surrendered. In fact, they would probably all be extremely happy Theo had already found a new home.

Okay, okay! You win. I hope you’re happy, I said as I wiped my chin with my free hand. The wagging of Theo’s tail told me he’d understood what I said perfectly, and if I wasn’t mistaken, that was a big smile on his little face.

Putting the car into gear, I turned it around and headed home. Little did I know, keeping Theo would be the most dangerous decision of my life.

On my way home, I thought I would make a quick stop at the pet shop. The last time I’d owned a dog, I had been twelve and totally irresponsible to keep an animal alive. I really hoped things had changed since then. I mean, I’m now a responsible small parcel courier driver with the use of a company van, and I’ve aged eighteen years since the day I had stupidly left the front door open and allowed our dog, Lucky, to run into the road. Sighing, I picked Theo up and walked toward the entrance to the superstore.

An hour later I walked back out, broke and pushing a large shopping cart. Who knew owning such a small animal could cost so much money?

You’re lucky you’re cute, I scolded, looking at Theo as I placed him on the front seat of my car. And don’t get too comfortable there either. I just spent a small fortune buying you a top-of-the-range car seat. So, you’ll be safely secured in the back—as soon as I can figure out how it works. Theo looked at me as if to say whatever, made three anti-clockwise turns and settled down for a sleep.

Rush hour traffic was pretty bad on the way home, but the tension in my shoulders relaxed as I pulled my car onto my street. I loved it here. My house was situated at number thirty-seven Price Lane, Westport. Westport’s on the east coast of Australia and was a pretty old town. I thought the original settlers had lacked imagination when they named it, as it sits on the west side of Goat Island and was once a popular port. Hence the name. In my part of town all the houses were old, so they had a history, a story to tell. Not sure what the story of mine was, but it didn’t matter. It had a personality, and I always felt a sense of calm whenever I pulled up outside it.

Today was tricky however. My old next-door neighbors, the Davidsons, had moved out a few days ago, and it looked like the new tenants were moving in as their moving van took up most of the road.

Never to be one to give up on a parking challenge, I carefully maneuvered my small SUV into a spot in front of the van. Well, when I say carefully, I mean I narrowly missed its front bumper, but missed is the important part, right? Picking up Theo, and then making quite a few trips back and forth between the house and the car, I managed to get all my new belongings inside.

How can a dog your size need so much stuff? I asked him. He chose to ignore me, trotting off toward the lounge where he made himself comfortable on my lovely, white couch.

I had thought the saying, It’s a dog’s life, was supposed to mean life was tough. It seemed Theo had never gotten that memo.

By the time the clock struck ten, I was exhausted and decided an early night was exactly what I needed. All the stress and worry about Theo had really taken it out of me.

I started my nightly ritual of walking around the house, checking all the locks, and making sure all the lights were turned off. My house was a tiny, three-bedroom, single-story house with an attic extension. It was the attic room that was my bedroom, and as the pretty dormer window looked out over the front, I had a good view of the comings and goings on the street. There was virtually no front yard, just a small courtyard with an ornate, iron fence and gate preventing any stray dogs from wandering in and pooping on my tiles. I had added a couple of pots with some sort of green things in them, which looked really nice—especially when I remembered to water them. My house was attached to my best friend Isaac’s and the Davidson’s two-story Victorian terraces. It almost looked like the builder had added my little house as an afterthought. As all the houses in the street were old, who knew what the real story behind them was, but since the previous owners had completed its renovation, I was one happy camper.

Picking up Theo, I walked up the spiral staircase and into my bedroom. I placed Theo on the bed, moved to the en suite, and stripped off for my shower. But not before I took a good, hard look at myself in the mirror. I was convinced that tattooed on my forehead was the word Sucker.

Pulling my hair back from my face, I peered into the mirror. Nope, couldn’t see it, but I was still sure it was there. Maybe it was my light-blue eyes that made people think I was a pushover, or maybe it was the dimple embedded in my right cheek on my round face when I smiled. I changed my hair color so often I wasn’t really sure what my natural color was anymore, but at the moment it was a bright shade of red, compliments of the dye I’d put in it last night. Other than that, I looked pretty much like every other girl out there. I wasn’t tall—five-foot-three to be exact, and I had a small frame with just enough cleavage. That was a good thing, as I had an addiction to nice underwear. And perfume. Oh, and candles. And pretty much anything that looked nice in my house. Lucky for me, I also had a job.

After completing my routine of shower, teeth cleaning, etc., I walked to my window to make sure it was open just enough to get some fresh air. At this time of night my neighborhood was peaceful, and I loved sitting on my window seat looking at the view. I gave a contented sigh and was about to close my blinds when I noticed a man standing on the footpath, staring at Betty’s house. Since Betty’s house was directly across the road from mine, I had a good view of his back. From here, he looked to be about medium height and was wearing a long trench coat, the streetlight reflected on his shiny, black hair.

Hmm, that was odd. I supposed it could have been a prospective tenant, but it was a strange time of night to be house hunting.

Goose bumps broke out as I watched him turn, look up at me, and stare. Then he lifted his collar and moved across the street, disappearing into the Davidson’s old house.

Well, that was creepy, I said to Theo as a chill ran down my spine. I hurriedly pulled the cord on my blinds, moved to the bed, pulled back the covers, and attempted to get in between them, but Theo had taken up residence on my pillow. I still felt bad that Betty had left him, so I moved to the other side and gave him some room.

Tomorrow would be a different story though. Tomorrow he would sleep in his own bed.

I woke the next morning with a sore back, wondering how an animal who weighed just over five pounds needed almost ninety percent of a queen-sized bed to sleep in.

Enjoy it, little man. Tonight, you’ll be in your own bed, I mumbled, as I stood and looked at the clock. It was already six thirty, and I needed to be at work just after seven. Bugger. I was already late, and I hadn’t even started the day yet.

The day didn’t really improve while I stood looking at my watch, waiting for Theo to do his business on the small patch of grass in my backyard, willing him to hurry up. I had his food, water, chewy treats, and stuffed cow all waiting for him on the kitchen floor, ready for me to make a hasty exit out the front door. I tapped my foot as I watched while he sniffed various spots and decided they weren’t up to standard, only to continue sniffing for a better one. Personally, I didn’t think there was a better spot. Looking at my yard from a dog’s point of view was pretty sad. I really couldn’t blame him for being picky.

As my tapping got faster and my impatience grew, I heard a voice over my fence. Always nosy, I popped up onto my tiptoes and had a peek. Standing alone in the backyard was a man talking on his phone. He faced me but was looking at the ground, so he didn’t see me checking him out. He looked middle-aged, with an exceptional head of hair, and had yet to get the middle-aged beer gut my older brother, Robbie, had prematurely started work on. The man was speaking to the unlucky person on the other end of the phone in an aggressive manner. Looking up and spotting me, he flung a black trench coat over his arm, turned, and walked into the house.

Oops, probably not the best way to introduce myself to the new residents, but, oh well, shit happens. Seeing him brought back the memory of last night, and once again, a shiver slithered down my spine.

Thankfully Theo gave in to the urge to empty his system and trotted back into the house. I looked at my watch. If the traffic was right, I might still get to work on time. Locking the back door behind me, I ran through the house toward the front, picking up an apple as I went. Turning the lock in the door, I nearly tripped over Theo as he ran between my legs, about to escape.

I don’t think so, little dude, I said, reaching down to grab him before he made the exit. You get to stay here and relax for a few hours. I won’t be too long. I pushed him back into the house and closed the door.

I hadn’t even made it to the gate when I heard his whimpers and cries.

Ignore him, Chloe, I said to myself. He has to learn to stay on his own.

I opened the gate. His cries turned into a howl, and for such a small animal, he certainly had a loud voice.

I closed the gate behind me, determined to ignore him. Mr. Wilks, owner of the corner store, passed me as he made his way down the street. He turned and glared, making me feel like a terrible dog owner. Taking a deep breath, I spun on my heel and walked back to the front door. I’d make Theo stay on his own tomorrow.

CHAPTER 2

They say tomorrow never comes, right? Turns out they’re right. Theo slept in my bed every night, and it appeared I’d wasted my money buying him that beautiful, soft, comfortable dog bed. After the fourth night I moved it into the lounge room in the hope he might use it there.

The rain pelted my windows as I looked at my watch. It was still only two thirty. I sighed, as my shoulders relaxed, and I snuggled deeper into the couch cradling my latest book. I was just getting to the interesting part when there was a bang on my front door. Damn. Now I’d have to wait to read the hot, steamy bit.

Putting my book on the coffee table, I got up to see who needed me so badly. Huddled under a bright-yellow umbrella was my best friend and neighbor, Isaac.

What are you doing out in this weather? I asked, stepping back so he could get in the door.

It’s freezing! I can’t believe that only last week we were complaining how hot it was. He left his umbrella at the door and walked inside, swiping a few stray raindrops from his black, cashmere sweater. At six-foot three, Isaac was big and squishy, and resembled a teddy bear. He’s so safe and comfortable to be with that sometimes I wished he weren’t gay. Sometimes. The other times I gladly sent him home to his partner Adam.

That’s typical of Westport, I replied. Would you like a cup of coffee?

I’d love one!

So, what’s up that a phone call couldn’t satisfy? I asked as we made our way to the kitchen at the back of the house.

Well, I happened to be at home all day today, he explained, his grin wicked. "And instead of watching Days of Our Lives, I watched the new guy move into Betty’s old house."

And? There was obviously more to this than what he’d told me so far.

"Wow, wow, and wow! Have you seen that guy?" he asked, fanning himself with his hand.

Isaac! Remember Adam? I scolded.

Yes, I know I’m taken. But you, Chloe McDermott, are not, he smirked.

A relationship is the last thing on my mind right now. I haven’t quite recovered from the last one yet.

Who’s talking about a relationship? What you need is a night of wild, hot sex, and our new neighbor may just be the right guy for the job, smiled Isaac.

I’m fine, thank you. I’m more than happy to cuddle up to Theo every night. At least I know I won’t come home to a text message from him advising me I’ve been dumped.

I turned my back on Isaac and poured the coffee to prevent him from seeing the hurt in my eyes. It had been almost four months since the day I had received that message from Jack, but the pain and humiliation still stung. Jack had been staying with me while his apartment was being renovated. Admittedly, the renovating was taking longer than normal, but he’d struck up a friendship with Betty, so neither Jack, myself, nor my neighbors were in any hurry for him to go home. That day I thought I was going home after work to a nice leisurely afternoon, relaxing and reading my new book. Instead, what I got was a house devoid of Jack and a text message telling me it was over. No explanation as to why.

Well, what better way to show that asshole you have moved on to bigger and better things…and when I say bigger, I mean bigger!

I turned around to see the dreamy look in his eyes and had to smile. Trust Isaac to notice something like that.

There are a lot of people moving in and out of this street at the moment. I saw the new guy from next door the other day. He didn’t seem friendly.

No, he’s really rude. I tried to say hello to him as I walked past on my way to the shop, and he totally snubbed me.

He drives a pretty expensive car, I said, referring to the shiny, red Audi parked outside his house.

Obviously good taste doesn’t mean good manners. Anyway, stop trying to change the subject. Follow me, demanded Isaac.

I followed him down the hallway and up the staircase to my bedroom. Sitting on my window seat, he tilted the blinds so he had an excellent view of the street. I followed him, waiting for Theo to jump up before I took my seat. We looked down onto Betty’s old house.

Most of the view was obstructed by another moving van, but I could definitely see what all the fuss was about. Standing on the doorstep, looking out at the van, was a man who stood about six feet tall with dark-brown hair. His wet T-shirt clung to him, and even from this distance, I could tell his body was extremely well-sculptured.

Okay, so you weren’t exaggerating. I smiled, all thoughts of Jack disappearing from my mind. Looking at Isaac, I could see him practically salivating. Put your tongue away. I laughed, swatting his arm.

You see why I thought he’d be good for you?

Could I ever!

By the time I’d finished work the next day, the rain had gotten heavier and the temperature had gotten lower. That meant I was soaked to the skin and freezing.

I drove down my street, really hoping the parking spot right outside my front door was vacant. That way I could run in and have a hot shower as quickly as possible. The only bad thing about living on my street was the absence of off-street parking. Luckily, most people had their regular parking spot and mine was almost outside my house. Today though, it looked like someone had taken it. That someone drove a nice, black, sleek sports car.

Damn it!

Driving slowly, I realized there was a small space in front of it. I could fit in there, I was sure of it. Reverse parking wasn’t exactly my strong suit though, and I may have slightly misjudged how much room I needed to fit my small SUV into the parking space. Feeling the bump before I heard any noise, I quickly realized I had reversed into the aforementioned, sleek sports car.

Shit!

I hit the brakes and dropped my head onto the steering wheel. I sat there for what seemed like ages, slowly banging my head, too scared to get out and look at the damage I’d done. It didn’t take long to hear the shouts coming from my rear bumper, so I took a deep breath, opened my door, and prepared myself for the worst.

Walking around to the back of my car, it appeared my hot, new neighbor was the owner of the now dented vehicle. Well, I guess I could cross get hot guy to notice me off my bucket list.

What the hell? he yelled, pulling at his short hair. His sleeve rode up his arm just enough for me to glimpse his tattooed bicep. I watched as the rain fell onto his face and dripped off his chin.

I’m so, so sorry, I said, my heart rate rapidly increasing. Not sure if that was from adrenaline or lust, but either way, my blood pumped a whole lot faster.

"What is wrong with you? Do you not know how to park?" he shouted.

I felt the heat coming off him. I didn’t mean it. I just misjudged how much space I had, I said lamely.

As I looked at him close up, I saw how dark the color of his eyes were. I watched as the raindrops fell on his long lashes, and if it weren’t for the scowl on his face, I think I would have had an orgasm on the spot. The more the rain fell, the more his T-shirt clung to his defined torso. The more it soaked into his dark denim jeans, the more my hormones stirred. It had been a long time since I’d had that reaction to a man. In fact, thinking about it, I don’t think I’d ever had that reaction to a man. If only we’d met under better circumstances.

Who was I kidding? This man was out of my league no matter what circumstances I met him under.

You couldn’t see the parked car behind you? He hadn’t actually stopped to look at me yet. His eyes had yet to leave his front bumper.

Mine were yet to leave him. I noticed the sexy crinkles around his eyes as he squinted against the rain and the incredible biceps he had as he ran his hands through his wet hair. And I may have noticed his incredibly sexy ass as he turned to look at his car.

Okay, I admit it! I was paying far more attention to him than I was to the mess in front of me.

I’m really, really sorry. I have insurance, so it will be fixed, I said, reluctantly taking my eyes off him. Thankfully, my old car didn’t have much damage, but the sports car hadn’t faired too well. I’m sure it looks worse than it really is, I said, noting how my tow bar was hooked into his radiator. Bugger. That couldn’t be good.

I snuck another look at him. This man was actually quite terrifying up close. I’m not sure what scared me the most—how angry he was or how sexy he was. Running home and hiding in a hot shower was probably a good idea. Actually, maybe a cold shower would be better.

Seriously? he yelled.

It was at this point he finally turned to look at me, and I noticed the intensity in his eyes as I shrank back. But he blinked, and suddenly all the anger disappeared. I’m not sure why, and right then, I wasn’t questioning it. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

I’m sorry, he sighed. I just really love my car. I’m Brody. Brody Foster.

He smiled and extended his hand for me to shake. I went to respond, but had to stop. Every bit of air in my lungs vanished as his soft, full mouth turned up into a smile.

I’ve just moved in across the street.

His smile faltered as I failed to shake his hand. My brain yelled, Take his hand, but my body wasn’t listening. My voice had definitely fled the scene.

I’m sorry I yelled at you. I just really love my car, he continued, dropping his hand to his side.

The rain had started to fall heavily on his T-shirt again, and I could see the definition of his firm stomach as it disappeared into the waistband of his jeans.

Eyes up, eyes up!

I forced my eyes to leave his stomach. Looking into his eyes probably wasn’t any better an option, but I did manage to find my voice again.

I’m Chloe. I live right here, I croaked, nodding towards my front gate.

I could see Theo sitting on my window seat looking down at us, probably wondering what the hell all the fuss was about. I reached out my hand to Brody, and he thankfully accepted it. As his hand touched mine, electricity ran up my arm and down to dormant parts of my anatomy at a speed and intensity I had never felt before. Oh boy!

Would you like to come in, and I’ll give you the details of my insurance? I asked, mentally fanning myself. I was pretty sure he could see the steam coming off me as I stood in the rain.

Yeah, that’s probably better than freezing out here.

I turned and walked to my front door with Brody following. Fumbling with the key in the lock, I finally got the door open. Theo ran down the stairs, past me, and straight to Brody, where he jumped up at his leg and demanded to be picked up. Amazingly, Brody reached down, scooped him into his arms, and was instantly rewarded with Theo kisses.

Humph. See who gives you treats later, Theo. Not that I blamed him. Given the opportunity, I’d have liked to be scooped up in Brody’s arms, and I too would have smothered him with kisses.

Turning my back on them both, I kicked off my wet shoes and walked to the kitchen, passing the hallway mirror on the way. One quick look at my reflection as I passed it had me groaning inwardly. My hair was plastered to my head. My mascara had left trails of black streaks down my cheeks. And my high visibility work shirt gave my skin a weird glow. And just like Brody’s, my shirt was stuck to my chest like glue. Not the first impression I would have chosen to give him, but too late now, I guess. I made a mental note to add waterproof mascara to the shopping list.

Discreetly running my fingers through my tangled hair and swiping at the mascara pooling under my eyes, I kept my back to Brody and went in search of my insurance policy.

Looking for it was kind of like looking for the Holy Grail. I believed it existed, but where exactly was proving hard to find. I felt Brody’s stare on the back of my head. Opening messy drawer after messy drawer, I rummaged my hardest, but to no avail. Brody moved into the kitchen, and I heard him put on the coffee pot. He obviously thought I was going to be a while, so he might as well make himself at home. I moved to the spare room cupboard and pulled out the cardboard boxes I used as a filing system. I heard the phone ring in the kitchen, but decided to let the caller leave a message. I knew these documents were really important, and the sooner I had them the sooner Brody would be out of my house, and I would be able to breathe properly again. Now I probably should tell you that I had one of those outdated phones with the built-in answering machine. The advantage of it was that I could screen a call as the message was being left. The disadvantage was that I got to hear my awful voice announcing that I could not presently take the call and please leave a message. The caller did as asked.

Hey, sis, what are you doing that’s so important you can’t answer your phone? I heard my brother Sam’s laugh through the speaker. Sam was two years younger than I, the tallest member of my family and, according to my friends, completely edible. Personally, I found him annoying. I also have an older brother, Robbie. I found him annoying too.

I was just looking to get tickets for Sexpo and wanted to make sure you still wanted to go. My cheeks heated up at the thought that Brody had just heard that. Also, I have to tell you about last night. I need some advice. I found this chat site where people talk about anything. And I mean anything! I heard him laugh. I can’t believe what some people get up to. Not in my wildest dreams could I think it up! Anyway, these two girls asked me to meet them and join in, if you get my drift…

I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the handset. With shaking fingers and burning cheeks, I pressed the answer button before Brody could overhear any more of my humiliation. I could only imagine what he was thinking. Sexpo was Sam’s idea, Isaac and I had agreed to go along for a laugh. But at that moment, it didn’t feel funny at all. Add the rest of Sam’s narrative to that and Brody must be thinking we’re all nymphomaniacs. Sneaking a look at Brody, I thought that, given half a chance, it could become a possibility.

Hi Sam, I breathed into the phone.

Wow, you sound breathless. Did I interrupt something? He laughed suggestively.

No! I had to run for the phone!

Righto. Whatever. Anyway, I called to let you know about the tickets and to ask for some big sister advice.

Yep, I heard. Can I call you back later? I have a visitor here at the moment. I looked up to see Brody grinning at me.

Tell me it’s that new neighbor of yours, and I’ll leave you to it. Obviously, he’d been talking to Isaac.

As a matter of fact, it is. I smiled. I really hoped Brody’s hearing was not bionic, and he couldn’t hear what Sam was saying to me.

"Yes! That’s what you need. A good…"

Okay! We’ll chat soon. I quickly butted in before Sam got to say what was really on his mind. My face was so hot the phone might just melt.

I was just going to say you need a good night out. I heard him laugh.

Yeah, right.

As I said goodbye, I turned to hang up the phone and saw Brody leaning backwards against my kitchen counter, long legs stretched out in front of him, and a wicked grin on his face.

Sexpo, huh?

It’s not what you think, I managed to say, even though I couldn’t quite look him in the eye. Standing in my small kitchen, only a few meters away from the hottest man I’d ever seen, I couldn’t bring myself to talk about my Sexpo tickets.

I’m not thinking anything.

Yeah, whatever.

He reached over and handed me a cup of coffee. Even though I was on fire from the neck up, from the neck down I was freezing.

Why don’t you go and have a hot shower. I can get the insurance info off you later, Brody offered, putting his empty cup in the sink.

Thanks. That would be great, I mumbled.

Walking Brody to the front door, I stood back and watched as he once again picked Theo up and gave him a big cuddle. Maybe Mr. Hottie was also Mr. Softy. He passed Theo to me and stepped too far into my personal space for me to be comfortable.

See you soon, Chloe. He smiled and closed the door behind him.

I quickly moved to the front window, stood back, and admired the view as he crossed the road, his movements fluid and sexy. Watching the rain once again soak into his T-shirt, I thought his back was as glorious as his front.

CHAPTER 3

The next morning the rain had finally eased. I walked to my car, ready for a big day at work, stopping when the couple who’d moved in next door walked down the path towards their car. I should introduce myself and waited, but they looked the other way and ignored me.

I took a moment to check them out up close and noticed I was right in my earlier assessment of the man. A good ten years older than I, maybe mid-forties, he was quite fit and not bad looking. Not good-looking, but not ugly either. She was much taller than he was, her dark-brown hair graying at the temples, showing a bad dye job, but it was her face that made me suck in my breath. If anybody had ever looked like they were sucking on a sour lemon, it was this woman. Something about the pair of them made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, and annoyance prickled on my skin.

Well, good morning to you too, I called out, a little louder than I’d meant.

They stopped, looked at each other, and then turned back towards me. Uh-oh. My cheeks heated up with embarrassment. I was usually the quiet one. The woman didn’t look impressed at my tone, and I prepared myself for a verbal slapping. Instead, her partner stepped toward me and quietly extended his hand.

I apologize for our rudeness. I’m Rick.

His voice was smooth and controlled. I accepted his hand then recoiled slightly at the clamminess. Well, I’d be wiping my hand on my pants in a minute.

And this is Joy, he said, indicating the woman next to him.

Joy? Seriously? How could anybody have such an inappropriate name?

Pleased to meet you. I’m Chloe. How are you settling in? I asked, trying my best to be polite. I was now regretting my decision to stop and talk to them.

Ah, yes. Very well, thank you, Rick replied. Joy hadn’t moved. Hadn’t smiled, hadn’t lifted an eyebrow. It seems like a lovely street.

Yes, it is lovely. Normally, it’s quiet. This week has been different though. So many neighbors moving in and out, I babbled. Babbling was a bad habit of mine when I was nervous.

Really? Other neighbors have been moving out? Suddenly Joy had a voice. It matched the rest of her—harsh and scratchy. I watched as she adjusted her sunglasses, pushing them farther up the bridge of her nose.

Oh…umm, I stammered, shocked by her outburst. Um…the lady across the road moved out last week. Moved into a nursing home, or retirement village, or something like that. Even though her eyes were hidden, I struggled to get my thoughts together under her stare. I saw Joy look across the road to Betty’s house and then to Rick, her thin lips tightening in a line across her face. Yes, it was sad really. Apparently, her family thought it was for the best. She was a good friend, and I miss her, but she did leave one of her treasures with me, I said, thinking of Theo. I smiled, trying to alleviate the sudden tension in the air. I watched Rick’s Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed.

Well, we…we really need to get moving, he stuttered, his previously smooth voice now filled with uncertainty.

Joy turned her back and stomped off towards the car, getting in and slamming the door behind her. Rick followed, got into the passenger side, and struggled with his seatbelt as Joy spun the tires and screeched away from the curb. It appeared they didn’t like the idea of elderly neighbors going into nursing homes. Watching their car speed away, anxiety swirled around me as I stepped up to my car and beeped the doors open.

After work I stopped by the bank to cash my paycheck and, for reasons only the universe understood, Brody happened to be behind me at the precise moment I embarrassed myself by spilling the contents of my bag on the floor. My cheeks flamed as heat climbed through me and I watched in horror as two stray tampons rolled across the tiles in their little cellophane packets, passing eight other people along their way, before finally coming to a stop against the far wall. My breath caught as Brody let out a snort of laughter.

Sometimes life could be so unfair.

By the time I’d finished cashing my paycheck, Brody stood by the exit waiting for me. He smiled as I approached him, and the butterflies broke out of their cocoons in my stomach.

I’ve been thinking… he said.

Why did I think that didn’t bode well for me?

And since you did smash into my car and haven’t given me your insurance information yet, you should buy me lunch. He crossed his arms over his chest and smiled.

Fair enough. What did you have in mind? I was quite relieved he’d taken the whole accident thing as easily as he had.

The Bar and Grill. I feel like a really big steak, he said, pushing away from the wall he leaned against.

Okay. It’s the least I can do, I said breathlessly as Brody put his hand on my back and guided me out the door. I felt the tingling all the way to my toes.

The Bar and Grill wasn’t far from the bank. The rain had cleared last night and left everything hot and steamy. Then again, that could be me. I was only a couple of feet away from Brody. As we walked towards the bar, I noticed how many women looked at him as we passed. There was nothing special about the way he was dressed, just the usual jeans and a T-shirt, but it was the way his clothes molded to his body to perfection that made him desirable.

Thankfully, I had decided to dress slightly better than normal today with my flowy, little skirt and tank top. After the last time I’d seen him, I had some repair work to do.

What’s your story, Chloe? he asked, his steps falling into pace with mine.

My story? I raised an eyebrow.

Yeah, you know, what you do, where you’re from—that kind of thing.

Oh. Not an exciting story, I’m afraid. I’m thirty years old. I own a dog, a house, and an old SUV. That’s about it.

Brody stopped and opened the door to the bar, allowing me to step inside. The air conditioning blasted out the open door as I felt the sweat run down the back of my knees, and I discreetly sniffed my armpits. My deodorant had held. Thank God. Leading me to a booth at the back of the room, Brody sat opposite me and opened the menu.

What about you? I asked. What’s your story?

About the same as yours, he said, reading the menu as he spoke to me. I’m thirty-two years old, the proud tenant of the house across the road from you, and I own my own electrical company. Oh…but no pets.

Girlfriend? I asked, unable to hide my curiosity. Without answering, Brody put the menu down and studied me. His eyes reminded me of melted chocolate and seemed to have the ability to look right inside me. My pulse accelerated. Feeling self-conscious under his gaze, I picked up my menu and pretended to read it, wishing I’d never opened my mouth.

What about you? Boyfriend, ex-boyfriend? So, he was putting the conversation back on me then, was he?

Ex-boyfriend.

What happened?

I don’t really want to talk about it, if that’s alright. Brody sat forward and folded his arms on the table, studying me even closer. His gaze really unnerved me. I could almost feel the clock ticking off the seconds as he stared. Finally, he seemed happy with my answer.

Alright, he said, sitting back and picking up his menu.

I spent a very intense five minutes studying my menu. Having lunch with Brody had seemed a good idea when he suggested it, but in reality, being the only other person sitting at this table was nerve wracking. All the pressure was on me to come up with witty, spontaneous conversation which wasn’t a strength of mine on a good day.

Thankfully, the waitress arrived to take our drink order, giving me a minute to pull myself together. Brody had the same effect on her, but she was much more confident than I was. I watched in awe as she fluttered her eyelashes and flirted with him.

Do you have that effect on all the ladies? I asked once she’d left.

I’m not having it on you. He smiled, and I must say, even though his two front teeth were slightly crooked, it was an amazing smile.

Yeah, well I’m off men for a while. Liar. If possible, Brody’s smile got bigger.

I met Isaac the other day. He seems like a really nice guy. How long have you two been friends?

For about fifteen years, I answered, thankful the conversation had changed direction. He was in my older brother’s year at high school. He came to our house for a party one day, and we became instant friends. I can’t imagine life without him, really.

You’re lucky to have a friend like that. What about the other one? he asked. Sam, was it?

Yes, Sam. He’s my younger brother, I said, blushing.

He’s the one you’re going to Sexpo with, right? I could see the cheeky smile he was trying to hide. My blush turned up to full heat.

It’s just a laugh. Sam suggested it, and Isaac and I thought it would be fun. I mean, I don’t even have a partner, so I’ve no need to go.

I don’t know because I’ve never been, but I’m pretty sure they’ll have a lot of ‘self-help’ products there.

If I thought my face couldn’t have gotten any hotter, I was wrong. I’m pretty sure I radiated enough heat to bake Brody to a crisp.

No…umm…no, no. I’m…umm…not looking for anything like that! I stuttered.

Brody laughed out loud, a masculine sound that reminded me how much I missed having a man in my life. Shaking my head to clear those kind of thoughts, I reminded myself that, while you may get companionship and a warm body to snuggle up to, eventually he would leave you broken-hearted. I looked into Brody’s eyes discreetly and noticed the humor mixed with sensuality. There was absolutely no arrogance about him. My heart skipped a beat.

The palpitations kicked up to an anxiety attack when I realized what I had just felt. Brody was a dangerous man. He had vulnerability mixed with an enormous amount of sex appeal, which was an extremely dangerous combination for a girl who now had a phobia of getting her heart broken.

I suddenly realized this lunch was a bad idea and decided I should distance myself from him for a while. In fact, I thought forever would be good.

I put my menu down and picked up my bag. Brody, I’ve got to go, I said, standing. I saw confusion replace his laughter.

I’m sorry, Chloe. I was only joking. I’m sure you’re not looking for anything, but a good time. I mean some fun. Not that kind of fun, he stammered. I’m sorry. He stopped and took a breath. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. He sighed, standing up next to me. This close to him, I had to look a long way up to make eye contact, and when I did, I saw he genuinely meant what he was saying.

No, it’s not that. It’s just…well, nothing. It doesn’t matter. I promise I’ll pay for all the damage to your car, and I really appreciate you being so kind about it. Brody reached out and touched my arm. My anxiety reached