The Keeping(21)
“Sorry. I don’t usually take advice from complete strangers.” Mel replied sarcastically, thinking the man must be a total jerk. She had just survived an animal attack and was suffering from a head injury, for heaven’s sake! Where was the sympathy she deserved?
“You don’t talk to strangers? Aww... What a good little girl you are.” He mockingly praised her using a tone of voice most often associated with young children. Then, without warning, he switched to a harder, more accusing, form of speech. “Too bad you don’t follow the rules when it comes to wandering onto someone’s land, completely ignoring the ‘No Trespassing’ signs.”
She didn’t respond for a moment, recalling how she’d removed the sign so that she could claim ignorance of its existence. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound; she’d try to bluff her way through this. “I didn’t see any sign. Where was it?”
“Right on the gate that blocked the driveway you walked down.”
“Really? Hmm... I didn’t notice it. Maybe it fell off.” She concentrated on brushing some dust from her pants to avoid looking his direction.
“And maybe it had some help from you.”
Mel gave a non-committal shrug and kept silent. He continued on in the nasty, mocking tone he seemed to favour.
“And of course, the six foot high locked gate, didn’t give you any clue that you should stay out?”
“Not really.” She cast a saccharine sweet smile in his direction. “Though, of course, if there’d been a sign stating that there were vicious dogs roaming free, I would have been more cautious.”
“Dogs? Those weren’t dogs. They were wolves and you’re lucky they didn’t rip you to shreds.” He sounded quite pleased to deliver that piece of news.
Mel swallowed hard. She’d had a sneaking suspicion they weren’t dogs, but thought she’d throw the idea out, just in case. If the man owned dogs that were out of control, she could always threaten to sue him, if he got nasty about her trespassing. Now, with that gone, she had to acknowledge how much danger she really had been in. Guilt and a ton of regret for her impulsive actions also came into the mix. She knew she should have gone back to town and tried to make a proper appointment with Taylor, rather than sneaking up on him. Her college instructors would berate her over this stunt, if they ever heard about it.
Sitting up a bit straighter, Mel faced the mystery man head on, thinking she should try to smooth things over a bit, for the sake of the interview she hoped to get. Before she could even open her mouth, everything got a bit dark and her vision blurred. Feeling the blood drain from her face, she clutched the cushion she sat on and closed her eyes until her equilibrium settled. Damn, but this wasn’t going at all the way she planned. Like many of her ideas, it had seemed like a good one at the time. She was supposed to be confidently walking up to Ryne Taylor’s house, knocking on his door, and coolly requesting an interview. Taylor's surprise at her unexpected presence would have had him immediately agreeing to her request.
Instead, she knocked herself out and wound up talking to this ill mannered person, whoever he was. At least he wasn’t Taylor. From the way everyone spoke, the photographer was a bit of a lady’s man and likely had smooth banter down to a science. Unlike someone else, she added, glaring towards the chair housing her tormentor.
He must be one of the people who lived with Taylor. Good lord, how did the photographer put up with this fellow’s sarcastic attitude? She’d only known him for less than five minutes and already wanted to smack him. True, she shouldn’t have trespassed, but he needn’t be so nasty about it.
“Hey, are you all right?” The man leaned forward, possibly concerned over her sudden pallor.
“Yeah—” Mel flicked a glance his way and stiffened in shock. His change in position had brought his face out of the shadows and he was visible for the first time. Mel was sure her eyes were playing tricks on her. Before her sat one of the most gorgeous men she’d ever seen. Messy black hair hung across his forehead, while a day’s worth of stubble darkened his jaw line. Deep blue eyes, a straight nose, and a firm mouth completed the picture. Sexy and dangerous were the two words that immediately sprang into her mind as she gazed at him.
A second reason for her surprise was that he was almost a carbon copy of Kane, the husband of the waitress at the Grey Goose. Mel had only seen Kane briefly, but he’d left a definite impression on her. The man before her had different coloured eyes and his voice was different, but otherwise the two men were very similar; they had to be brothers or at least first cousins. Narrowing her eyes, Mel began to connect the dots and an unnerving thought came to mind. Was this man that she was verbally sparring with, Ryne Taylor? No, he couldn’t be. Elise’s name tag had declared her surname was Sinclair and she seemed like the type to assume her husband’s surname; Kane Sinclair’s brother would be a Sinclair as well, wouldn’t he? But then again, there was always the possibility... She sighed heavily and decided she’d best find out. Starting the introductions, she stated her name.