“That's great. Way to go.”
“Thanks.” He stops inches in front of me, hands still behind his back as he holds a mischievous glow in his eyes.
“If you have nothing left then what you got back there?” I point to where a pink bag is peaking from his back.
“You're really going to keep playing dumb with me?”
I lift a brow, wiping sweat from my forehead. “What do you mean?”
He snorts. “Really, it's getting a little drawn out, don't you think? I mean I'll admit I liked it at first and might even still enjoy it now but it's all gotta come to light at some point.”
“What's any of this have to do with what's behind your back?”
“You left a gift on my table.” He lifts the plastic bag in the air and a slight breeze has the top curling.
My eyes cast downward. “What's that?”
“It's from you, isn't it?” His forehead wrinkles and he looks from the bag to me.
I lean closer, squinting my eyes. “When would I have had time to leave that?”
His lips fold in and he peaks inside, plucking out a chocolate chip cookie. “I don't know but you're one sneaky asshole so I figuredyou'd find a way.”
He's about to pop the sweet treat on his tongue and then the wind picks up pushing a chemical odor my way. I lunge forward, slapping it out of his hand and I snatch the bag from the other.
He jumps back, brows dipping. “What'd you do that for?”
My hackles rise as I take a deeper sniff of the inside of the bag. Someone drugged these cookies. They wanted to hurt my little bo. Who would want to do such a thing? Is it because of me? Are we getting too close? Someone must have seen us at some point putting two and two together.
I grit my teeth. “You didn't see anyone who looked suspicious walking by the whole time you were selling?”
His mouth opens and closes before he shakes his head. “What's going on? Did something happen to the cookies?”
“Yes and you shouldn't go eating just anything lying around.”
His face pales. “What's wrong with them? Made with something spoiled?”
“Yeah, sure. We'll go with that.” Bending down, I carefully retrieve the other cookie and slip it into the bag.
“Will you stop doing that and just tell me what it is?” He asks as I stomp toward my house.
“You don't have to worry about it anymore and you should really go wash your hands.”
His eyes graze over his palms. “Are you going to come over later? I can serve you a beverage that will go very well with that pie you bought.”
“I…I can't. I have work today.”
He nods. “How about you come over later then, and this time surprise me from under my bed after my shower?” His eyes heat.
“I really don't have time to do this with you right now, Patrick. Go home and lock all your doors tonight.”
“Why are you being like this?”
“Why are you not more worried about what I stopped you from eating?”
He shoves his hand in the back of his pockets, lifting himself up on his tiptoes. “You said it was spoiled. Why would I be worried about that?”
I sneer. “You need to stop walking around the earth so damn blindsided and shouldn't take just anyone for their word.”