A Crazy Kind of Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

the parrots crashing against each other. “I’ll see ya. Gotta go meet my sisters.”
    He frowned at her but didn’t speak, and Mike figured it was just as well. If he said anything right now, she couldn’t be held responsible for her actions. She was just so damn mad. She’d planned this house. This life. For herself. All of the little touches that had become a part of the dream she’d built in her head were being wasted on a man who probably wouldn’t even notice them anymore after a while.
    She’d put her heart into this house and it wasn’t hers.
    She had no place here.
    Pain, sharp and sweet, slapped at her and she rocked on her heels with the impact. God, she felt like an idiot.
    “Mike, wait.”
    She didn’t.
    Couldn’t.
    In fact, her steps quickened. Everything inside her was clamoring to be gone. To be away from him. She was the dummy here, not the nerd prince. It was
his
house. Didn’t matter how many times she came over. How many changes she made. How many things she tried to fix.
    It wasn’t hers.
    And it never would be.
    “Damn it, wait.” Lucas grabbed her forearm and tugged her to a stop in the middle of the great room.
    “Let go,” she warned, giving him a look that would have terrified a lesser man. He didn’t even blink.
    “In a minute.”
    He blew out a breath, then shoved his free hand through thick brown hair that hung down to his shoulders.
Very
thick, she thought. And a soft honey brown that looked rich and sleek and—oh man, she needed a date. Soon.
    If she was starting to hyperventilate over a geek, then obviously she was
not
getting out enough.
    “Let me see the parrot,” he muttered.
    “Why?”
    “Do you have to argue about
everything
?”
    “Of course I do,” she snapped. “I’m Italian.”
    He choked out a short laugh. “And I’m Irish. It’s a wonder we
ever
have a conversation without arguing.”
    “I don’t think we have.”
    “Good point.” He let her go and took a step back. “Can I just see the damn parrot?”
    Her arm felt warm where his fingers had been and since she
so
didn’t want to think about
that
, she said, “Fine. Here.”
    He took the little parrot and studied it, rubbing his thumb across the cool metal while shaking his head. “Kitchen parrots.”
    “Do you have this problem with
all
birds?” she asked. “Or just parrots in particular?”
    His gaze lifted and collided with hers. Dark brown eyes locked on her and Mike ridiculously felt as though she couldn’t have looked away even if she’d tried. Which she didn’t.
    “I’d like to keep them,” he said, his gaze still holding hers.
    “Why?”
    “I changed my mind?”
    “Why?”
    “God. Does there have to be a reason for everything?” he demanded, throwing both hands high.
    “You’re the scientist,” Mike said. “You tell me.”
    “You’re not an easy woman, are you, Mike Marconi?”
    “Just picking up on that?”
    His lips twitched briefly. “Can I have the parrots for the kitchen or not?”
    She tipped her head to one side and stared at him. The fist of emotion in her throat was looser now, but no less there. Okay, maybe she’d come on a little strong with him about this house, but damn it, it wasn’t easy giving up something you’d been dreaming about for years. And maybe she could have cut him some slack now and then, but that just wasn’t her style.
    The question was, why was he being so . . .
nice
? Something was going on here and she wasn’t sure what, exactly. But if he was doing this because he felt sorry for her, because he thought he’d hurt her feelings—which he hadn’t, not really, and even if he had, she’d never admit it to him—then he could just cut it out.
    “You don’t have to do me any favors, you know.”
    “Why would I do you any favors?” he asked tightly. “You’ve been driving me nuts for two months.”
    “True.”
    “I just,” he said softly, “
like
the parrots. Okay?”
    She curled her fingers into the brown bag and