Thirty Nights with a Dirty Boy: Part 3: A Heroes and Heartbreakers Serial Read Online Free PDF Page A

fireplace. “Sean, it’s late and I’ve got a breakfast meeting with a contractor. Why are you here? ”
    His jaw tightened. “Right. Busy woman. I forgot how you own half the city.”
    “I don’t own half the city,” I said, blood rushing up to burn my cheeks.
    “I … fuck. ” He spun away and shoved both of his hands through his hair. It had grown out just enough for him to do that, and he stood with his back to me as he locked both hands behind his neck. “I just … I don’t have much of anybody else to tell, and I wanted to tell somebody. For some reason, I just thought of you.”
    He muttered something low under his breath.
    I heard enough of it. “If you’re calling me a nutter again, I’m going to throw something at you.”
    “I’m calling myself crazy.” He dropped down on the couch and focused his pale eyes on me. There was a smile on his face now, something faint and almost bemused. “Would you really throw something at me? I thought we’d gotten past that.”
    Sighing, I let my head fall back. Weariness beat at me, and my head was pounding. I wanted to curl myself around him, nuzzle his neck, and sleep. I could. It had been easy to sleep when he was with me. I hadn’t had a decent night’s rest since things had ended.
    “I’m sorry. Again. Here I am, wired and ready to go, and you’re worn out.”
    At Sean’s softly spoken words, I straightened my neck, the stiff muscles protesting. I muffled a groan and rubbed at my neck as I met his eyes. “Why are you wired? I know you’re a night owl, but…”
    “No. Well, I’m a night owl, but only because I don’t sleep that great during the night.” He paused, and again, that faint smile came back. “But I might have to learn. That’s why I’m wired, see. I spoke with a lawyer today—a different one.”
    He came up off the couch, all easy grace and long, muscled limbs. He jammed his hands into his pockets.
    It hit me then.
    He was nervous. Excited, too.
    I simply hadn’t realized because I’d never seen him that way before.
    “A lawyer.” I didn’t have to work too hard not to smile. Hiding emotion was a skill I’d long since perfected, but I did want to hug him. That was something I’d never had to control. “You already had a lawyer, didn’t you?”
    “Yeah, well. Fat lot of good he was doing me. Don’t get me wrong—he was a good man, and I know he tried, but this new guy … well.” Sean shook his head. “And he’s doing the case pro bono. Doesn’t want a damn penny.”
    “He thinks he can help you get Darla?”
    Sean jerked a shoulder. “Well, I don’t know ’bout that.” He scratched the back of his neck. “The thing is … well, I have to find a job. A real one. Might be going back to Tilt Stop. Might be … hell, dunno. But it has to be something I can put down on paper with the IRS and fuck-all.”
    He was muttering to himself now, and as his gaze drifted from me to the floor, some of the tension in my back released. “That’s great news. You and Darla, I mean. Hopefully it will work out for you.”
    I managed a smile when he glanced back at me, but I don’t know if he even really saw me.
    “He’s got some ideas where I might find something. Done a bit of a lot of things, I told him, and he tells me he knows people who need a lot of things done. Maybe it will all work out.”
    “It will.”
    “You’re always so certain, pretty Ella.”
    Our gazes locked for one taut moment. “No. I’m not. However, I am certain that I’m exhausted. I’m … happy for you, Sean. And hopeful. But I really need to get some rest.”
    I worried the neckline of my shirt.
    Sean’s eyes slid lower.
    His lips parted and I could see his throat working.
    As if he planned to say … something.
    Dropping my hand, I tore my gaze away.
    “Right, then. Good night, Ella.”
    Good night. The words lingered between us, and I couldn’t help but think that it wasn’t really good night. It was more than that.
    It was …