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СКАЧАТЬ He dodged it, but she kicked and caught him in the shin. Luckily she didn’t wear shoes, so it didn’t hurt.

       Much.

       In the ensuing scuffle, his coffee cup hit the floor and broke.

       Given they were both barefoot, he did the expedient thing and tossed her over his shoulder. Clamping a hand over her thighs, he warned, “Bite me, and I swear to God, you won’t like the consequences.”

       Rather than struggle, she braced her elbows on his back. “You’ve threatened me before.”

       “Because you’ve attacked me before.” Stepping over and around the mess on his floor, he went into the hallway, then figured, what the hell, and went on into the living room.

       He dumped her on the couch.

       She bounded right back off again.

       Another scuffle, and damn it, it was too early and he was too tired to put up with it.

       “Arizona!” He locked her in close in a now familiar hold—at least with her—keeping her back to his chest, her arms pinned down. He squeezed her tight enough to steal her breath. “Knock it off already, will you?”

       Her head dropped back against his chest so she could glare at him. He waited, refusing to relent, driven by…God knew what.

       She gave one sharp nod.

       Spencer opened his arms but quickly stepped out of her reach. “Okay?”

       “Screw you.”

       So much animosity, so much rage at the world. She’d never admit it, but Arizona needed a friend, a confidante, and if it put him through hell, well, so what? He’d been in hell for a while now. “You came to me, remember?”

       “And now I’m trying to leave!”

       His head pounded. If she walked out now, he’d spend the rest of the day worrying about her.

       Or following her.

       He worked his jaw, then said, “I’ll keep your secret. What is it?”

       “Oh, aren’t you the generous one?”

       He sighed. “The sneer is unappealing. Just tell me what it is.”

       The narrowing of her eyes emphasized their pale, bright blue color and the thickness of her long, inky lashes. She drew two deep breaths, making it tough for him to keep his attention off her chest.

       “It’s my birthday.”

       Huh. Of all the things he’d imagined, that wasn’t one of them. It wasn’t even one of the top fifty. “Your birthday?” he said stupidly.

       “Yeah, you know, the day I was born. Not under a rock, in case you’re wondering.” When he stayed mute, she added, “I’m twenty-one now. A legal adult. Not a little girl, like you keep saying.”

       Arizona didn’t have family. She had a friend, Jackson, the man who had rescued her from death. She had Jackson’s soon-to-be-wife, Alani. She had their family and friends.

       But none of her own.

       He shook his head. “That’s it?” That’s why she’d broken into his house? Why she’d sat on the chair and watched him sleep?

       She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, what’d you expect? A confession of murder?”

       “I don’t know.” With her, he could take nothing for granted. Why didn’t she want anyone to know about her birthday? His rubbed his bristly jaw, studied her, but came up short of reason or even clear thought. He dropped his hand. “Happy birthday.”

       “Thanks.”

       They stood there staring at each other, and it would have been odd, but everything with Arizona was odd.

       Especially the multitude of ways she affected him, the emotions she wrought and the needs she ignited.

       As if her bizarre overreaction hadn’t happened, she dropped back to sit on the couch. “I almost didn’t remember. I mean, it’s been a really long time since anyone made note of it. And even then, it was usually just my mom saying happy birthday to me. No biggie.” She gave a crooked smile. “We weren’t a cake and candles type of family.”

       So she’d never gotten a birthday gift? No one celebrated her life?

       “It’s not a big deal or anything. But I guess with you always accusing me of being young—”

       “You are young. It’s not an accusation, it’s a fact.” One he desperately needed to remember.

       “But now I’m legal.”

       Meaning…what? At thirty-two, he was only eleven years older than her, but he felt twice her age. He massaged a kink in the back of his neck. Did she expect a gift? A night out? Jesus, he didn’t know. “So…we could go get a cake.” Or something.

       Her small smile spread into a mocking grin. “Don’t be an ass. I don’t want or need anything like that. I’m just saying, no more calling me little girl.”

       At a loss, Spencer joined her on the couch. Instead of lounging back, he half turned toward her. “Why are you keeping it secret?”

       She snorted. “You met Jackson. You know he’d make a big deal of it or something, and I don’t want that.” Half under her breath, she muttered, “I’m enough of a burden already.”

       “I don’t think he’d agree with that.” Jackson treated her like a kid sister, and he’d probably want to do whatever he could to commemorate the day, to somehow make it special for her—to make up for a past so dark, so depressing, that no young lady should have suffered through it.

       “Yeah.” She smoothed a hand over the corduroy of his couch. “Maybe not. But it’s still true.”

       Since she didn’t want him to, he wouldn’t say anything, but he didn’t like it. “You shouldn’t keep stuff from him. He cares about you.”

       “I know.” She crossed her arms over her middle. “But he’s got his hands full. Remember, he’s planning a wedding.”

       Was she jealous of Alani? From what he’d seen, Arizona looked at Jackson with her heart in her eyes. He was the only person she had, so he meant a lot to her. “More like his fiancée is planning it.”

       “Alani is preggers, remember?”

       “I had heard.” He also knew the pregnancy was a happy surprise, and in no way had forced their decision to marry. “Does it bother you?”

       “Of course not,” she insisted. “But with all that going on, he doesn’t need to be messing with me.”

       Dinner out, a small gift, cake and hugs…did she consider that too much fuss? “I think Jackson can handle it.”

       “Besides,” she added, speaking over him, СКАЧАТЬ