I gripped the counter in the bathroom and looked in the mirror. She went to bed. I could’ve sworn she was just as turned on as I was, but she fucking went to bed. I’d spent all night watching her cry in the bed and drift off to sleep. That soda can got more action than I did.

I pushed off the counter and punched the wall behind me. I didn’t have the time it was going to take to seduce her. What kind of hold did that asshole have on her?

I cracked my neck and walked back out into the living room. It was time I heard just what she loved about him. I didn’t want to hear it, but if Bryce was the only one to get between her legs, I had to know how he got there.

I went to the den and lifted the seat of the bench in the bay window. It was where my mom had kept all the board games and puzzles. They were old, but still intact. I grabbed one that hadn’t been opened yet and looked at it.

Different colored marbles would be difficult, but it would give her plenty to do and would help take her mind off Bryce. Maybe if she wasn’t so focused on him, she could enjoy the distance between them. After I found out what I needed to know, I’d never want to mention his name again.

I placed the puzzle under my arm and took her breakfast tray upstairs. Checking the monitor once more before heading up showed she was beginning her morning workout routine. It was the perfect time to go up.

I didn’t bother knocking when I reached the door. I knew she was up, and the sound of the key unlocking the door would be enough warning that I was coming in.

She didn’t stop exercising when I walked in until she noticed the puzzle I laid on the table. “What’s that?” She had her hands on her hips and was breathing heavy.

“Fun for later.” I moved it to the chair so she couldn’t see it. “Let’s finish your routine first.”

She nodded and went back to the bench to do the triceps dip. She could go lower and move faster on the exercise than when she first started doing it. I was impressed with the progress she had made. I walked over and gripped the bench next to her.

She glanced my way but never stopped moving. The faster I went, the faster she went. I enjoyed the competition even though the only real competition was keeping my hands off her when I was that close to her.

She pulled herself up once more and sat on the bench next to me while I continued. “Show off.” She tried to catch her breath. “I’ll get there one day.”

I finished my reps and sat next to her. “I don’t doubt that. Are you ready to try something new?”

“Sure.”

“Okay.” I stood and walked over to the table. “After breakfast.”

She slouched her shoulders and tipped her head backward to look up to the ceiling. “I’m ready to feel the burn.” She looked at me and you could see in her eyes she regretted that expression, but she didn’t have to worry. I’d never spank her again. “I meant in my muscles.”

“I knew what you meant. We’ll exercise more later, but now it’s time for breakfast.”

I watched as she took her seat and scooted up to the table. I wasn’t a counselor. That was more Tim’s role than mine. I was about the tough love and getting people to open their eyes to the life they were missing. There were two things I needed to remember when I talked to her about her fiancé: not to react to whatever she told me about their relationship and to remember this was to help me more than her.

“Tell me what the deal is with the soda can.”

I could tell when her eyes shifted to it that she was fearful I’d take it away. I wouldn’t, but I’d let her think that if it got her to answer the questions. “Um, it’s how Bryce and I met.”

“You reached for the same can and something magical happened when you touched?”

“No, nothing like that. I was renovating the space for the boutique and needed something cold to drink. Every night after I finished, I went to a convenience store around the corner from my apartment and bought a few cans for the night and next morning. I drank water at the boutique when I was working.”

“You did that renovation yourself?”

She sat a little taller as if challenging me to not believe her. “I hired out for the electrical and plumbing, but I did the rest of it.”

“I’m impressed.”

Her shoulders relaxed. “Bryce helped after we started dating.”

“Which you did after you met him in the soda section of the convenience store.” I smiled to try to get her to ease up and tell me more.

“We did.” Her face softened. She wasn’t smiling yet, but it was a start. “He came in every night after that until I agreed to a date.”

“You didn’t want to date him?”

“I didn’t want to date anyone. Dating wasn’t something that was on my radar. I’d just finished college, moved out on my own, and got the space for the boutique. I had enough to keep me busy without adding dating to it.”

“How long have you two been together now?”

“Two years.” That brought a smile to her face.

“That’s a long time. Why doesn’t your father like him?”

“My father doesn’t think anyone is good enough. It doesn’t matter that it’s Bryce.”

I leaned on the table as if what she was saying was interesting to me. “I think a lot of fathers feel that way. They only want the best for their little girls, and they can’t help but to see every flaw in the man who will take their daughter away from them.”

“I suppose that’s true.” She glanced my way. “What about you? You said you didn’t have a girlfriend. Why not?”

“I’m not really interested in one. I like my time and space. They take over both.”

“I don’t think that’s true.”

“Didn’t you just tell me Bryce helped you renovate the boutique when you started dating?” I raised my eyebrows when she didn’t answer. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”

“He didn’t have to be there.”

“How long did it take for him to get into your pants after he started helping you?”

She choked on her water. “That wasn’t.” She coughed. “He didn’t help me just so he could sleep with me.”

I picked up a grape off her plate. “Okay.” I popped it into my mouth. “Whatever you say.”

She pushed the plate to the middle of the table. “Just when I think you’re being a nice guy, you turn into an asshole.”

“I’m always an asshole. You choose to not see it all the time.”

“Bryce is not going to put up with half the shit he’s put up with if he didn’t love me.”

“That’s true.” I moved my head from side to side. “Unless he had another motive to dating you.”

“What other motive? My father ruined his job as a teacher, he’s stuck working in some bank he doesn’t want to work in, and he has to deal with my father’s bullshit business decisions fucking up our lives.” She motioned to me.

“I’m not a bullshit business decision from your father.”

“You can honestly sit there and tell me that my father or the bullshit he’s done to people has nothing to do with why I’m sitting here?” She scoffed when I popped another grape into my mouth. “That’s what I thought. Give me a little credit. If you’re not calling him for a ransom, then this is a revenge thing. He’s got something of yours, and you’re not giving me back until you get what you want.”

“The only thing correct in that statement is not giving you back until I get what I want.” I ran my gaze down her body and back up to her eyes. “Your father has nothing to do with that.”

She crossed her arms over her chest to cover her breasts. I was certain she’d regretted the sports bra. I didn’t. I loved watching her workout in them.

“I told you before that I wouldn’t harm you.” I reached over and pulled the puzzle out. It was time to take things down a notch or two. “I’ve never raped a woman, and I see no need to now. You’re a woman with certain desires, and I’m the only man here who can fulfill them for you. I’ll wait.”

I flipped the box over and sliced through the seal around the edges to open the puzzle. “Do you like to find the straight pieces first? That was always my favorite thing to do.”

* * *

It was an interesting day staying upstairs with Laney. I didn’t learn much more than I already did about her relationship with Bryce. I wasn’t sure what made her so stuck on him. His build was average with no real bulk to his muscle. I could break him in two if I got my hands on him.

The common theme with him was the fact he was nice. If that was what it was going to take to get into her pants, I was fighting an uphill battle. I didn’t do nice. I could be a decent human being when I needed to be, but nice was pushing it.

The last couple of hours were spent in silence as we worked on the puzzle together. It may have been silent, but her body language was loud and clear. Whenever we would go for the same piece and our fingers touched, she acted as if my touch burned her. She’d pull back and wipe her hand on her pants. She tried to be cool about it, but I noticed. I was still on the fence if that was a good burn or not. I wanted her aroused, not disgusted.

I rounded the corner to the office to watch her on the monitor and saw Tim sitting in the chair. He was focused on the door I was walking through and not the monitor.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m checking on my brother and seeing if he’s come to his senses yet.” He pointed to the monitor. “What did I just watch?”

“I wasn’t watching it with you, so I don’t know.”

“You’re spending time with her?” He turned to the monitor. “What do you hope to accomplish with this? Do you really think keeping the woman locked up in a room is how you get her to fall in love with you?”

“I don’t care if she falls in love with me or not. I only need an opening, and I’d prefer it to be her legs.”

He shook his head. “I hope you don’t talk to her like that.”

“What the fuck do you want from me, Tim? I have a job to do. If she sleeps with me, she can’t be in love with him.”

“Or she’s so desperate to get out of here.”

We both turned to the sound of the buzzing coming from the monitor. His eyes grew wide when he realized what it was. “Is that a bullet? How did she get a sex toy in there?”

“How did you know what one looks like?” I ignored the daggers he threw my way when he looked at me. “I gave it to her. I figured if I got her aroused enough to use that, it would be time to make a move.” I shrugged. “Besides, she should stop playing with it and use it. I gave her used batteries. They won’t last long. I’ll go in and finish the job when the battery runs out.”

“You can’t shortcut your way into her pants.” He shook his head. “She’s a real woman with real feelings.”

I narrowed my eyes as I saw her put the bullet away without using it. I didn’t understand the point of getting it out if she wasn’t going to use it, but just touching it was a start. Maybe she had to get used to the idea of getting off in a strange house. “What do you know about women? You’re not dating anyone.”

I walked out and headed toward the kitchen. Dinner needed to be started if we were going to eat at a decent time. I’d lost track of time working on the puzzle. I slammed the cupboard doors when Tim took a seat at the table. “You’re not staying.”

“I didn’t ask to, but it’s clear you need my help.”

I turned and leaned my backside on the sink. “Why do you want to help me?”

“I want her out of here before anything bad happens. I don’t like you being caught up in the games her father plays. Yes, I agree that if another asshole had taken this job, she’d be in a hell of a lot worse shape than spending time with a jerk like you.”

“You have a way with words. Has anyone told you that?” I turned back to the sink and washed my hands.

“Do you want to hear what you need to do or not?”

“I have a feeling you’re going to tell me anyway.”

“No.” He stood and walked over to the door. “I don’t want to meddle if you don’t want to hear it.”

“What the fuck is it? Let’s hear this brilliant idea.”

“You’ve got to get to Bryce.”

I turned and narrowed my eyes at him. “Bryce isn’t the one I want. Are you volunteering for that mission, soldier?”

“Fuck off. I’m not saying sleep with him. The ultimate goal is to break them up.” He shrugged. “Who says she has to be the one to break it off?”

As much as I didn’t want to admit it, he did have a point. If she were so hell-bent on staying in love with him, I’d have a better chance to convince him to break it off. Her father wanted them separated. It shouldn’t matter how it was done. In fact, it may have been better for him if she had a broken heart. I knew it would be better for me.

“You may be onto something there. Care to tell me more about this plan?”