Chapter 46

He took a moment to note that her face was free of makeup, and he doubted it needed any to enhance it. Emerald-green eyes peered out from beneath lashes thicker than any manufacturer could produce. Her cheeks held a faint rosy tinge and a smattering of freckles. And that mouth -
Yup. Good thing he was on a no-sex diet. He had one goal to accomplish here, and he couldn't afford to be distracted.
"I'm the tenant. I rented this place for the next month."
"No. Wrong answer." She shook her head vehemently. "You must be in the wrong place. I rented this place for the next month."
A little bubble of anger tried to work its way up through his system. He did not need this. He wanted to get settled in, go for a run, take a swim, and contemplate his future.
"I'm sorry. You must have gotten the address wrong." He stepped forward, figuring if he crowded her space, she'd retreat. She was nearly a foot shorter than he was.
"Address wrong?" she repeated. Then she held up the ring with two keys on it, jingling it in front of him. "Then exactly how would I have these keys?"
"Don't know and don't care. You have to leave." He glared at her. "Now."
She stared at him for a long moment then shocked him by breaking into laughter.
"Does that work for you often?" she asked, grinning. "I mean, that whole alpha thing? Get out? Be gone?" She burst into laughter again.
Dix ground his teeth together. What the hell was going on here?
"We have to get this straightened out. Right now."
"Fine by me." The woman tugged a cell phone out of her pocket and scrolled through the numbers.
Dix held his own cell up. "I'll call the rental agent myself," he told her.
She frowned. "You don't trust me?"
"There's obviously some mix-up, and I want to hear the answer for myself. We'll get the agent to settle it, and then you can just pack up and get out of here."
"Fine. Then you can just get in your truck and head on out of here."
The redhead stood with feet apart and folded her arms over her very tempting breasts. Tempting? Jesus, Dix. Keep your eyes on the prize here.
"Yeah, hello, Eileen? This is Dixon Amendola. I - "
"Oh, Dix." Eileen sounded both stressed and apologetic. Not a good sign. "I was just about to call you. I-I'm afraid there's been a little mix-up here."
Well, shit. "A mix-up? What do you mean? There can't be any mix-up. I made the arrangements with you, I have a signed contract, and you have my check."
The redhead was watching him, her stance still combative and a determined look on her face.
"It seems another agent had rented out the cottage the same day I did and hadn't taken it out of the available listings. I had put the other lease agreement and the keys on my desk. Unfortunately, I had to leave the office for a showing, and the secretary mistakenly took them from my office. She's only supposed to hand out those agreements and keys that are held out front." She paused. "I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid one of you is going to be out of luck."
"Out of luck?" Dix held onto his temper. "Are you kidding? Out of luck? What kind of cr - nonsense is that?"
The redhead grabbed his cell. "If anyone is out of luck, it's him," she told the realtor. "I have history with this place."
Dix yanked the phone back. "I'm sorry if you have a problem, Eileen," he said to the realtor, "but I'm here, and I'm not leaving. Fix it."
He was tired, out of sorts, and his thigh ached like a motherfucker. He just wanted to lie down, stretch out, and kill the fire in his muscles. Or maybe take a long, slow swim in the lake.
"Oh, dear." He could hear Eileen's sigh. "I'll be right there. Don't go anywhere."
Go anywhere? Where the fuck would he go? He was going to move into this place in a few minutes. Period. He stuck the phone back in his pocket.
"Is she on her way?" the redhead asked.
"Yes. I'm going to move my stuff in while we wait."
"Oh, no, you're not."
She ran up to the door and planted herself in front of it. Dix wanted to tell her he could move her with one hand, but he decided to let this play out. They had to wait for Eileen, anyway.
"You really think you could keep me out if I wanted in?" He couldn't help the little grin that snuck onto his face.
"I think you'd have to injure both me and the door, and I don't think you'd be happy with that."
She glared at him, unmoving, arms crossed again. Dix leaned against the side of his truck, arms also crossed, expecting to laugh after the little tableau played out. He had a signed rental agreement, he'd given them his check, and they'd have to take him to court to get him to change his mind.
They stood like that, the air vibrating with animosity, for the ten minutes they waited for Eileen to drive up and park behind Dix. As if they had a mind of their own, his eyes fastened on the light spray of freckles across her nose, the ones he'd noticed earlier. What? Asshole. You're going to kick her out of her house she thinks she rented, and you're focusing on her freckles? He had definitely been without a woman too long.
"I am so sorry." Eileen dithered as she hurried to where they faced off. She walked over to the woman. "Eileen French. I'm sorry I wasn't in the office when you came by, or we might have avoided all this. But we'll get it fixed right now."
"I don't know how that's possible," he told her, "since I don't plan on giving up this cottage."
"There has just been a terrible mistake," Eileen told him.
"Yes, there has," the redhead snapped. "Didn't Willa think it was funny when you gave out keys to a second person for the same place?"
"She had left for a few minutes to take some papers to the courthouse, so she wasn't there when Mr. Amendola came in. I apologize profusely to both of you, but we can make it right. No problem."
"And exactly how would we do that?" the redhead demanded, glaring at both of them.
Wow! A temper to match the hair.
Eileen opened the folder she carried. "I have both leases and both checks right here with me. Fortunately, we haven't made today's deposit yet. Whichever one of you is willing to look at some other fantastic places I've got available, I'll tear up the contract and rent you any place you want at the same rate."
"That won't be me," Dix said immediately.
"Nor me," the redhead said, her chin set in a stubborn line. She looked from one to the other. "My family rented this cottage for years. I practically grew up here. I should get first dibs."
Under other circumstances, Dix might just have acquiesced. After all, one place was probably as good as another. But he was mentally distraught, he'd just driven seven hours to get here, and he wanted nothing more than to unpack, unwind, and get on with rehabbing his body and his brain. Here. Right here.
He folded his arms, mimicking her stance. "Well, see, that's a problem, because I have no intention of leaving."