Page 5 of Fools Rush Flynn

“Yeah, I saw him. That fucker better not have someone tailing her.”

We step into my living room, and at first I think maybe I opened the wrong cabin. There’s so much color everywhere it looks like a bag of Skittles exploded in here. Bright pieces of clothing drape over nearly every piece of furniture and there are decorative pillows tossed onto the sofa. Pieces of pink luxury luggage sit like frosted little soldiers guarding the space.

But then I see the red silk hammock-like thing hanging from the main center beam in my living room. Temple is there, somehow entwined in the fabric, upside down in what might be an inverted warrior pose.

“So either Cirque du Soleil is training in your house, or should I just assume that’s the little missus?” Cruz says.

Temple moves to another position, seemingly unaware of our intrusion. Then she does a spin and lands on her feet. She smiles broadly, then walks towards us… wearing nothing but skintight leggings and a sports bra.

Fuck my life.

“I’m Cruz,” my buddy says, holding his hand out.

“Oh, is this one of your friends?” Temple asks me.

I nod, still unable to put anything into words. The urge to cover her body so Cruz can’t see every one of her thick curves is so strong I have to clench my hands into fists.

Then suddenly there’s yipping at my feet. I look down to find some sort of dog. At least I think it’s a dog, from the noises it’s making. But the large bat-like ears make it look comical. As does the little hop his body makes with every yip.

She scoops him up. “Piglet, you are a terrible guard dog. They could have already murdered me, and you’re just now letting me know they’re here. Silly boy.” She ruffles the thin wispy hairs between his ears. He gives her another yip, then his tongue lolls out to the side.

“Why don’t you go check into our friend down the street,” Cruz says. “I’ll keep an eye on your wife.”

I nod.

Cruz follows me to the door. “She’s trouble.”

“She’s temporary,” I say.

“Obviously. Why else would you look like you swallowed your tongue when she untangled herself from all that silk?”

“Shut up.”

Cruz just chuckles as I walk out the front door.

chapter

three

Temple

The guys have left me inside, alone again. Presumably they’re outside talking about me. That’s what people do. Though they did say they were checking on a suspicious car.

Flynn’s cabin is feeling like home, oddly enough. Strange even for me, who can carve out a space for myself in nearly any environment. He didn’t even blink at the way I’d scattered my clothes and pillows. The pillows so it looks like I live here–the clothes because I couldn't find my favorite sports bra when I was feeling antsy and needed to do some yoga to calm myself down.

Okay, that’s a lie, he totally blinked. Several times, if I’m honest. His thickly lashed brown eyes had surveyed the room, scanning back and forth. But he hadn’t said a word. Even when Piglet made himself known.

My partner in crime is currently snoring next to me on the couch. After Cruz left to join Flynn outside, I grabbed my laptop to check email and—what else, I’m not sure. I just needed to do something with my hands.

I could have gotten back up in my yoga hammock, but judging by Flynn’s face when he saw me up there, I decided to wait. Maybe he just needs to be assured that it’s perfectly safe. I am a professional Yogi.

The door opens and Flynn strolls back into the small cabin. I set my laptop on the coffee table and close it.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

“Yes. The car we’d seen earlier was gone and I walked the perimeter of the area and couldn’t find anyone.”

“Maybe it was just my imagination.”