Read Online The Stranger Next Door by Chastity Bush - Free Book Online
Authors: Chastity Bush
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idea. She watched him disappear into his house, then, closing and locking her door, she headed upstairs.
After a quick shower and scrub of her teeth, she climbed beneath the sheets of her bed and fell quickly into a deep sleep.
* * * *
Thump.
Shifting against her pillow, Tess sighed.
Thump .
“What in the world…?”
Rubbing her eyes, Tess raised herself to rest on one arm.
She was used to the many creaks and squeaks of her new house, but the thumps that had just stirred her from such a deep slumber were ones she hadn’t heard before.
Sitting perfectly still, she listened quietly for a long moment but heard only the soft chirp of crickets and the occasional hum of the locusts, the sounds she’d come to love since moving into her new home.
“You’re just being paranoid.”
The attack in the garage must be what had her feeling so paranoid.
Tess pounded her pillow and snuggled back down into the soft linens. It’d been a long day, and tomorrow was going to be even longer. Jack had suggested they start painting the rest of the house.
Jack.
Tossing an arm over her eyes, Tess groaned.
The image of Jack’s taut, tan skin glistening in the sun as he worked stirred her desire unlike any before.
After the fiasco in the garage, it had taken her no more than a minute to realize Jack was now working shirtless. And while she’d acted as though his shirtless state hadn’t affected her, it had.
After laying eyes on his muscular physique, she’d been useless the rest of the day. She hadn’t been able to work more than five minutes before she caught herself staring as his muscles rippled and rolled with every movement as he stroked the paintbrush gently against the railing.
With a single glance, Jack could set her body ablaze. He was a force to be reckoned with.
Jack’s stunning good looks would leave even the most chaste of women questioning her decision.
She needed to tread carefully, or she’d find herself falling for his irresistible charm.
“Just go to sleep.” She groaned as she forced herself to relax. But just as sleep threatened to claim her once again, a soft creak reached her ears, and this time she recognized the sound … footsteps on the stairs.
Her eyes popped open as she bolted upright in bed. Narrowing her eyes against the darkness, she listened carefully, training all her senses on the sounds around her. She willed herself to stay calm.
When another creak sounded, Tess knew for certain she wasn’t alone. Slipping quietly from the bed, she tiptoed to the dresser.
Easing open the top drawer, careful not to make a sound, she reached in and pulled out her gun.
She slid the clip into place, flicked the safety switch off, and then crept quietly across the room to stand beside the door. When it opened, she’d be behind it. The door itself and the shadows would give her the cover she needed to conceal herself and get the drop on the intruder without being seen.
Tess had been a cop for a very long time, but all those years of experience didn’t curb the fear creeping up her spine as she waited for whoever was in her home to make their appearance. Slowly, the knob turned. Getting a better grip on her gun, Tess took a deep breath as the door eased open with an eerie creak straight out of a horror flick.
Hiding in the shadows, Tess eased away from the wall to peer around the edge of the now-open door. She watched quietly as a tall, black-clad figure stepped into the room.
Taking a quick survey of the intruder, she noted his medium build.
He wasn’t as tall as Jack, but he still stood a foot taller than she did.
She held perfectly still and watched as the trespasser crept to the side of her bed. Stopping as though he were surprised to find her gone, he seemed to panic as he raised his head and looked quickly about the room.
Who was he, and why was he in her house? He was obviously looking for her, but why?
There’s only one way to find out , she thought to herself.
Stepping quickly from
After a quick shower and scrub of her teeth, she climbed beneath the sheets of her bed and fell quickly into a deep sleep.
* * * *
Thump.
Shifting against her pillow, Tess sighed.
Thump .
“What in the world…?”
Rubbing her eyes, Tess raised herself to rest on one arm.
She was used to the many creaks and squeaks of her new house, but the thumps that had just stirred her from such a deep slumber were ones she hadn’t heard before.
Sitting perfectly still, she listened quietly for a long moment but heard only the soft chirp of crickets and the occasional hum of the locusts, the sounds she’d come to love since moving into her new home.
“You’re just being paranoid.”
The attack in the garage must be what had her feeling so paranoid.
Tess pounded her pillow and snuggled back down into the soft linens. It’d been a long day, and tomorrow was going to be even longer. Jack had suggested they start painting the rest of the house.
Jack.
Tossing an arm over her eyes, Tess groaned.
The image of Jack’s taut, tan skin glistening in the sun as he worked stirred her desire unlike any before.
After the fiasco in the garage, it had taken her no more than a minute to realize Jack was now working shirtless. And while she’d acted as though his shirtless state hadn’t affected her, it had.
After laying eyes on his muscular physique, she’d been useless the rest of the day. She hadn’t been able to work more than five minutes before she caught herself staring as his muscles rippled and rolled with every movement as he stroked the paintbrush gently against the railing.
With a single glance, Jack could set her body ablaze. He was a force to be reckoned with.
Jack’s stunning good looks would leave even the most chaste of women questioning her decision.
She needed to tread carefully, or she’d find herself falling for his irresistible charm.
“Just go to sleep.” She groaned as she forced herself to relax. But just as sleep threatened to claim her once again, a soft creak reached her ears, and this time she recognized the sound … footsteps on the stairs.
Her eyes popped open as she bolted upright in bed. Narrowing her eyes against the darkness, she listened carefully, training all her senses on the sounds around her. She willed herself to stay calm.
When another creak sounded, Tess knew for certain she wasn’t alone. Slipping quietly from the bed, she tiptoed to the dresser.
Easing open the top drawer, careful not to make a sound, she reached in and pulled out her gun.
She slid the clip into place, flicked the safety switch off, and then crept quietly across the room to stand beside the door. When it opened, she’d be behind it. The door itself and the shadows would give her the cover she needed to conceal herself and get the drop on the intruder without being seen.
Tess had been a cop for a very long time, but all those years of experience didn’t curb the fear creeping up her spine as she waited for whoever was in her home to make their appearance. Slowly, the knob turned. Getting a better grip on her gun, Tess took a deep breath as the door eased open with an eerie creak straight out of a horror flick.
Hiding in the shadows, Tess eased away from the wall to peer around the edge of the now-open door. She watched quietly as a tall, black-clad figure stepped into the room.
Taking a quick survey of the intruder, she noted his medium build.
He wasn’t as tall as Jack, but he still stood a foot taller than she did.
She held perfectly still and watched as the trespasser crept to the side of her bed. Stopping as though he were surprised to find her gone, he seemed to panic as he raised his head and looked quickly about the room.
Who was he, and why was he in her house? He was obviously looking for her, but why?
There’s only one way to find out , she thought to herself.
Stepping quickly from
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