The muscles in Killian’s jaw flexed. He was probably insulted again, guessing—correctly—that I’d figured out that he was too scared to risk his masculine neck. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll take care of the snake for you.”
My whole body went slack with shock and gratitude. “You will?”
“Of course. If I don’t do it, who will?” He shrugged, like rescuing women from man-eating snakes was something he did every day.
“You aren’t going to sue if you get hurt, right?” I asked just to make sure. It would be an expensive lawsuit. “You called your insurance agent to expand your policy to cover your whole body?”
He looked at me like I was some kind of alien. “I have enough insurance to cover my bases. Come on.” He gestured at me to follow as he started moving toward my house.
“Me?” I squeaked.
“Yeah. Somebody’s gotta show me where the vicious snake was last seen.”
Chapter Eighteen
Killian
Emily stayed close behind me as I made way over to her place, which was good. I didn’t know how much longer I could maintain a straight face. It’d taken all my willpower to not burst out laughing back in my house.
Kingstree had a few varieties of harmless, non-venomous snakes. They usually only ate bugs, or maybe frogs or field mice—sometimes baby birds if they were quick enough. But from Emily’s reaction, I wouldn’t be surprised to find a thirty-foot, man-eating anaconda in her home.
Call the cops so they could come and shoot it dead. Ha ha ha. I could just picture Sheriff Claymoore’s face. His thick gray mustache would quiver in sync with his bushy eyebrows. Then he’d laugh that wheezing laugh of his until he doubled over. They might end up having to defibrillate him.
I bit my lip hard. I’d been feeling pretty irritated and upset about how the breakfast ended. I hadn’t believed my ears when I heard Emily bang on my door and scream my name.
She undoubtedly hadn’t changed her mind about the ten minutes. But at least she thought I was good for disposing of scary wildlife. I’d settle for that…for now.
The door to her house had been left completely open. Good thing we lived in a town as safe as Kingstree.
I stepped inside. Emily stuck to my back close enough that I could feel her body heat through our shirts, and it felt damn good. My body perked up, ready for a continuation of our kiss earlier, because it didn’t know nothing was going to happen until I took care of the scary snake.
“So. Where’d you see it?” I asked, my voice slightly huskier than normal.
“Over there.” She gestured without sticking her head out from my back.
“There…where?” I asked again, all innocent.
“In the dining room. I was walking toward the kitchen, and it just leaped out of the blue to attack me.”
“Leaped, huh? Must’ve been traumatizing.” For that poor little garter snake. I’d have to gently pick it up and let it out. It deserved no less after the ordeal it’d been through.
“It was. I thought I was having a heart attack.”
I pressed a knuckle to my lips because Emily would murder me if I laughed. I managed to produce a sympathetic growl, then walked further into the house.
She followed me as though that would keep her safe. Which was an encouraging sign. At least she felt secure around me. A big step in the right direction.
Although her reaction to the snake was overblown, I understood. Most women couldn’t stand snakes. When Mir had first seen one, she sprained an ankle in her rush to get away. At least Emily hadn’t hurt herself.
And there was part of me that was pleased she was sticking so close. It was as though she understood I could keep her safe from the super-evil viper of doom that had been threatening her. I bit back a smile of satisfaction. God had obviously created snakes to make men look good.
Then I spotted it—a green and mustard-yellow reptile. It wasn’t even two feet long. Barely big enough to overpower a fat mouse. It was on the floor underneath the dining table. Probably cowering in fear, since it had no real defense mechanism against predators. Or somebody as big as Emily or me.
Mischief sparked in my mind. I made a slow half-circle. Emily did the same, her hands on my sides. They felt soft and warm, and her fingers kept moving like they couldn’t decide on how to touch me. Or maybe she was copping a feel, which I was totally okay with. Hmm. I wondered if she’d feel me up like this when we rolled around in bed, naked.
But first…
I turned my head to look at her over my shoulder. “So, what color was the snake?”