“That might be, but it’s still not your towel.”
“Who are you? The towel police?”
“No, I’m N.Y. Noah Young.”
“Oh, you’reNoah.” She said it as if the name meant something to her.
“Yes,” I huffed, not giving a fuck if it did, because I was already so over people taking my shit.
She slapped a hand against her gleaming collar bone. “Esra.”
Right. I’d forgotten she was meant to come today. Sanny hadn’t shut up about it for two weeks straight. Once you got over the fact that this girl was wet and almost naked and in the middle of stealing my towel, she actually looked a little like her brother. Beyond the dark hair and light brown skin, they shared the same downward slant to their eyes. “Okay.”
“Sinan’s sister,” she clarified.
“Yes, I understand. That’s still my towel.”
“I’ll bring it back later.”
Somehow, I doubted that. “Didyoutake my peanut butter?”
“Towelandtoast police?”
“Is that a confession?”
“You’re not much fun, huh?”
“Not when I’m being stolen from.”
“Well, I can’t give back the sandwich, butgod. Here.” She untucked the top of the towel. I realized what was happening just in time to drag my gaze to the ceiling before the fabric rustled distinctively. “Take it.”
“What on earth are you doing?” I gritted the words out through clenched teeth. This was beyond ridiculous. Knowing who she was, I could have excused her taking my food. She’d come in from out of town and she’d been hungry, and Sinan had clearly talked about me enough for her to recognize my name in the kitchen. She’d felt safe enough to take that food. That made sense. This towel bit was beyond irrational.
“What do you think I’m doing? Giving your towel back. Take it already.”
“Jesus. Put it back on before someone sees you. This isn’tthatkind of community housing.”
“Take your damn towel, N.Y., Noah Young.” When I didn’t reach out to take it from her, she groaned. “Fine. Be difficult.”
The towel rustled again but this time it dropped to the floor, the edge of it hitting my boots.
“I’ll tell Sanny that you got me naked on my first day here,” she chirped from a few steps away.
“I did no such—” Her words caught me off-guard enough for my gaze to swing down, just to find her disappearing into one of the bedrooms, catching the last perfect curve of her ass before the door slammed shut.
My first thought was that her brother might just kill me for even a split second of staring at her ass. He had never talked much about Esra beyond childhood stories, but I’d always gotten the sense that the silence was more protective than secretive. She had her own life, and it wasn’t his to broadcast to strangers.
My second thought was that this girl radiated trouble. And she’d just moved into the room next to mine.
Chapter Three
THE RATTLESNAKE SALOON
Saddle up and ride on over to the Rattlesnake Saloon, where a finger-licking menu of quick bites awaits you by day, and we kick up our boots with barroom dancing by night!
No park admission required.
ESRA
