He stood there for a moment, wringing his hands. "Um, I'm not usually so forward, but I'm here to ask if you'd like to go out withme."
My mouth dropped open. "Excuseme?"
"A date," the werewolf said. "With me. I know a nice little place on the edge oftown-"
I cut him off as the realization of what had happened hit me with the force of a rock dropped off a twenty story building. "No," I said abruptly. "I know why you're here and my answer isno."
His face shifted into a crestfallen expression. "If it's because you're a jinn, that isn't why I'm here." heprotested.
"Uh huh," I drawled. "Tell me, what attracted you tome?"
He shifted back and forth as a long, awkward pause settled in between us like a leadweight.
"Errrm, you're awfullypretty."
"And?"
He tilted his head to stare at me. "I like yourvoice."
"Uh huh. Anything not physical? Tell me...what kind of perfume do Iwear?"
He sniffed long and loud and was about to tell me when I slammed the door in his face. But I took the flowers with me. I liked flowers and wouldn't waste them on some greedy werewolf. When I walked back into the kitchen, Martin was stone-faced.
"So it's beginning?" heasked.
I reached into the drawer for a pair of scissors so I could trim the flower stems. "Yup," I saidshortly.
I heard Martin shift and stand. He brought the dishes over to the sink and began to rinsethem.
"You don't have to do that," I saidsoftly.
"It's my pleasure. Thank you for breakfast. I'll be back as soon as I shower and grab everything else I needtoday."
It was quiet between us as he loaded the dishes. Without another word, he grabbed his wallet and shoes and left me in the house, lost in my thoughts about how to handle the newest turn ofevents.
After hours of contemplation, I still didn't have aclue.
Before Martin returned,I'd fielded multiple phone calls and knocks on the door. I was thoroughly sick of people by now, so when my doorbell rang less than five minutes after the last would be suitor left, I flung it open without looking to see who was there and snarled at the person to get the hell off my property before I called the Midnight Cove police. Martin stood there blinking rapidly in surprise before a look of feral anger stole over hisface.
"Katie? What'swrong?"
I sighed in relief and melted against the doorframe. "My doorbell won't stop ringing. The word is officially out and if the amount of foot traffic at my door is any indication, I am the hottest commodity in town rightnow."
Martin followed me in, growling at the ridiculousness of itall.
"What can I do?" he askedme.
I snorted and threw my hands up. "There's nothing anyone can do." I stared at the windows in my house. "Maybe I can barthem."
A confused look knitted his brows. "The windows?" Martin shook his head. "No. This is your home. The people here need to respect your space. Maybe we should call the police fortrespassing."
I laughed bitterly. "With the amount of visitors I've had today, the jails will be full by 4:30."
Martin rubbed a hand across his still unshaven face. "Tell me what you want me todo."
I gave him a sad smile. "Just go to work. I can handlethis."
The flash of anger in his gaze made me even more sad. This wasn't his business and I shouldn't put him in the middle of it. I offered him another cup of coffee but he declined. Martin carried his tool bag into the bathroom. Before he shut the door, he shouted that a few more people would be by to help him so I asked him to answer thedoor.
