Just Like That by Erin Nicholas Read Free Book Online Page A

have a feeling they’re going to call you later.” She smiled. That was nice. He was a good guy.
    She frowned. He was a good guy.
    Not a good thing to realize. It would be much easier to have a fling with him and let herself go physically—a little—if she didn’t like him too.
    Sam turned right at the stoplight while she sent a text message to her sisters about the change of plans.
    Ten minutes later they pulled up in front of a quaint blue two-story house.
    “Is this your place?”
    He gave her a grin, resting his arm along the back of her seat. “I wouldn’t have made up a reason to bring you to my house.”
    She smiled back. “So where are we?”
    “This is Natalia’s house.”
    “Girlfriend?”
    He laughed. “Female friend, yes. Come on.”
    The house was dark and Sam took her up to the garage door. “I don’t think she’s home,” Danika said.
    “Exactly.” He lifted the cover on the keypad next to the door. He punched in six numbers and the wide door slowly rumbled up. He took her hand and pulled her into the interior then to the door leading into the house.
    “Should I have brought my black ski mask?” she whispered.
    “You don’t just carry that with you?” He opened the door that led from the garage into the kitchen.
    “And you don’t have to whisper. She isn’t here.”
    “Sam, what’s going on? You do know this woman, right?”
    “I know her very well. I’m here to check her light bulbs.” He flipped on the kitchen light. “This one works.” He grinned at her and crossed the room to the switches next to the sink. He flipped one up, starting the garbage disposal. “Sounds good to me.” Then he turned on the faucet. “No trouble there.” He shut the water off and faced Danika.
    “What are you doing?” She couldn’t help smiling at him.
    “You want to help?”
    “Do what?”
    “I’m checking the place over. Making sure everything works, nothing needs repaired or replaced.”
    “Why?”
    “To help Natalia out. She lives alone. She’s eighty-three and can’t take care of a lot of this herself.”
    “Why are you breaking into her house when she’s not here?” 32
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    Just Like That
    “I’m not breaking in. I have the code. And because it’s easier when she’s not here. If she’s home she’d insist on cooking for me and hearing about my job.”
    “Poor baby,” Danika said dryly. “How dare she be interested in having a friendship with you?” He just chuckled. “You want to help or not?”
    “What do I do?”
    “Go around and turn on anything that’s supposed to turn on, open anything that should open, close anything that should close… Look for anything that’s not working the way it should.”
    “Got it.” It was a strange routine, but it was kind of sweet.
    “I’ll meet you back here. Let me know anything that needs attention.”
    “Sam, seriously why don’t you do this when she’s home?”
    “Because she would never let me do it. She’d insist on hiring someone else or paying me.”
    “So instead she just thinks that her light bulbs never burn out?” He shrugged. “I guess.”
    Danika headed for another room and spent the next twenty minutes checking light switches, running water, opening and closing windows and drawers and checking the vents.
    “Find anything?”
    She looked over her shoulder to find Sam leaning against the door jamb. She was standing on the kitchen countertop, scrubbing the high window over the sink. She gave it a final swipe, then climbed down.
    “I fit all of her jewelry in my pockets, but I’m going to need some help carrying out the silver.” He chuckled. “I’ll get the burlap bag.” He pushed away from the door and came into the room, not stopping until he nearly stood on top of her. “It was sweet of you to help me.”
    “This is the most interesting evening I’ve spent in a long time,” she said, smiling up at him. “Did I hear a vacuum running?”
    “Yeah.”
    “You clean