Temptation Trails (The Haven Brothers #3)

I left the squirrel hanging from the curtain and went back to the kitchen. A quick peek through Mrs. Doolittle’s cupboards, and I found what I needed.

Peanut butter. I just hoped the squirrel wasn’t too full of cookies for this to work.

I scooped out a big spoonful and stuck on some cookie pieces for good measure. Then I set it on the floor, crouched with the towel, and waited.

The scent lured it. Within moments, the squirrel came in, fluffy tail twitching. It stopped on its hind legs about a foot from the peanut butter and scrunched its nose. Despite having already decimated a plate of cookies, it went in.

I waited, my heart beating hard. The squirrel seemed to ignore me, intent on its snack. In my head, I heard the voice of William Wallace in the movie Braveheart.

Hold… Hold… Hold…

Now!

I scooped the squirrel into the towel and held the sides together, making a little sack. It thrashed around, trying to get out as I rushed to the back door.

“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you.”

I opened the door and hurried out into Mrs. Doolittle’s backyard while the squirrel tried to tear its way out of the towel. As gently as I could, I set it on the grass and let go, jumping away in case it came out heading toward me.

The towel fell open and the squirrel darted out, but stopped a couple of feet away. It turned, black eyes wide, and stared at me, as if to say, what the fuck, man?

“Pretty sure you ate a week’s worth of food in there. You’ll be fine.”

With that, it scampered away.

Blowing out a breath, I picked up the towel and took it inside.

I went to the front to let Mrs. Doolittle know she could come back in.

“Did you find him?” she asked as she followed me into the house.

“Were you aware it was a squirrel, Mrs. Doolittle?”

“Was it? Oh my goodness gracious, no wonder it left such a mess.”

I eyed her with skepticism. She just beamed up at me, eyes crinkling at the corners.

“You should consider putting a screen in the bedroom window upstairs. I think that’s how it got in.”

Her mouth twitched in a grin. “The bedroom, you say? Perhaps you should show me.”

“I borrowed a towel to catch the squirrel and used some of your peanut butter as a lure.”

“Smart and handsome. Such a combination.”

I ignored that. “Do you need help cleaning up?”

“No, no.” She waved a hand. “I’ll take care of it. Would you like to stay? I can fix you a snack. Maybe give you a nice foot rub. It’s the least I can do.”

“Thank you anyway, ma’am, but I need to get back to work.”

“Are you sure? These hands don’t look like much now, but I still know how to use them.”

I didn’t know if she was still talking about a foot rub, or something else. And I didn’t want to find out.

“Have a good day, ma’am.”

Without waiting for a reply, I left through the front door and went straight for my car.