if he were one of those people who it would be difficult for her to read anyway, and on top of that there was something blocking her, rebuffing her attempts. It was curious, and Gabrielle wasn’t certain she liked it.
She washed her bowl and spoon and finished her coffee, trying to think of something to do. “I guess reading is the order of the day,” she said to no one in particular, needing some kind of sound to fill the air around her. She shook her head, trying to suppress her sense of unease and discomfort at having pushed Dustin away. Her body didn’t want him away—but her brain was insistent. And Gabrielle had always made it a policy to side with her brain over her body on any issue.
Chapter Ten
Gabrielle paced in her bedroom, a pile of discarded books on the bed. The day was absolutely dragging by. She hadn’t heard from Dustin in hours—and she had read most of the collection of books that were available. Gabrielle couldn’t stand the waiting. By the same token, however, she had told herself at least a dozen times that she was not the slightest bit interested in speaking with Dustin. She would just have to sit tight and do what she could to entertain herself, she had insisted firmly, picking up and putting down books as the day wore on. Her thoughts kept going back to Dustin, however. It was difficult not to wonder what he was doing, not to want to talk to him, to at least try to get more information about the people who he worked for, or his past. But she knew, deep down, that if she let herself get drawn into a conversation with Dustin again, she’d start letting herself get charmed, and in no time she would be tumbling into his arms.
They had barely seen each other around lunch time, and even that was enough for Gabrielle to be distracted long after. It was midafternoon, and she couldn’t stand it anymore. The uncertainty, the boredom, her need for some kind of companionship all demanded that she talk to Dustin. She would just have to take things however they came, she told herself. She would try to keep from letting herself get sucked in, but she was not able to deal with so much loneliness and idle time.
Gabrielle gathered up the books and put them away—respecting that they belonged to someone else—and stepped out of her bedroom, looking around for Dustin. It isn’t as if he can go very far , she thought wryly. He has to make sure he can keep an eye on you, after all. And the house is pretty small .
Although the house was small, Gabrielle thought, it was a lot nicer than she would have ever thought. The beds were incredibly comfortable, with memory foam on top of the mattress and silky sheets, and quilts that were just warm enough for the mild weather. She blushed, remembering how thoroughly she and Dustin had tested out the resilience and comfort level of both of their beds. They had decided at the end that they had liked the bed that Gabrielle had taken better. Idly, as she walked from the kitchen through the living room, Gabrielle wondered if Dustin had even stayed asleep next to her, or if he had let her drop off before going to his own bed to be alone.
She found Dustin sitting on the porch, reading a report of some kind—on paper no less—quietly, a cup of coffee near at hand.
“I’m done having alone time. As it turns out, I’m not very good company,” she said, sitting on the floor and looking up at him.
“I found you to be very good company,” he said, sitting forward. His eyes were almost glowing in the afternoon light. “What’s on your mind?” He put the papers down and smiled slightly, raising an eyebrow.
Gabrielle crossed her legs and shifted around, trying to get comfortable. She was overly aware of Dustin’s proximity. He had put on a t-shirt, but it hung loosely on his lean frame, making her remember all too well how his body had felt pressed against hers. She thought about the way he had lifted her up onto the counter in the morning, the way he had kissed
She washed her bowl and spoon and finished her coffee, trying to think of something to do. “I guess reading is the order of the day,” she said to no one in particular, needing some kind of sound to fill the air around her. She shook her head, trying to suppress her sense of unease and discomfort at having pushed Dustin away. Her body didn’t want him away—but her brain was insistent. And Gabrielle had always made it a policy to side with her brain over her body on any issue.
Chapter Ten
Gabrielle paced in her bedroom, a pile of discarded books on the bed. The day was absolutely dragging by. She hadn’t heard from Dustin in hours—and she had read most of the collection of books that were available. Gabrielle couldn’t stand the waiting. By the same token, however, she had told herself at least a dozen times that she was not the slightest bit interested in speaking with Dustin. She would just have to sit tight and do what she could to entertain herself, she had insisted firmly, picking up and putting down books as the day wore on. Her thoughts kept going back to Dustin, however. It was difficult not to wonder what he was doing, not to want to talk to him, to at least try to get more information about the people who he worked for, or his past. But she knew, deep down, that if she let herself get drawn into a conversation with Dustin again, she’d start letting herself get charmed, and in no time she would be tumbling into his arms.
They had barely seen each other around lunch time, and even that was enough for Gabrielle to be distracted long after. It was midafternoon, and she couldn’t stand it anymore. The uncertainty, the boredom, her need for some kind of companionship all demanded that she talk to Dustin. She would just have to take things however they came, she told herself. She would try to keep from letting herself get sucked in, but she was not able to deal with so much loneliness and idle time.
Gabrielle gathered up the books and put them away—respecting that they belonged to someone else—and stepped out of her bedroom, looking around for Dustin. It isn’t as if he can go very far , she thought wryly. He has to make sure he can keep an eye on you, after all. And the house is pretty small .
Although the house was small, Gabrielle thought, it was a lot nicer than she would have ever thought. The beds were incredibly comfortable, with memory foam on top of the mattress and silky sheets, and quilts that were just warm enough for the mild weather. She blushed, remembering how thoroughly she and Dustin had tested out the resilience and comfort level of both of their beds. They had decided at the end that they had liked the bed that Gabrielle had taken better. Idly, as she walked from the kitchen through the living room, Gabrielle wondered if Dustin had even stayed asleep next to her, or if he had let her drop off before going to his own bed to be alone.
She found Dustin sitting on the porch, reading a report of some kind—on paper no less—quietly, a cup of coffee near at hand.
“I’m done having alone time. As it turns out, I’m not very good company,” she said, sitting on the floor and looking up at him.
“I found you to be very good company,” he said, sitting forward. His eyes were almost glowing in the afternoon light. “What’s on your mind?” He put the papers down and smiled slightly, raising an eyebrow.
Gabrielle crossed her legs and shifted around, trying to get comfortable. She was overly aware of Dustin’s proximity. He had put on a t-shirt, but it hung loosely on his lean frame, making her remember all too well how his body had felt pressed against hers. She thought about the way he had lifted her up onto the counter in the morning, the way he had kissed
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