“Uh-huh.”
“No sign of a letup?”
“Nope.”
It occurred to her that she wasn’t as disappointed about that as she might have been, and she felt guilty. Despite all that had happened, she was still imposing on Garrick. “No hope of getting to my car?” she forced herself to ask.
He shrugged. The front legs of his chair met the floor with a soft thud, and he stood, gathering the dishes together. “I was thinking of making a try later. You’d probably like some other clothes.”
He hadn’t said anything about freeing the car or getting rid of her. She smiled and, looking down, plucked at the voluminous folds of his sweater. “I don’t know. I’m beginning to get used to this. It’s comfortable.”
Garrick wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to how great she looked. When he’d first seen her in it, he’d thought she looked adorable. Now, having had the intense pleasure of being inside her, he thought she looked sexy. That went for the way she looked in his thermal long johns, too. He hadn’t thought so at first, but he’d changed his mind, and his body wasn’t about to let him change it back.
Taking refuge at the sink, he began to clean up with more energy than was strictly necessary. It helped. By the time he was done, he had his libido in check. He didn’t want to frighten Leah or act as though she should pay for her keep by satisfying his every urge. And it wasn’t as if his every urge was for sex, though after last night, he had a greater inclination toward it than he had in years.
Last night … last night had been very, very special. It was sex, but it wasn’t. It was so much an emotional act, rather than a physical one, that he didn’t have the words to describe it. Yes, if there were to be a repeat, the emotional element would be present, but he knew that there’d be more. He knew that this time he’d want to touch her and kiss her. This time he’d want to explore her body and get to know it as completely as, in some ways, he felt he knew her soul. Her mind, ah, that was another matter. He wanted to get to know it, too, but … probably that wasn’t wise. When the ground dried up, she’d be leaving. He didn’t want to miss her.
Which was why he reverted into the silence with which he’d grown increasingly comfortable over four years’ time. He didn’t ask her any of the million questions he had. He told himself he didn’t want to know the details of what made Leah Gates tick. If he didn’t know it would be easier to pretend that she was shallow and boring. Easier to tell himself, when she was gone, that he was better off without her.
Leah spent the morning much as she had her waking hours the day before. She finished one book and started another. She made frequent notes on a pad of paper when she encountered a word or concept in her reading that would translate into a crossword. She doodled out nonsense puzzles, but the puzzle that commanded her real interest was Garrick.
He was an enigma. She knew that they had at least one need in common, and she knew, in general, the type of man he was. The specifics of his day-to-day life, though, were a mystery, as was his past.
Mentally she’d outlined a crossword puzzle. Garrick’s name was blocked in, as were certain other facts pertaining to their relationship, but she needed more information if she hoped to find the words to complete the grid.
It was late morning. They were each sitting in what she’d come to think of as their own little corner of the sofa. Garrick had gone outside for a while, though not to the car, he’d told her when she’d asked. He hadn’t elaborated further, and she’d been loath to press. It was his home. He was free to come and go as he pleased. She couldn’t help but be curious, though, particularly when he returned after no more than thirty minutes.
After letting him dry off and settle in with his book for a while, she ventured to satisfy her curiosity.
“I hope I’m not keeping you from
“No sign of a letup?”
“Nope.”
It occurred to her that she wasn’t as disappointed about that as she might have been, and she felt guilty. Despite all that had happened, she was still imposing on Garrick. “No hope of getting to my car?” she forced herself to ask.
He shrugged. The front legs of his chair met the floor with a soft thud, and he stood, gathering the dishes together. “I was thinking of making a try later. You’d probably like some other clothes.”
He hadn’t said anything about freeing the car or getting rid of her. She smiled and, looking down, plucked at the voluminous folds of his sweater. “I don’t know. I’m beginning to get used to this. It’s comfortable.”
Garrick wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to how great she looked. When he’d first seen her in it, he’d thought she looked adorable. Now, having had the intense pleasure of being inside her, he thought she looked sexy. That went for the way she looked in his thermal long johns, too. He hadn’t thought so at first, but he’d changed his mind, and his body wasn’t about to let him change it back.
Taking refuge at the sink, he began to clean up with more energy than was strictly necessary. It helped. By the time he was done, he had his libido in check. He didn’t want to frighten Leah or act as though she should pay for her keep by satisfying his every urge. And it wasn’t as if his every urge was for sex, though after last night, he had a greater inclination toward it than he had in years.
Last night … last night had been very, very special. It was sex, but it wasn’t. It was so much an emotional act, rather than a physical one, that he didn’t have the words to describe it. Yes, if there were to be a repeat, the emotional element would be present, but he knew that there’d be more. He knew that this time he’d want to touch her and kiss her. This time he’d want to explore her body and get to know it as completely as, in some ways, he felt he knew her soul. Her mind, ah, that was another matter. He wanted to get to know it, too, but … probably that wasn’t wise. When the ground dried up, she’d be leaving. He didn’t want to miss her.
Which was why he reverted into the silence with which he’d grown increasingly comfortable over four years’ time. He didn’t ask her any of the million questions he had. He told himself he didn’t want to know the details of what made Leah Gates tick. If he didn’t know it would be easier to pretend that she was shallow and boring. Easier to tell himself, when she was gone, that he was better off without her.
Leah spent the morning much as she had her waking hours the day before. She finished one book and started another. She made frequent notes on a pad of paper when she encountered a word or concept in her reading that would translate into a crossword. She doodled out nonsense puzzles, but the puzzle that commanded her real interest was Garrick.
He was an enigma. She knew that they had at least one need in common, and she knew, in general, the type of man he was. The specifics of his day-to-day life, though, were a mystery, as was his past.
Mentally she’d outlined a crossword puzzle. Garrick’s name was blocked in, as were certain other facts pertaining to their relationship, but she needed more information if she hoped to find the words to complete the grid.
It was late morning. They were each sitting in what she’d come to think of as their own little corner of the sofa. Garrick had gone outside for a while, though not to the car, he’d told her when she’d asked. He hadn’t elaborated further, and she’d been loath to press. It was his home. He was free to come and go as he pleased. She couldn’t help but be curious, though, particularly when he returned after no more than thirty minutes.
After letting him dry off and settle in with his book for a while, she ventured to satisfy her curiosity.
“I hope I’m not keeping you from
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