“As long as there’s only one person. Why don’t you live somewhere safer?”
He didn’t let go of my wrist. His grip wasn’t tight enough that I couldn’t have squirmed free, but he was warm and I told myself that a little human touch was welcome post-crisis.
Assuming for the moment that James wasn’t pure predator of some genetically distant class of reptiles. He could probably feel the race of my pulse, smell my blood and all that. That would explain the glint of his eyes.
“Because it’s cheap space and I’m impoverished. Sadly, I don’t have your array of choices for real estate.” I pulled my wrist out of his grip and headed back to the kitchen zone. My heart was still racing only because of the shock, I was sure.
It had nothing, nothing , to do with James Coxwell standing in my place for the very first time ever, looking around with undisguised curiosity. There was someone in my cave and that was bad enough.
I chopped with a vengeance, but forced myself to stop when I tore the nori seaweed in my frenzy. I took a deep breath but couldn’t dispel my incredible unease with having James in my loft.
Probably he wanted something. Sadly there was no good way of tossing him out, at least not without his cooperation. He’s a lot bigger than me and stubborn enough to not leave before he was ready. Even rudeness wouldn’t scare him off.
I looked through my lashes, just checking, and noticed only now that he had changed out of his suit. His khakis were too perfectly fitted to be off the rack, his casual shirt was open at the collar and his leather jacket was brown. He looked utterly suburban.
And surprisingly good. I was definitely losing my edge. Celibacy was adversely affecting my judgment.
More time running the stairs was definitely in order. I’d double up tomorrow.
James was watching me, as if he could read my thoughts or at least gauge my attraction to him. Sick, sick, sick, to even be thinking of my sister’s husband in any sort of sexual terms. Sordid. Tacky. Beneath my status as a reasonable and sensible individual.
Even if... but never mind that for now.
So, the strategy obviously was to give James whatever he came for and do so ASAP, thus to restore my precious privacy.
“Any particular reason for this unexpected pleasure?” I asked, infusing my words with about as much warmth as he had greeted me with earlier.
He smiled, shoved his hands into the pockets of his khakis and sauntered closer. “Is that a payback for the way I welcomed you today?”
Caught. I shrugged, sheepish, and made a fuss over my fishies. “Something like that.”
“I’m sorry.” He leaned against my counter-on-wheels. Fortunately, the wheels were locked down, saving him from a graceless tumble.
But then, maybe it wouldn’t have been graceless. He’d probably checked the brakes before leaning. I had to remind myself that James was more observant than the average bear. Calculating.
God only knew what he was concluding on the basis of my agitation. In self-defense, I gave him a double dose of attitude. “What do you want anyhow?”
“Advice.”
I laughed, I couldn’t help it. “Be serious.”
“I am. You’re the only person who knows the whole deal.”
Wow, there was a frightening assertion. I feigned ignorance. “Me? I know nothing...”
“Be serious, Maralys.” He dismissed my act with a flick of the wrist. “You listened to the whole thing today and I know it.”
And here I thought I’d be so stealthy. I snuck a glance, but he looked more amused than angry.
“What kind of person do you think I am?” I demanded, but couldn’t summon the right tone of indignation.
“The same kind of person as I am. You listened. I would have listened. Case closed.”
Well, what could I say to that? I chopped.
“Go ahead,” James prompted, almost teasing. “Tell me that you were just curious.”
“Well...”
“Well, I would have been surprised if you’d done anything different.”
Liza began
He didn’t let go of my wrist. His grip wasn’t tight enough that I couldn’t have squirmed free, but he was warm and I told myself that a little human touch was welcome post-crisis.
Assuming for the moment that James wasn’t pure predator of some genetically distant class of reptiles. He could probably feel the race of my pulse, smell my blood and all that. That would explain the glint of his eyes.
“Because it’s cheap space and I’m impoverished. Sadly, I don’t have your array of choices for real estate.” I pulled my wrist out of his grip and headed back to the kitchen zone. My heart was still racing only because of the shock, I was sure.
It had nothing, nothing , to do with James Coxwell standing in my place for the very first time ever, looking around with undisguised curiosity. There was someone in my cave and that was bad enough.
I chopped with a vengeance, but forced myself to stop when I tore the nori seaweed in my frenzy. I took a deep breath but couldn’t dispel my incredible unease with having James in my loft.
Probably he wanted something. Sadly there was no good way of tossing him out, at least not without his cooperation. He’s a lot bigger than me and stubborn enough to not leave before he was ready. Even rudeness wouldn’t scare him off.
I looked through my lashes, just checking, and noticed only now that he had changed out of his suit. His khakis were too perfectly fitted to be off the rack, his casual shirt was open at the collar and his leather jacket was brown. He looked utterly suburban.
And surprisingly good. I was definitely losing my edge. Celibacy was adversely affecting my judgment.
More time running the stairs was definitely in order. I’d double up tomorrow.
James was watching me, as if he could read my thoughts or at least gauge my attraction to him. Sick, sick, sick, to even be thinking of my sister’s husband in any sort of sexual terms. Sordid. Tacky. Beneath my status as a reasonable and sensible individual.
Even if... but never mind that for now.
So, the strategy obviously was to give James whatever he came for and do so ASAP, thus to restore my precious privacy.
“Any particular reason for this unexpected pleasure?” I asked, infusing my words with about as much warmth as he had greeted me with earlier.
He smiled, shoved his hands into the pockets of his khakis and sauntered closer. “Is that a payback for the way I welcomed you today?”
Caught. I shrugged, sheepish, and made a fuss over my fishies. “Something like that.”
“I’m sorry.” He leaned against my counter-on-wheels. Fortunately, the wheels were locked down, saving him from a graceless tumble.
But then, maybe it wouldn’t have been graceless. He’d probably checked the brakes before leaning. I had to remind myself that James was more observant than the average bear. Calculating.
God only knew what he was concluding on the basis of my agitation. In self-defense, I gave him a double dose of attitude. “What do you want anyhow?”
“Advice.”
I laughed, I couldn’t help it. “Be serious.”
“I am. You’re the only person who knows the whole deal.”
Wow, there was a frightening assertion. I feigned ignorance. “Me? I know nothing...”
“Be serious, Maralys.” He dismissed my act with a flick of the wrist. “You listened to the whole thing today and I know it.”
And here I thought I’d be so stealthy. I snuck a glance, but he looked more amused than angry.
“What kind of person do you think I am?” I demanded, but couldn’t summon the right tone of indignation.
“The same kind of person as I am. You listened. I would have listened. Case closed.”
Well, what could I say to that? I chopped.
“Go ahead,” James prompted, almost teasing. “Tell me that you were just curious.”
“Well...”
“Well, I would have been surprised if you’d done anything different.”
Liza began
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