out of his head. Elizabeth had done all three things without even trying, with a smile on her face, and an innocent joy that made all the bad feelings he’d harbored just disappear.
She’d slithered her good vibes into his life and he didn’t know what he was going to do, or how he was going to feel, when she walked away. Until that day, he was going to enjoy every minute he could get. Memories of her would fill many sleepless nights.
Deciding to let her rest, he grabbed his laptop and settled into one of the chairs by the window. He had reviews to write.
Liz stretched and rolled over. The bed was empty but she heard the shower running in the bathroom. The curtain was only open a fraction, allowing the sunlight to streak in and cast a beam of light across the room. She glanced at the clock. Eight o’clock. She must have dozed off after Ian and Arjun’s lovemaking. Not a big surprise after little sleep and the physical exertion she’d been put through.
She needed a shower as well, but her body was sore enough to keep her from the temptation of joining Ian. Instead, she made a pot of coffee. When it was done, she opened the bathroom door. Steam filled the space and she watched the way his outline moved behind the steamed-up glass. “I made coffee.”
He pulled the sliding glass door open, spilling more steam into the room. “Great. Want to join me?”
She shook her head. No way was she getting near him. Damn, he looked good. Water had never looked as enticing as it did surfing over the muscles of his shoulders and chest. “I’ll take one after.”
“Sore?” He dragged his hand through his hair before cuffing a droplet of water off his freshly clipped goatee.
Cripes, he was sexy. “And it’s eight. Don’t we have somewhere we need to be?”
He leaned an arm against the glass. “Yeah. But I have a bunch of reviews to edit before I turn them in. I’m thinking I might have to skip the first show so I can get them done.”
She’d taken up a lot of his time. Time he usually spent working. Feeling a bit guilty, and curious, she offered, “I could read them and give you my opinion if you think it would help.”
“You’d really do that for me, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course.” What an odd question.
“You know…” He grinned and shook his head. “At some point you’re going to have to show me your baggage.”
“Meaning?”
“Baggage,” he reiterated. “The fatal flaw in your perfectly rounded person? Everyone has baggage. No one is perfect. It’s time you told me yours.”
“What’s yours?” Two could play at this game. Not to mention, it gave her time to stall. She didn’t know what her fatal flaw would be. It would be different for any person depending on their acceptance levels.
“I’m the product of rich parents who didn’t have time for me. I’m an overachiever. I’ve never quite found the level that makes me feel like I’m important or a success. Since my parents are dead, proving it to them is never going to happen so I cope by finding new ways to become even more famous. This, of course, causes most people to leave me because my work comes first, love second. I can’t change it, either. I’ve tried.”
Every word he uttered held a note of absurd truth. The fact that he spoke about it like a joke strummed a very deep chord inside her heart. “When?”
He looked startled. “When what?”
“When did you try?” she clarified.
“With Jimmy.” He shut the water off and climbed out. Grabbing a towel, he dried himself while he talked. “He had a noble cause. Doctors Without Borders is an amazing organization. What does it say that I wasn’t willing to give up my life to go with him and support him in what he was doing? Fashion is not famine. There’s no comparison, and I chose my life.”
Everything about Ian Malcolm was a treat. Right down to his guilt. “Yeah, you’re a real piece o’ shit for wanting what you want.”
His eyebrows shot up.
She’d slithered her good vibes into his life and he didn’t know what he was going to do, or how he was going to feel, when she walked away. Until that day, he was going to enjoy every minute he could get. Memories of her would fill many sleepless nights.
Deciding to let her rest, he grabbed his laptop and settled into one of the chairs by the window. He had reviews to write.
Liz stretched and rolled over. The bed was empty but she heard the shower running in the bathroom. The curtain was only open a fraction, allowing the sunlight to streak in and cast a beam of light across the room. She glanced at the clock. Eight o’clock. She must have dozed off after Ian and Arjun’s lovemaking. Not a big surprise after little sleep and the physical exertion she’d been put through.
She needed a shower as well, but her body was sore enough to keep her from the temptation of joining Ian. Instead, she made a pot of coffee. When it was done, she opened the bathroom door. Steam filled the space and she watched the way his outline moved behind the steamed-up glass. “I made coffee.”
He pulled the sliding glass door open, spilling more steam into the room. “Great. Want to join me?”
She shook her head. No way was she getting near him. Damn, he looked good. Water had never looked as enticing as it did surfing over the muscles of his shoulders and chest. “I’ll take one after.”
“Sore?” He dragged his hand through his hair before cuffing a droplet of water off his freshly clipped goatee.
Cripes, he was sexy. “And it’s eight. Don’t we have somewhere we need to be?”
He leaned an arm against the glass. “Yeah. But I have a bunch of reviews to edit before I turn them in. I’m thinking I might have to skip the first show so I can get them done.”
She’d taken up a lot of his time. Time he usually spent working. Feeling a bit guilty, and curious, she offered, “I could read them and give you my opinion if you think it would help.”
“You’d really do that for me, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course.” What an odd question.
“You know…” He grinned and shook his head. “At some point you’re going to have to show me your baggage.”
“Meaning?”
“Baggage,” he reiterated. “The fatal flaw in your perfectly rounded person? Everyone has baggage. No one is perfect. It’s time you told me yours.”
“What’s yours?” Two could play at this game. Not to mention, it gave her time to stall. She didn’t know what her fatal flaw would be. It would be different for any person depending on their acceptance levels.
“I’m the product of rich parents who didn’t have time for me. I’m an overachiever. I’ve never quite found the level that makes me feel like I’m important or a success. Since my parents are dead, proving it to them is never going to happen so I cope by finding new ways to become even more famous. This, of course, causes most people to leave me because my work comes first, love second. I can’t change it, either. I’ve tried.”
Every word he uttered held a note of absurd truth. The fact that he spoke about it like a joke strummed a very deep chord inside her heart. “When?”
He looked startled. “When what?”
“When did you try?” she clarified.
“With Jimmy.” He shut the water off and climbed out. Grabbing a towel, he dried himself while he talked. “He had a noble cause. Doctors Without Borders is an amazing organization. What does it say that I wasn’t willing to give up my life to go with him and support him in what he was doing? Fashion is not famine. There’s no comparison, and I chose my life.”
Everything about Ian Malcolm was a treat. Right down to his guilt. “Yeah, you’re a real piece o’ shit for wanting what you want.”
His eyebrows shot up.
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