Human by Hayley Camille Page B

on her answers self-consciously.
    “So what’s the craic for Ivy Carter, then? Outside of the little dead people, I mean.”
    “Work is fun. Did you miss the memo?”
    “Apparantly so. All work, hey? So, no boyfriend hidden ‘round the corner then? Waiting to knock me down for spilling my coffee all over you?”
    “I could have done that myself,” she smiled. “Still might.”
    Orrin laughed. “I don’t doubt it. But seriously, put me out of my misery here-”
    “It’s been a long time for me,” Ivy relented. “The longest. I’m not even sure if I have it in me anymore.” She rubbed the coffee stain on the plastic table. “People I love always seem to…” die… “leave.”
    “That sounds like a story, right there.”
    “It’s really not,” Ivy deflected. “There’s nothing much more to it. I’m quite boring actually.”
    “I sincerely doubt that,” Orrin said quietly, eyebrows raised in amusement. “Help me out here Ivy. I know there’s something you’re not telling me. I just can’t figure it out.”
    “Maybe there's nothing to figure?” Ivy smirked, looking away. But the smile didn’t reach her eyes.
    Orrin leaned forward in the plastic chair, his brow furrowed. “Okay, here's what I've got so far. You clearly don't trust anybody, but I get the feeling you'd throw yourself on a grenade for that bonobo, and vise versa, so you must trust her. You've got a head full of your own secrets, but you're digging skeletons out of prehistoric closets for a living and exposing them instead. You don’t seem to like attention, but when the spotlight’s on, you can incite revolution from a crowd.” He pushed on. “Any more contradictions I should know about?” Orrin smirked conspiratorially.
    Ivy’s shoulders stiffened and she swallowed hard. This man was dangerous. He wasn't just breaking through the wall she had so carefully built. He was smashing it down.
    She laughed humourlessly. “I don't know Orrin; you tell me?” She tucked her fringe back carefully and allowed herself a moment to stare right back at him. “Are you such an open book?” Two can play at this game.
    Ivy stared at him deliberately, noticing Orrin’s Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed under her scrutiny. His jaw clenched slightly and his chin rose. Orrin’s black framed glasses glinted in the sunlight and behind them, his eyes were amused and inviting. Ivy raked her eyes over his body. Orrin’s shirt was fitted across his chest, a single button open at the collar revealing olive skin underneath. She already knew that his hours in the university pool were working to great effect. Short, white sleeves fitted snugly around his biceps and his hand rested casually on the table, strong fingers cradling his empty coffee cup. Once more, she couldn’t help but imagine those fingers finding her birthmark. And other places. Ivy bit her lip to keep from grinning as she brought her attention back to his face; she was surprised to see Orrin actually seemed impressed by her assessment.
    He leant forward, lowering his voice to a hoarse whisper. “Oh, that's right. This last one messes with my head the most.” Orrin paused, arresting her eyes with his own. “You deflect me constantly Ivy, but I can't stop thinking about you.”
    Ivy's face burned as she looked away, inordinately pleased.
    “I think you seriously underestimate yourself Ms. Carter,” he said. “You're captivating.”
    Oh God. Ivy had never considered herself one of those women that fawned over an accent before, but in this case, she couldn’t deny that it made her toes curl. “Yes, well, when you put it that way…” She shook her head at him, laughing at her own defeat. “You’re a long way from home, Dr James. Ireland must miss you. I'm guessing you moved to Australia alone then?” She drained the last of her cold coffee in an attempt to hide her grin.
    She expected Orrin to roll his eyes at her perfectly executed deflection, but instead they