up into a sensuous smile. I doubted anything
she did ever looked less than appealing. “I would feel the same way, dear.
But don’t worry, I am not here to take him away. Not today.”
I
stared at her for a minute. Leith raised an eyebrow and I turned back to the
stove. “I have no idea what you mean. By all means, take him. Right now.
Get him out of my apartment so I don’t have to take him to the homeless shelter.”
She
laughed- the sound like tinkling glass- and made her way out. I closed the
oven door with a bang and wiped down the already clean countertop. Leith was
still standing there. He stepped close to snatch a roll from the package on
the counter, and I stepped back. He was too close. I looked up to see him
regarding me with a strange half smile.
“What?”
I asked defensively.
His
smile widened. “You are jealous of Mair?”
I
rolled my eyes. “Don’t be stupid. I couldn’t care less who you’re sleeping
with. Just don’t think you’re doing it in my house.”
He
laughed. Hard. I turned away and got out a couple of plates. “What?” I
snapped. “What is so funny? This isn’t your house you know. You can’t just
bring strange people here.” I rounded on him. “And while we’re on the
subject- I talked to my mom. What the hell, Leith?”
He
stopped laughing, wiping tears from his eyes. I crossed my arms impatiently.
“I answered the phone, thinking it might be you.” He shrugged. “I had the
feeling that you might be having…difficulty.” He waved a hand dismissively. “Your
mother looks forward to seeing you, and I didn’t want to disrupt your life
anymore than I already have.”
I
shook my head. “What did you tell her? You realize she thinks were dating
now?”
He
was completely unconcerned. “I don’t mind.”
I
took a deep breath and checked the urge to smack him. “Well I do.”
He
frowned for a moment, and then nodded as understanding washed over his features.
“Ah, because of your other man? I hadn’t thought of that.”
I
rubbed my head. “Noah and I aren’t…. that has nothing to do with this! I just
don’t take homeless, crazy people to visit my parents.”
I
gave him a look meant to shrivel his heart. “You are not going with me.”
Chapter 8
W e got to my
parent’s house around seven. I parked at the curb out front in, case the
neighbors wanted to use the driveway. Mom and Dad owned a duplex. They had
sold our family home and moved there after dad retired. They lived in one side
and rented the other side to help supplement their income.
Leith
got out of the car and came around to open my door. I gave him a suspicious
look. He grinned down at me. “What? This is what I’m supposed to do isn’t
it?”
I
rolled my eyes. “You’ve been watching too many dating shows. I need to show
you some guy channels.”
He
laughed. “You’re still mad?”
I
got out and shut my own door. Leith flanked me as I made my way up the
sidewalk to the front door. The house was old, but the peeling paint had been
touched up recently. Doing upkeep on the place kept Dad busy now that he was
retired.
“It’s
fine,” I said tiredly. “I know you were trying to help. I just don’t know how
to explain you to them.”
His
eyes twinkled. “Tell them the truth?”
I
shook my head and opened the door. His version of the truth and mine were two
completely different things. “Mom, Dad… we’re here.” I hung my purse on a
coat hook by the door and took my shoes off. Leith followed suit, wiggling his
long sock feet with pleasure.
The
air was heavy with the scent of baking, and I took a deep breath, trying to
brace myself. The old house was tidy as ever and I noticed a new rug hiding
the worn spot in the carpet. A cupboard door banged and voices carried to us
from the kitchen.
“Come
on in.” I gestured to Leith and he
she did ever looked less than appealing. “I would feel the same way, dear.
But don’t worry, I am not here to take him away. Not today.”
I
stared at her for a minute. Leith raised an eyebrow and I turned back to the
stove. “I have no idea what you mean. By all means, take him. Right now.
Get him out of my apartment so I don’t have to take him to the homeless shelter.”
She
laughed- the sound like tinkling glass- and made her way out. I closed the
oven door with a bang and wiped down the already clean countertop. Leith was
still standing there. He stepped close to snatch a roll from the package on
the counter, and I stepped back. He was too close. I looked up to see him
regarding me with a strange half smile.
“What?”
I asked defensively.
His
smile widened. “You are jealous of Mair?”
I
rolled my eyes. “Don’t be stupid. I couldn’t care less who you’re sleeping
with. Just don’t think you’re doing it in my house.”
He
laughed. Hard. I turned away and got out a couple of plates. “What?” I
snapped. “What is so funny? This isn’t your house you know. You can’t just
bring strange people here.” I rounded on him. “And while we’re on the
subject- I talked to my mom. What the hell, Leith?”
He
stopped laughing, wiping tears from his eyes. I crossed my arms impatiently.
“I answered the phone, thinking it might be you.” He shrugged. “I had the
feeling that you might be having…difficulty.” He waved a hand dismissively. “Your
mother looks forward to seeing you, and I didn’t want to disrupt your life
anymore than I already have.”
I
shook my head. “What did you tell her? You realize she thinks were dating
now?”
He
was completely unconcerned. “I don’t mind.”
I
took a deep breath and checked the urge to smack him. “Well I do.”
He
frowned for a moment, and then nodded as understanding washed over his features.
“Ah, because of your other man? I hadn’t thought of that.”
I
rubbed my head. “Noah and I aren’t…. that has nothing to do with this! I just
don’t take homeless, crazy people to visit my parents.”
I
gave him a look meant to shrivel his heart. “You are not going with me.”
Chapter 8
W e got to my
parent’s house around seven. I parked at the curb out front in, case the
neighbors wanted to use the driveway. Mom and Dad owned a duplex. They had
sold our family home and moved there after dad retired. They lived in one side
and rented the other side to help supplement their income.
Leith
got out of the car and came around to open my door. I gave him a suspicious
look. He grinned down at me. “What? This is what I’m supposed to do isn’t
it?”
I
rolled my eyes. “You’ve been watching too many dating shows. I need to show
you some guy channels.”
He
laughed. “You’re still mad?”
I
got out and shut my own door. Leith flanked me as I made my way up the
sidewalk to the front door. The house was old, but the peeling paint had been
touched up recently. Doing upkeep on the place kept Dad busy now that he was
retired.
“It’s
fine,” I said tiredly. “I know you were trying to help. I just don’t know how
to explain you to them.”
His
eyes twinkled. “Tell them the truth?”
I
shook my head and opened the door. His version of the truth and mine were two
completely different things. “Mom, Dad… we’re here.” I hung my purse on a
coat hook by the door and took my shoes off. Leith followed suit, wiggling his
long sock feet with pleasure.
The
air was heavy with the scent of baking, and I took a deep breath, trying to
brace myself. The old house was tidy as ever and I noticed a new rug hiding
the worn spot in the carpet. A cupboard door banged and voices carried to us
from the kitchen.
“Come
on in.” I gestured to Leith and he
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