want.”
***
“What are you staring at?” I caught Eric watching me for at least the third time Sunday afternoon. I wanted him to go back to his general policy of ignoring me unless he wanted to annoy me.
“I’m just looking in the same general direction of where you happen to be.”
“Do you have to do that?”
“I don’t have to, but I like to.”
“Fantastic.”
He got off his stool and strode toward me. I should have just ignored him. “Have a nice time with Toby?”
“It was fine.” What was I supposed to say? He told me I’m in danger and you’re either fantasizing about me in bed or worried that I’ll be mauled by a wolf or bear. I shivered just thinking about either image. Not the good kind of shiver.
“I didn’t even know you guys were friends.”
“It turns out we have some mutual friends.”
“You’re into him.” Eric’s words weren’t a question.
“Yeah.”
He smiled slightly. “He’s not who you think he is. Just remember that.”
“Are you who I think you are?”
“No, but you’re already afraid of me. You should have that feeling about Toby too.”
“But I don’t.” I set aside the worn paperback of Northanger Abbey I was reading to kill the time. Late afternoons were quiet at work. We’d barely had any customers.
“That only makes him more dangerous.”
“He’s not going to hurt me.” I felt that in every grain of my body. I knew he wasn’t a saint, but he wasn’t out to hurt me.
“Probably not. That’s true.”
“You admit that but still think I should be careful?”
“You should always be careful with the unknown, especially those that make you feel safe.”
“Just tell me what the hell is going on. Who are you guys?” I crossed my legs, leaning forward slightly on my stool.
“Who do you think we are?”
“Honestly?”
“Yeah. Give me your best guess. If you get it right on the first try, I’ll tell you.”
I accepted the challenge. “Organized crime. Maybe not the Mafia but something like it.”
“What gave you that idea?”
“The suits, mysterious hours, wild animals available to attack people.”
“Wild animals available to attack? What kind of crime boss shows are you watching?”
“You told me you’d tell me if I was right.”
“You’re not right.”
“Then who are you? None of this makes sense.” I sighed.
“I can’t tell you more about it. We’re not together.” He sat down on a stool and crossed his legs at his ankles.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. If you decided you wanted to be with me, I could fill you in.”
“Be with you? As in date you?”
“More than date.” His eyes moved up and down my body.
I crossed my arms to block his view. “Yeah…not happening.”
“That was quick.”
“You’re not my type, Eric.”
“But Toby is?”
“Maybe.” I couldn’t help but think about Jared. Physically he was my type, even if his personality wasn’t.
“You’re not my type either, but that doesn’t stop me from liking you.”
“I’m not your type?” I glared at him. “Then what? You’re messing with me?” Not that I cared whether he liked me or not, but he was only confusing me more.
“I usually go for girls a little feistier than you.”
“Feistier?” I sneered at him. “I’ll show you feisty.”
He laughed. “Glad to know you care so much.”
“I don’t care.”
“Sure, sure. Get back to work, Bates.” His teasing made me think that maybe he was going to back off.
Chapter Twelve
Toby
“Who the hell let you in here?” I snapped the second I walked through my office door. I’d reluctantly said goodbye to Casey at her apartment earlier, and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with Jared yet.
He leaned back in my chair with his feet on my desk. “Hello, Toby. Nice to see you too. Your assistant let me in. A witch, isn’t she? She’s cute, although I think I like the girl you keep at home even better.”
“Stay the hell away from Casey.” I gave Jared a warning
***
“What are you staring at?” I caught Eric watching me for at least the third time Sunday afternoon. I wanted him to go back to his general policy of ignoring me unless he wanted to annoy me.
“I’m just looking in the same general direction of where you happen to be.”
“Do you have to do that?”
“I don’t have to, but I like to.”
“Fantastic.”
He got off his stool and strode toward me. I should have just ignored him. “Have a nice time with Toby?”
“It was fine.” What was I supposed to say? He told me I’m in danger and you’re either fantasizing about me in bed or worried that I’ll be mauled by a wolf or bear. I shivered just thinking about either image. Not the good kind of shiver.
“I didn’t even know you guys were friends.”
“It turns out we have some mutual friends.”
“You’re into him.” Eric’s words weren’t a question.
“Yeah.”
He smiled slightly. “He’s not who you think he is. Just remember that.”
“Are you who I think you are?”
“No, but you’re already afraid of me. You should have that feeling about Toby too.”
“But I don’t.” I set aside the worn paperback of Northanger Abbey I was reading to kill the time. Late afternoons were quiet at work. We’d barely had any customers.
“That only makes him more dangerous.”
“He’s not going to hurt me.” I felt that in every grain of my body. I knew he wasn’t a saint, but he wasn’t out to hurt me.
“Probably not. That’s true.”
“You admit that but still think I should be careful?”
“You should always be careful with the unknown, especially those that make you feel safe.”
“Just tell me what the hell is going on. Who are you guys?” I crossed my legs, leaning forward slightly on my stool.
“Who do you think we are?”
“Honestly?”
“Yeah. Give me your best guess. If you get it right on the first try, I’ll tell you.”
I accepted the challenge. “Organized crime. Maybe not the Mafia but something like it.”
“What gave you that idea?”
“The suits, mysterious hours, wild animals available to attack people.”
“Wild animals available to attack? What kind of crime boss shows are you watching?”
“You told me you’d tell me if I was right.”
“You’re not right.”
“Then who are you? None of this makes sense.” I sighed.
“I can’t tell you more about it. We’re not together.” He sat down on a stool and crossed his legs at his ankles.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. If you decided you wanted to be with me, I could fill you in.”
“Be with you? As in date you?”
“More than date.” His eyes moved up and down my body.
I crossed my arms to block his view. “Yeah…not happening.”
“That was quick.”
“You’re not my type, Eric.”
“But Toby is?”
“Maybe.” I couldn’t help but think about Jared. Physically he was my type, even if his personality wasn’t.
“You’re not my type either, but that doesn’t stop me from liking you.”
“I’m not your type?” I glared at him. “Then what? You’re messing with me?” Not that I cared whether he liked me or not, but he was only confusing me more.
“I usually go for girls a little feistier than you.”
“Feistier?” I sneered at him. “I’ll show you feisty.”
He laughed. “Glad to know you care so much.”
“I don’t care.”
“Sure, sure. Get back to work, Bates.” His teasing made me think that maybe he was going to back off.
Chapter Twelve
Toby
“Who the hell let you in here?” I snapped the second I walked through my office door. I’d reluctantly said goodbye to Casey at her apartment earlier, and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with Jared yet.
He leaned back in my chair with his feet on my desk. “Hello, Toby. Nice to see you too. Your assistant let me in. A witch, isn’t she? She’s cute, although I think I like the girl you keep at home even better.”
“Stay the hell away from Casey.” I gave Jared a warning
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