frowned. “I thought you weren’t going there.”
“I wasn’t.” He could not believe he’d acted so irresponsibly. “But . . . she was all shaking and teary-eyed. . . .”
“Tears.” Bair nodded. “The brain scrambler.”
“I know better. I knew better at twenty-two.” He pressed his head between his hands.
“Maybe there’s more to it than you think.”
“There’s not more to it. I like sane women.”
“Sane didn’t work out so well.” Bair flicked him a glance.
Smith refused to add old anger to new angst. “I took her to emergency, thought maybe it was asthma or food poisoning.”
Bair scowled.
“I mean allergic reaction, you know, since she couldn’t breathe.”
Bair hit the open road and took off. “What did they say?”
“She left before seeing the doctor. It was all I could do to get her to let me drive her home.”
“All that over a kiss?”
Smith shook his head. “There has to be more to it. She told me something about nightmares once. Maybe they’ve become panic attacks. That’s what it looked like.”
“Would she want to be left alone, then?”
“If I’m the cause. Look, Bair, maybe you should liaison between us, so she won’t have to deal with me.”
“Bad idea.”
“Why?”
“You might not see it, but she’s got feelings for you.”
“I see it. She despises me.”
Bair shook his head. “Get to the bottom of the row you had and apologize.”
“All I do is apologize. I’m not even sure I’m apologizing for myself anymore. It’s as though I’m apologizing for everyone who’s ever hurt, left, and betrayed her. If you acted as go-between—”
“Brilliant. When we’re all cozied up in the office, you’ll just talk past her and I’ll repeat it back.”
Smith released his breath. “No, obviously. I wish we weren’t sharing the same space, though. It’s being near her that’s difficult.”
“Why?”
Smith threw out his hands. “Chemistry, I guess.” Except it wasn’t only that. There was something deeper that tugged when she was near. It had since the first time he’d seen her crossing campus with a look on her face of equal parts utter delight and sheer terror.
It was the first time he’d experienced the pull and repulsion of her magnetism. He’d learned quickly how hazardous she could be, yet there’d been an excitement to it as well. But he’d been young and careless then. He should have learned something since.
Bair shook his head. “I’ve seen you when it’s only chemistry. You’ve got stronger brakes than a 747.”
Smith sighed. “I don’t know what, then. Maybe I feel sorry for her.”
“What did she do when you kissed her?”
“She . . .” He saw again the look in her eyes, a look that could swallow him whole, that had made him turn and run immediately. “It shouldn’t have happened; that’s all.”
Bair shot him a pointed look. “Maybe it’s time to dump your baggage.”
“What baggage?”
“Danae.”
“That’s well done and over with.”
“Then why not go for it?” Bair pulled through the open gate.
Smith hopped out and closed it, then got back in. “Listen, Bair. There’s nothing personal between Tess and me. That would be insanity.”
“Would it?” Bair pulled up at the trailer. “Because I think she’s a nice girl, and maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have someone who wanted you as much as you wanted her.”
Smith blew an exasperated breath as they climbed out. “This isn’t about Danae. And Tessa’s not— I told you. She’s got issues. Serious issues that, believe it or not, don’t involve me.”
“You can’t help her sort them out?”
“Not if—” Smith paused on the stoop and sniffed. “Do you smell that?”
“Urine.”
“And not an animal’s. That’s human.”
“How on earth would you know?”
“Hunting with Dad—and a few foul men’s rooms.” Smith stepped off the stoop. “It’s still wet.” He caught the glint in the moonlight and scraped the soles of
“I wasn’t.” He could not believe he’d acted so irresponsibly. “But . . . she was all shaking and teary-eyed. . . .”
“Tears.” Bair nodded. “The brain scrambler.”
“I know better. I knew better at twenty-two.” He pressed his head between his hands.
“Maybe there’s more to it than you think.”
“There’s not more to it. I like sane women.”
“Sane didn’t work out so well.” Bair flicked him a glance.
Smith refused to add old anger to new angst. “I took her to emergency, thought maybe it was asthma or food poisoning.”
Bair scowled.
“I mean allergic reaction, you know, since she couldn’t breathe.”
Bair hit the open road and took off. “What did they say?”
“She left before seeing the doctor. It was all I could do to get her to let me drive her home.”
“All that over a kiss?”
Smith shook his head. “There has to be more to it. She told me something about nightmares once. Maybe they’ve become panic attacks. That’s what it looked like.”
“Would she want to be left alone, then?”
“If I’m the cause. Look, Bair, maybe you should liaison between us, so she won’t have to deal with me.”
“Bad idea.”
“Why?”
“You might not see it, but she’s got feelings for you.”
“I see it. She despises me.”
Bair shook his head. “Get to the bottom of the row you had and apologize.”
“All I do is apologize. I’m not even sure I’m apologizing for myself anymore. It’s as though I’m apologizing for everyone who’s ever hurt, left, and betrayed her. If you acted as go-between—”
“Brilliant. When we’re all cozied up in the office, you’ll just talk past her and I’ll repeat it back.”
Smith released his breath. “No, obviously. I wish we weren’t sharing the same space, though. It’s being near her that’s difficult.”
“Why?”
Smith threw out his hands. “Chemistry, I guess.” Except it wasn’t only that. There was something deeper that tugged when she was near. It had since the first time he’d seen her crossing campus with a look on her face of equal parts utter delight and sheer terror.
It was the first time he’d experienced the pull and repulsion of her magnetism. He’d learned quickly how hazardous she could be, yet there’d been an excitement to it as well. But he’d been young and careless then. He should have learned something since.
Bair shook his head. “I’ve seen you when it’s only chemistry. You’ve got stronger brakes than a 747.”
Smith sighed. “I don’t know what, then. Maybe I feel sorry for her.”
“What did she do when you kissed her?”
“She . . .” He saw again the look in her eyes, a look that could swallow him whole, that had made him turn and run immediately. “It shouldn’t have happened; that’s all.”
Bair shot him a pointed look. “Maybe it’s time to dump your baggage.”
“What baggage?”
“Danae.”
“That’s well done and over with.”
“Then why not go for it?” Bair pulled through the open gate.
Smith hopped out and closed it, then got back in. “Listen, Bair. There’s nothing personal between Tess and me. That would be insanity.”
“Would it?” Bair pulled up at the trailer. “Because I think she’s a nice girl, and maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have someone who wanted you as much as you wanted her.”
Smith blew an exasperated breath as they climbed out. “This isn’t about Danae. And Tessa’s not— I told you. She’s got issues. Serious issues that, believe it or not, don’t involve me.”
“You can’t help her sort them out?”
“Not if—” Smith paused on the stoop and sniffed. “Do you smell that?”
“Urine.”
“And not an animal’s. That’s human.”
“How on earth would you know?”
“Hunting with Dad—and a few foul men’s rooms.” Smith stepped off the stoop. “It’s still wet.” He caught the glint in the moonlight and scraped the soles of
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