heads.
The center of the twining forest is a creature that resembles a
stylized greyhound. Its torso and limbs are barely distinguishable
from the serpentine growth around them as it sinks its teeth into
the neck of its inverted twin.
Mike asks, ‘Is it just me, or does everything in
here look familiar?’
It is a rare pleasure to be able to call upon
her knowledge of history. ‘That’s because everything we’ve seen so
far was inspired by ancient Nordic art.’
‘Is that so? I’ve always admired the Vikings,’
he admits, ‘yet I don’t really know much about them, just what I’ve
seen in movies.’
‘That’s not much,’ she agrees.
‘You studied history, didn’t you? Were they
really as barbaric as they’re made out to be?’
‘Yes, and no.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘They were complex. No one’s all good or all
bad, you know.’
‘That’s true. I’d be interested to learn more
about them. Let’s do lunch.’
She is careful not to look at him. ‘Okay.’
She flinches when Will abruptly grabs one of her
sore arms.
‘Let’s get out of here, Carmen.’ His breath is
hot in her ear.
‘Okay.’ She feels like a thief escaping with the
small yet priceless treasure of a lunch date with Mike. Finally,
she won’t just be stealing moments of his attention; she’ll have
him all to herself.
‘It was nice meeting you,’ Will says firmly.
Mike looks at her. ‘You’re leaving?’
Her eyes fervently tell him it isn’t her
idea.
‘Well, I’ll see you on Monday. Nice meeting you,
officer. Take care of her for me.’
She surfs a wave of pure elation out of the
gallery, but it immediately crashes out on the sidewalk when she
remembers that he’s married, and her employer, and that she can’t
afford to lose her job, which leaves only a fizzling, frustrated
restlessness in her blood.
Will lets go of her, and starts across the
street without seeming to care whether she follows him or not. This
annoys her, but ignoring her is an effective way to transform the
half empty glass of her interest in him into a half full one
again.
‘Hey,’ she laughs, ‘wait up.’
He stops, and let’s her catch up with him.
‘What’s the matter?’ She slips her arm beneath
his, and holds on to it.
‘Nothing.’
He is wearing a black, short-sleeved T-shirt,
and a fine silver chain that makes her appreciate what a strong yet
sensual neck he has. ‘Will, you have the most beautiful neck.’
He gives her that colorless, surprised glance
again. ‘You just noticed that?’ His gruff tone doesn’t quite manage
to cover up his vulnerable pleasure at the compliment.
‘Yes, it looks delicious. Can I have it for
dessert?’
‘It’s not sweet,’ he answers shortly. They reach
the car.
She lets go of his arm.
He unlocks the passenger side door, and opens it
for her.
She clutches the shirt over his chest with both
hands, and stands on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, ‘I want it!’ She
presses herself up against him. Everything about him is excitingly
hard except his vulnerable neck.
‘Just get in the car.’
His cool attitude is working; she wants him
desperately. She slips into the front seat hoping he’ll continue to
play the hard, no-nonsense cop so she can keep feeling excitingly
wicked, and determined to corrupt him.
The only problem is, it’s a very short drive to
her apartment.
He slips in beside her, and again she admires
the silver bracelet that draws her eyes to his wrist as he starts
the engine. This man’s bone structure leaves nothing to be desired.
‘Don’t take me home, Will, not yet.’
He merges with the traffic on Miracle Mile.
‘Where would you like to go?’ He turns right on Lejeune, heading
for her apartment.
She asks softly, ‘Can we park somewhere?’
He doesn’t answer. He simply makes a quick
U-turn, in the direction of a golf course with a lake.
She slides across the seat to him, and he drapes
a heavy arm over her shoulders, letting her snuggle up against
The center of the twining forest is a creature that resembles a
stylized greyhound. Its torso and limbs are barely distinguishable
from the serpentine growth around them as it sinks its teeth into
the neck of its inverted twin.
Mike asks, ‘Is it just me, or does everything in
here look familiar?’
It is a rare pleasure to be able to call upon
her knowledge of history. ‘That’s because everything we’ve seen so
far was inspired by ancient Nordic art.’
‘Is that so? I’ve always admired the Vikings,’
he admits, ‘yet I don’t really know much about them, just what I’ve
seen in movies.’
‘That’s not much,’ she agrees.
‘You studied history, didn’t you? Were they
really as barbaric as they’re made out to be?’
‘Yes, and no.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘They were complex. No one’s all good or all
bad, you know.’
‘That’s true. I’d be interested to learn more
about them. Let’s do lunch.’
She is careful not to look at him. ‘Okay.’
She flinches when Will abruptly grabs one of her
sore arms.
‘Let’s get out of here, Carmen.’ His breath is
hot in her ear.
‘Okay.’ She feels like a thief escaping with the
small yet priceless treasure of a lunch date with Mike. Finally,
she won’t just be stealing moments of his attention; she’ll have
him all to herself.
‘It was nice meeting you,’ Will says firmly.
Mike looks at her. ‘You’re leaving?’
Her eyes fervently tell him it isn’t her
idea.
‘Well, I’ll see you on Monday. Nice meeting you,
officer. Take care of her for me.’
She surfs a wave of pure elation out of the
gallery, but it immediately crashes out on the sidewalk when she
remembers that he’s married, and her employer, and that she can’t
afford to lose her job, which leaves only a fizzling, frustrated
restlessness in her blood.
Will lets go of her, and starts across the
street without seeming to care whether she follows him or not. This
annoys her, but ignoring her is an effective way to transform the
half empty glass of her interest in him into a half full one
again.
‘Hey,’ she laughs, ‘wait up.’
He stops, and let’s her catch up with him.
‘What’s the matter?’ She slips her arm beneath
his, and holds on to it.
‘Nothing.’
He is wearing a black, short-sleeved T-shirt,
and a fine silver chain that makes her appreciate what a strong yet
sensual neck he has. ‘Will, you have the most beautiful neck.’
He gives her that colorless, surprised glance
again. ‘You just noticed that?’ His gruff tone doesn’t quite manage
to cover up his vulnerable pleasure at the compliment.
‘Yes, it looks delicious. Can I have it for
dessert?’
‘It’s not sweet,’ he answers shortly. They reach
the car.
She lets go of his arm.
He unlocks the passenger side door, and opens it
for her.
She clutches the shirt over his chest with both
hands, and stands on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, ‘I want it!’ She
presses herself up against him. Everything about him is excitingly
hard except his vulnerable neck.
‘Just get in the car.’
His cool attitude is working; she wants him
desperately. She slips into the front seat hoping he’ll continue to
play the hard, no-nonsense cop so she can keep feeling excitingly
wicked, and determined to corrupt him.
The only problem is, it’s a very short drive to
her apartment.
He slips in beside her, and again she admires
the silver bracelet that draws her eyes to his wrist as he starts
the engine. This man’s bone structure leaves nothing to be desired.
‘Don’t take me home, Will, not yet.’
He merges with the traffic on Miracle Mile.
‘Where would you like to go?’ He turns right on Lejeune, heading
for her apartment.
She asks softly, ‘Can we park somewhere?’
He doesn’t answer. He simply makes a quick
U-turn, in the direction of a golf course with a lake.
She slides across the seat to him, and he drapes
a heavy arm over her shoulders, letting her snuggle up against
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