Page 39 of In Dangerous Water

“So did Chauncey,” I said, unzipping my jacket. “The carriage house actually belongs to him. Have a seat, I’m going to go take a quick shower and get dressed.”

He nodded and went to go and sit on the denim-covered sofa.

It didn’t take long to gather some clothes, jump in the shower, rinse off the chlorine and get dressed. While I combed out my hair, I gave myself a lecture.

A part of me had missed him terribly and wanted nothing more than to fall straight back into his arms. To kiss him and make love with him until I couldn’t see straight...despite the trust issues and challenges we had yet to face.

The other part of me knew that we still had a long way to go before there would be any sort of reconciliation. The first thing that needed to be discussed was the case. Secondly, we needed to clear the air about my magick, and what I did anddid notdo with it. Thirdly, we needed to discuss how andifwe would be a couple again.

“Don’t make it too easy,” I warned my own reflection. “You have tons to work through with him.”Not to mention,I thought,he is probably a tad afraid now that he’s had his first demonstrations of elemental magick.

I emerged from the bathroom barefoot and wearing a loose black pullover shirt and a pair of Halloween leggings. Feeling a tad more confident, I managed about two steps before I smelled the food. Curious, I walked into my kitchen and found Tim standing at the stove and scrambling up some eggs.

“Make yourself at home,” I said, surprised at what he was doing.

“Least I can do is make sure you have some food in your system,” he said. “I figured you hadn’t eaten yet.”

“I haven’t,” I said, not sure if I was annoyed with him or touched at his thoughtfulness.

“Want some toast to go with the eggs?”

I saw two pieces of bread already waiting in the toaster and sighed. “You are not obligated to take care of me, Tim.”

“I want to,” he said, turning to meet my eyes. “It’s the least I can do, after everything.”

For a few seconds our gaze held. I honestly wasn’t sure exactly what to say to him or how to start the conversation that so desperately needed to take place. Instead, I simply said, “I could go for some toast.”

With a nod, he pushed down the button.

He already had plates and utensils out on the counter, so I opened the fridge and took out the carton of orange juice and a jar of strawberry jam, placing them on the table.

Tim scooped the eggs onto the plates. He switched off the stove and set the dishes on the table. Before I could even move forward, he was placing the utensils beside the plates. I wentaround him and grabbed a couple of glasses for the juice and the butter dish from the counter.

When the toast popped up, he added a slice to each plate, and then he pulled my chair out for me.

“Thank you,” I said and sat, amazed at how polite we were being to each other. Tim took a seat, and I poured us both some juice.

The civility was downright awkward compared to how touchy we used to be.

“I figured it would be best if you had some protein in your system before we talked,” he said, and my thoughts yanked back to the here and now.

“Of course,” I said and applied myself to eating breakfast while it was hot.

We ate in companionable silence, and I fought the urge to rest my feet on his—as I usually did. More than once, I stopped myself from reaching over to rest my hand on his thigh beneath the table. It took more of an effort than I expected. But it wasn’t appropriate…not right then. A reconciliation might not be possible. I wasn’t even sure if he truly wanted one.

Once we were finished with our meal, I rose to my feet to take the dishes to the sink. After placing them within, I went and sat in the leather recliner, leaving the couch for Tim. I didn’t think sitting beside him on the couch was the smartest thing in the world.

Not when I couldn’t trust myself to keep my hands off him.

Tim followed me into the living room and took a seat on the far end of the sofa. “Feeling up to talking?” he asked.

I nodded. “Why don’t we start with the case. You mentioned there’s been a break?”

“Yes, there has been.”

“What did the police learn?”

“Another letter in a blue envelope was delivered to the aquatic center. It was taped to the glass front doors of the center.”

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