Page 65 of Enthrall
“Sure.”
Though Cameron had asked me the same question tonight and that hadn’t gone too well.
Richard wrinkled his nose. “Help me find my phone.”
We laughed our way through the brush, searching for his BlackBerry. Despite our nakedness, I felt comfortable with Richard. After all, he’d stopped at a kiss. With his house phone in one hand dialing his cell and his flashlight in the other, we soon tracked it down.
“Let’s get you dressed. I’ll take you home,” he said. “I’ve heard your boss is a stickler for timeliness.”
“He is. I’d hate to cross him.”
Richard kissed my forehead. “I can’t ever see that happening.”
I fought this urge to fall into his arms and barely won.
Richard drove me home.
STANDING BEFORE THE COFFEEMAKER, I took my time making Richard’s morning drink, a little nervous over having to face him again.
My mind lingered on our kiss last night. He’d been so gentlemanly. I hoped his resistance to go any further wasn’t because he didn’t find me attractive. It made me feel a little ugly.
On the way home he’d reassured me it had everything to do with being my boss, and he even declined to come into my apartment this time, stating he had a long drive back. He left right after seeing me safely to my door. I wondered how he might be with me today. We still had to talk about what happened over that strange dinner date with Cameron and his friend, the spooky senator. Maybe Richard could persuade Cameron to stop whisking me off into dangerous scenarios.
Despite the excitement of being around Dr. Cole, he made me feel like his plaything. Had Richard not interrupted us in the dungeon, I wondered how far things would have gone. Though something told me he’d timed Richard’s arrival perfectly. As though taking pleasure from stirring Richard up. There was something so seductive about Cameron. He made my mind go all fuzzy, and when he turned on that dark charm he made me go all weak at the knees too. No wonder Penny had warned me to stay out of his way...
“Mia?”
Lotte broke my fantasizing.
She and Penny sat behind me at the coffee table.
“Everything okay?” asked Lotte.
“Oh yes,” I said. “Want some more coffee?”
“No thank you,” she said. “You’re a little quiet this morning.”
“Still waking up.” I pointed to the brewing coffee. “Need one of these.”
Lotte continued her conversation with Penny. I’d managed to hear some of it, though not all. My mind was too busy wondering. It felt good to have caught a glimpse of Richard’s place and see how normal he really was. It was probably the same for Lotte and Penny. Despite their work here they did pretty much what the rest of us did, shopped at Ralphs, went out to dinner with friends, and even whiled away hours in book stores.
My eavesdropping revealed they even went to Costco.
Lotte chatted away. “You should have seen him,” she said. “It was priceless Richard. This guy in the car behind us sees another car taking the parking spot he’d set his hopes on and he leaps out and starts screaming at this old lady who took it.”
“What is it with road rage these days?” said Penny.
“So Richard tells me to stay in the car,” said Lotte. “He gets out and strolls up to this guy who’s going crazy on this old woman. Richard calmly says to the guy, “This is not a war zone. There are no bullets flying over our heads. This is Costco. A store. Why don’t you take a breath, put things into perspective, and go and fill your basket with items you’re lucky you can afford.”
Penny looked horrified. “The guy could have had a gun.”
“I had a car full of frozen stuff.” Lotte laughed. “I was more worried about it melting. Richard can take care of himself.”
Penny leaned forwards. “Go on.”
“The guy swung a punch at him.”
I spun round to look at them, clearly no longer eavesdropping.
