Page 61 of Changing Tides
She turned on her heels. “Don’t be long.”
Joey quickly washed the burned fish off their hands, brewed a fresh pot of coffee, and retrieved the pastries they’d bought at the bakery yesterday. They tried one. A little dry, but they doubted Marianne would notice. Neither of them had eaten for nearly eighteen hours.
Marianne was tapping away on her phone when they returned, but she dropped it immediately and beamed at the laden tray in their hands.
“It’s all I could drum up in a few minutes. I have eggs if you want something more substantial later.”
“I like that there’ll be a later.” Marianne’s smile was sweet.
Joey laid the tray carefully on the bed and scooted in next to her. They ran a thumb down her beautiful cheekbone and around her jaw, hoping their rough skin didn’t hurt her. “I’msorry about earlier. I panicked and thought maybe when you woke, you’d want to get away.”
Marianne shifted the tray and scooted closer. She took Joey’s hand from her cheek and kissed each knuckle slowly. “I love your hands.” She looked up. “Why would I? Want to get away, I mean.”
Joey couldn’t remember why now. It was hard to focus on anything other than Mari’s warm lips running over their skin. “I…uh…thought you might have decided last night was a bad idea.”
Warm lips continued journeying around to the palm of their hand and up to their wrist. “Last night was amazing.” Her breath tickled against Joey’s pulse point.
Joey pulled back gently before they got carried away. They picked up a croissant, pulled off the end, and held it out. “Eat.”
Marianne leaned in and nibbled the piece. That wasn’t helping at all. They moved the tray between them as a barrier.
Marianne giggled. “I really can’t keep my hands off you. Who’d’ve guessed I still had it in me? I like what you do to me, Joey O’Hara.” She bit into a croissant with gusto.
“You’re young, why would you not have it in you? What are you, thirty-two?”
“Thirty-four.” Marianne’s response was muffled by pastry. She swallowed. “The spark between me and Amira went out years ago. Perhaps we let it. I became too obsessed with work.”
“Amira must’ve been mad. You deserve to be treasured and adored.” They regretted it as soon as it came out. Immediately, they shoved a pastry in their mouth to stop them saying anything else stupid.
The flush in Marianne’s cheeks and her wide smile suggested their comment hadn’t gone down as badly as they’d feared. “Thank you. You’re very sweet.”
Joey decided to keep quiet while they continued to eat. They washed the food down with coffee, and Marianne turned and crossed her legs on the bed while Joey put the tray aside.
“While we digest our breakfast, tell me something about you I don’t know.”
Joey’s mind went blank as it always did when they were put on the spot.Think of something!“I like to dance when no one’s watching.”
Marianne laughed loudly. “Well, thatisinteresting, but I was thinking something deeper.” She plumped a pillow behind her. “How about I ask you questions, and you give me one-word answers? But not yes or no.”
Joey frowned, unsure if Marianne was joking.
“Hey.” Marianne grasped their arm. “I’m a TV personality, remember. I need to practice my interview skills.”
A smile twitched at their lips. Marianne was difficult to deny when she was in charm mode. “Okay.”
“Right. Have you always lived on Inishderry?”
“Mostly.”
Marianne raised an eyebrow. “It didn’t take long to find something I didn’t know.”
Joey started to expand, but Marianne put a finger to their lips. “Rules of the interview, remember. One word.”
They grinned and nodded.
“What other place did you live in?”
“Belfast.”
