Page 6 of Rarely Pure and Never Simple
Hazelwood shrugged one shoulder. "The Karnack, half a block down."
"Yeah. The usual. What do you need before you're ready to go?"
"I need to study the file." He nodded to the packet clutched in his arms. "Get a fix on a direction if I can. Get cleaned up. And I need some sleep."
Yeah, probably doesn't help the twitches. "You need someone to watch over you?"
"No!" Hazelwood pulled in a harsh breath and ran a hand over the back of his neck. "No. I'm sorry. I'm not comfortable with strangers. Or even friends, if we get to that point."
Blaze laughed, disturbed by the harsh echo in the elevator's tightly confined space. "Friends? Oh, no, no. Let's get one thing straight now. I am not your friend. We're not going to be friends. Now or ever. You're a job for me, a well-paying job, but that's it. Got it?"
No offense crept into those cavern-deep dark eyes. No expression crossed Hazelwood's features at all. He simply nodded, as if this was what he expected from the world. Blaze had the uncomfortable feeling that he'd just kicked a man who already lay bleeding on the floor.
Despite his harsh words, he walked Hazelwood out of the building and down the block, both amused and irritated that his new job refused to let Blaze walk behind him. Every time Blaze slowed down to do so, Hazelwood stopped. At the end of the block, he resorted to an odd half circle around a light pole to get Blaze back where he could see him. After that, Blaze stopped trying.
In the Karnack's front lobby, Blaze blocked the way with his hand held out, palm up. "Phone."
"What?"
"Give me your damn phone."
Slowly, with a little twitch back to put an extra step between them, Hazelwood pulled his palm phone out of his jacket. "Why?"
"God, you're a suspicious twerp. So I can put my message ID in."
"Oh." The frown never left Hazelwood's face, but he handed over the phone.
Blaze tapped the center to bring up the floating virtuscreen. He typed his ID in rapid fire so no wandering eyes would catch it and shut the phone back down. "There. When you're ready in the morning, you message me your room number and I'll come get you."
Hazelwood stared down at the phone when he had it back. A bitter little smile tugged at his lips. "I guess if I try to leave without you, you'll track me down, won't you?"
"Damn straight. You can't run far enough."
"Never have been able to."
Blaze stood to the side and let his charge wander off to the elevators unhindered.I'm asking for a bonus when this is done. An aggravation bonus.
2
THE FOUNTAINHEAD OF ANGUISH
The file's packed? Yes. Check again. The drawers are empty? Yes. One more check. Phone in pocket? Yes. Check twice more.Text sent? Yes. Phone back in pocket. Start again.
The morning had started out well enough, with a shower and a call to room service, but after the hotel staff left his breakfast, Damien had found one of his shoes under the bed where it most definitely did not belong. He must have kicked it there while he fumbled about in the dark for a water glass the night before, but he didn't recall doing it. His heart had clenched and started an anxious gallop. Packing had become an ordeal, his mind continually backtracking in anxious mobius loops.
At home he could have fallen back on established ritual and calmed the hell down. Here…
Oh, shit, had he checked under the bed well enough?
No, no, no!He had to stop, had to appear sane and normal. Blaze Emerson would pound on his door soon. They had a flight to catch, and airports were hellish enough.
His legs gave out, and he collapsed on the bed.Oh God, I'm dying this time. I'm not going to make it through this one. My heart's going to give out.
The sharp rap on his door made him whimper. Head in hands, he rocked fretfully.
"Hazelwood?" Another set of knocks. "It's me, damn it. Open the door."
"I'm…" His throat tightened. He couldn't breathe, let alone speak. He needed to open the damn door, but his joints had rusted shut.
