Page 20 of Prince of Tides
“That must be annoying.”
“I’m already exhausted justthinkingabout it,” I admitted. “And I have to face them because they’re family. But how do I put up with it?”
“Because they’re family,” Rip said. “They’ll get over it, and probably faster than you think. They know you’ve been hurt. They just want what’s best for you, that’s all. Sometimes you just have to come to the same conclusion on your own.”
I looked at him again, absolutely not admiring the cut of his jaw or the bulge of his shoulders as they stretched his shirt with their width. “You’re awfully wise, you know,” I said.
“Not really. I’m just viewing it all from the outside, that’s all. I have a different perspective.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s easy, really. If your family didn’t care about you, they wouldn’t get so worked up over which men you date.”
“That makes a strange amount of sense. I’ll have to keep that in mind when the topic comes up, which I’m sure it will, and sooner than I’d like.”
Rip laughed. “Sorry, nothing I can do to help you with that one.”
We drove on in silence for a bit, me taking directions when we neared the city as he guided me to the downtown core.
“You know,” I said, glancing over at him as I stopped at a red light. “You’re a pretty good conversationalist. Most of the people my father hires aren’t quite so introspective. It’s … been nice talking to you.”
“I agree,” he said, his eyes hooking mine, locking them.
“Are you hired or just contract work?” I asked, goosebumps running down my spine as we gazed deeply at one another. “Will I be seeing more of you, I guess, is what I’m asking?”
“I don’t know.” Rip tilted his head slightly to the side as he replied in a deep, gravelly voice. “Would you like to?”
My heart caught in my throat at the not-so-subtle invitation.
Chapter Twelve
Rip
The light turned green, the hue filling the inside of the car.
Behind us, a car honked.
“Light’s green,” I pointed out.
“Huh?” Laurie mumbled a little dazedly.
“Well, usually that means go,” I teased. “But if you want to stay here all night, staring into each other’s eyes, we can do that, too.”
Laurie went beet red and whipped her head around, staring intently at the road as she drove. I refrained from letting out the chuckle that threatened to follow, realizing it wouldn’t help my case. Perhaps I’d been too forward.
“Left up here,” I said, directing her instead, though I continued to look over at her. “Thank you, by the way.”
“For what?”
“This. Driving me home. It really wasn’t something you were in any way obligated to do. I appreciate it.”
“Oh, um, you’re welcome. As I said, I could use the drive. Clear my brain and all.” She still didn’t look over at me.
“It’s the first one past the lights on the right,” I told her, pointing it out, so we didn’t drive past.
“Nice place,” Laurie said, gazing up through the windshield at the condominium building. “My father must pay better than I thought.”
I laughed lightly at that, trying to duck the question, though she wasn’t wrong. Itwasa nice building, but that was the point. The Tidal Clan owned the top few floors’ worth of penthouses in the upscale building for a reason. It was where many of our older dragons were sent.
