Page 44 of Countdown to Murder
Mira
I didn’t know what to think of the flowers or the fruit, which was arranged beautifully in a fancy basket. Apples, oranges, grapes, plums, pears, and a couple of peaches.
How had he known to get peaches? Ilovepeaches. I grabbed one, walked to the sink, washed it, and ate it. Skin and all. God, I love peaches. My body usually can’t handle the carbs, but that didn’t seem to be a problem anymore.
“Looks like I should’ve ordered the peach cobbler instead of apple pie,” Panda said, a huge smile on his face.
“Why are you smiling?” I asked around the tart, sweet peach flesh in my mouth.
“I enjoy seeing you happy. Peaches make you happy?”
I nodded. “I’d never thought of it that way, but yeah, I suppose they do. The flowers are beautiful, but I’m not sure what to do with them.”
“You don’t do anything with them. I mean, you can smell them, and if you like, I can put a few petals in the coconut oil to help scent it, but mainly, they’re a visual reminder that someone thinks you’re special.”
I froze and stared at him while the message worked its way through my brain.A visual reminder someone thinks you’re special. He’d spent time and money for the flowers and fruit because he wanted to show me he thought I was special. What should I do for him?
“Is it enough for me to say thank you? Am I supposed to do something else to show how I feel? I’m sorry, if there’s a protocol, I don’t know it.”
“How do you feel?”
I grabbed another peach, took a bite, and considered the question. “Special. Like I matter. I’m not sure how to explain it.”
He walked to me, kissed his finger, touched it to the tip of my nose, and my heart went all fluttery in my chest. “You just did, Darlin’. Will the peaches be enough of a snack before our swim?”
“No. I need carbsandprotein, and some fat, too. The egg salad you bought yesterday should work on a sandwich. Do we have pickles to go on the side? Maybe two sandwiches. Or even three.” I walked to the refrigerator and began pulling food out. “I feel like I lost five pounds teaching the kids. I think I preferred my old metabolism. Eating this much is going to be a pain in the ass, not to mention expensive.”
“Drake will pay you enough you won’t have to worry about expense, and I’ll show you how to stock a freezer and pantry so you always have something handy to cook and eat.”
* * * *
Panda
I’m a strong swimmer and assumed I’d have to back off for Mira to keep up, but in reality, the little thing is like a bullet in water. She used her arms, of course, but her body moved like a snake, propelling her in ways I couldn’tmatch. I swam all out and we were nearly a draw, and I’m one of the fastest swimmers I know, even amongst supernaturals. Suffice it to say, I got a cardio workout, and then some.
Pat and Ruth had assured us we were safe for a half-mile out to sea, so we swam parallel with the beach, and watched for the landmarks to warn we were nearing the edge of the county. By the time we made it back to our rented beach house, I climbed onto land and collapsed on the hard-packed sand.
“Fuck. Have you always swam like that?”
She nodded. “Like a snake, yes, but it was easier today. The joints were even more fluid than they’ve been in the past. Everything flowed easier.”
“How long is your snake?”
“Sixteen feet, which is long for a female. Odd, since I’m shorter than most in my human form.”
Somewhere in the back of my mind I remembered Echidna was Poseidon’s great-granddaughter, and I realized I should’ve known Mira would be a strong swimmer. It helped my ego a little, but not much.
She was standing over me, looking down, and my male pride forced me to my feet, though my thigh and calf muscles screamed at me for forcing them to trudge through the sand.
“I’m going to make a quick run through the shower to get the sand off me and do something with my hair,” Mirasaid while I dug the key out of the inside zipper pocket of my swim trunks.
“I’ll pull the lasagna pans from the oven so they can rest before we cut into them, and then I’ll jump in the shower as well. If you’re still in the master, I’ll use the one out here.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Mira
I was close to losing control when we came in from our swim, but I forced myself to shower, put loose clothes on, and calmly load up my plate. I focused on my heart rate, my scent, my emotions, and my stress level — it was important Panda didn’t know how close to the edge I was. Not because I wanted to hide it from him, but because it was important that I could.
