Page 35 of Tell Me Your Desires
To get herself out of the ridiculous funk that put her in, Jaime surveyed the area around her. The kitchen was modern and white but looked more or less unused. The counters were immaculately clean. There was no clutter of cooking utensils or small appliances other than a cappuccino/coffee maker and some other contraption with a bowl attached.A feeder?DidAnastasia and Derek have a pet?Why did that bit of domesticity depress Jaime even more?
Anya allowed Jaime her time to look around. She was about to bust Jaime’s confidence; the least she could do was let her enjoy the moment. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“No, thanks. I don’t want to impose. I just have those questions for Derek, and then I’ll be gone.” She couldn’t pinpoint why Anastasia’s smile or the mischief behind it caused her heart rate to spike. This woman was wreaking havoc on Jaime’s senses.
“Derek!” Anya called out. “You have a visitor!” She gave it a minute, knowing Derek wasn’t used to people being in the house. On the rare occasion they were, he hid. However, it was close enough to his feeding time that Anya could get him to show his face if he heard the feeder. “Hmm. This should rouse him.” She pressed the button on his feeder.
Jaime frowned. What did the feeder have to do with Derek? The noise wasn’t that loud. She couldn’t imagine Derek would be annoyed enough by it to make an appearance. Instincts had Jaime stepping back when a black cat popped up on the counter in front of her.
“Meow.”
The cat looked up at Jaime before turning its back and settling down to eat. Jaime looked around. Still no Derek. The situation was beginning to get on Jaime’s nerves. She didn’t like to be kept waiting. She nearly rolled her eyes at herself. Jaime had shown up at Anastasia’s home without warning, yet had the audacity to complain?
“Cute cat,” Jaime muttered moodily.
“I think so,” Anya replied with a cheery smile. “He’ll probably be more sociable after he has a full belly.”
As cute—and odd—as it was to hear Anastasia say ‘belly,’ Jaime was anxious to meet this Derek guy and then get out. Shedidn’t knowwhatshe had been expecting by coming here. Did she think she was sizing up the competition? Though her excuse of needing to verify Anastasia’s alibi was true, Jaime knew it was bullshit. She was here for one reason only. Anastasia Grant. And the woman she met at the club didn’t date dudes named Derek.You’re an idiot, Baros. She’s just told you Derek is her rock. Just because you don’t want it to be true doesn’t mean it isn’t.
“Um, sorry if it seems like I’m rushing you, but if Derek could answer a few questions, I can let you get back to your day.”
“Mew.”
Anya scratched behind Derek’s ears and smiled. “Back to my day, she says. That means going back to bed. So, if you would be so gracious as to answer some of the detective’s questions, that would be great.”
Jaime frowned. Anastasia was talking to the cat like it was… son of a bitch. It couldn’t be. “A-are you…is that…” Jaime took a breath, then tried again. “What’s your cat’s name?”
Anya looked up innocently. “Hmm? Oh, I’m sorry. Did I forget to introduce you? Detective Jaime Baros, this is Derek. My best friend, my rock… mycat.”
Jaime’s jaw dropped. “Thecatis your alibi?”
“No, he’s my cat.” Anya picked Derek up and nuzzled him. “Aren’t you? Yes, you are.” She kissed his nose, and Derek responded by licking hers. “If the mean detective needs an alibi, she’ll just have to review the surveillance tapes, won’t she?”
The scene before her was so incredibly unexpected that Jaime couldn’t help but laugh. She laughed until her sides hurt. She laughed until she cried.Thiswas Lady A? This gentle, sweet…cat lady? That thought had Jaime laughing even harder. But behind the laughter, there was fear. This side of Lady A—Anastasia—was adorable.I’m fucked.
“Are you okay?” Anya asked, chuckling at Jaime’s reaction to Derek. The outburst of laughter softened Jaime’s hard outer shell, showing a tenderness underneath.Oh, boy.
Jaime wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, still snickering. “Yeah, yeah. I’m good.”
“You look so much lighter when you laugh. Like the weight of the world is lifted from your shoulders.”
Jaime thought about that for a moment. Had she laughed like that since…? “I, uh, think maybe I’ll take you up on that coffee.”
Chapter Fourteen
Anya seta mug in front of Jaime. “Cream or sugar?”
“Nah, uh, no thank you. Black is fine.” Jaime’s leg bounced with anxiety under the table. What the hell had she been thinking? Her first instinct should have been to run out the door. Not sit down at Anastasia’s breakfast table and share a cup of coffee. Even if it did smell delicious.
Anya brought the carafe and a couple of croissants she had bought the day before. She saw Jaime’s restless leg and the uneasy look on her face. It was a far cry from the carefree laughter just a few minutes before. She put a croissant on a plate and pushed it towards Jaime.
“I’m guessing you didn’t eat before you came knocking on my door at an ungodly hour.”
Jaime stared at the pastry. Why was Anastasia being so nice to her after everything she had accused her of?
“Thank you.” Jaime looked up at Anastasia, who was sitting in the chair next to her. One leg was tucked up under her, a bare foot with manicured toenails painted a soft white peeking out. Jaime tried to remember if Taylor ever painted her toenails, frowning when she couldn’t picture it.
Anya tore off a piece of pastry and slipped it into her mouth as she studied Jaime. She said nothing as the detective’s gaze sat firmly on Anya’s foot. The frown Jaime wore was peculiar, and Anya’s instinct told her it had nothing to do with her pedicure.
