Page 23 of Fragile Touch (Fragile 1)
Before she put the phone away, it beeped.
Over here by my lonesome. Sort of.
Her face fell. So, he had someone over. Feeling her throat tighten, she replied. Oh, okay! Have a fun night!
She cursed under her breath but another response instantly came through, including a photo of some tiny, leafy plants. Fun night over here, definitely. Me and my new babies having a wild party.
A laugh tumbled from her mouth and she felt new energy livening her up. How cute! What kind? Just for kicks, she threw in a wink and pulled out the drain. The air was definitely colder now; nighttime was coming. She turned the shower on hot to rinse all the bubbles off her skin and the bathtub. Steam rose from her feet and she breathed the last of the lavender scent deep into her lungs.
Her phone buzzed when she turned off the water; she stepped out, quickly wrapping a soft towel around her body and piling another one on her head. Steam particles were being sucked out from the gap in the bathroom door. The draft prickled the skin on her legs.
Cayden’s next message confused her, as it was a list of unfamiliar plant names—not that she had an impressive knowledge of plant terms in the first place. She couldn’t tell which ones were flowers and which were normal plants. Her usual rationale for which ones to collect and dry depended if they looked pretty or not. Skimming over the names again, she gave up. I guess I’ll just have to see them in person sometime, she replied. I have no idea what any of those are. Not gonna lie.
Anytime, he replied. It was just one word, and the more she thought about it the more she wondered if it was signaling the end of their conversation.
Well, I won’t keep you. Talk another time! The mood to talk with him had passed. It took so much effort; she didn’t think chatting with someone would be so tough. Obviously, this wasn’t meant to go anywhere significant tonight.
Gripping her arms to stay warm, she ran into her room and stood in front of a small portable heater plugged in beside her bed. She dropped the towel from her body, letting the hot air fill the space around her.
A shrill bell sound dinged from her phone, Cayden’s name lighting up on the screen. That’s the end already? Wait a minute, Lil. I was just getting warmed up.
Lillian raised an eyebrow and typed back, Oh?
Yeah, I was just about to tell you about all the bulbs I got today at the market.
She wasn’t sure how to respond. Before she could, another message came through. You’re welcome to come over and see them. They look like balls of dirt right now, but one day they’ll be almost as pretty as you.
Her cheeks got hot, and it wasn’t because of the heater. What was she supposed to say to that? So you didn’t work today? It was kind of senseless, but at least it was something.
Today was my day off. Tomorrow I have a couple of clients in the afternoon.
What are you going to do until then?
It took a little longer for his next reply.
You tell me.
Chapter 5
“He just wants to get in my pants.”
Gray Cat cocked her head and blinked sleepily.
Lillian took a long drink of water. “Maybe I want him there.” She shuddered, and let out a little giggle. “I’ve never said anything like that before. Not really meaning it, anyway.”
The cat lost attention and meowed, rubbing her sides against Lillian’s ankles. She bent down and scooped the animal up, clutching her tightly against her chest. A loud purr erupted from Gray Cat’s core. “You’re such a sweet thing.” Lillian planted a kiss in between the cat’s ears and set her down gently. “I’ve got to decide what I’m going to do.”
Cayden had texted five minutes ago and she was having a minor freak-out. Their conversation hadn’t lasted very long before then, only a few minutes, but it was back and forth responses. She had to say something soon.
Damn, I’m like a teenager. She felt ridiculous, but this was a new and exciting thing for her. These were feelings she hadn’t experienced in a while, and she forgot how it felt to be so conflicted about someone.
“Someone
so hot,” she muttered, taking a bite of banana. “who happens to live next to me.” It was too perfect. This must be rigged.
Her stomach tightened, and she felt a minuscule wave of dizziness sweep over her. The excitement was clearly more nerves than anything, and if she was going to be seeing Cayden tonight the last thing she wanted to worry about was another flare-up.
Taking deep breaths, she focused on the present moment to center herself. The last bite of banana tasted perfect. Her homemade peanut butter needed a touch less oil next time. Lemon-infused water seemed to help her get her strength back in the midst of the hangover. Log all these in the food journal.
