under my breath, I turned sharply,
lugged my suitcase out of the trunk, and dragged it up the steps to
my room.
By the time I opened my door, I swiveled my
head to hear footsteps ringing out along the concrete towards
me.
It was Denver.
Of course it was Denver. And of course he
was still wearing that exact same suit, that exact same tie, and
that exact same half-frown. I could tell just by the angle of his
chin and the narrowed look to his eyes that he was about to march
over to me to ask some more frigging questions.
Before I could push my head back and sigh in
exasperation, someone called his name.
“Denver, Denver Scott, oh my god, come
here.”
I shifted slightly to see Nancy rush across
the small lawn in front of the porch and practically somersault up
the stairs as she tried to get to Denver as quickly as she
could.
“I can’t believe it’s really you. I haven’t
seen you in years,” Nancy launched herself at Denver. Denver was
tall, but Nancy wasn’t that much shorter in her towering heels, and
she managed to get her arms around his neck easily.
“Nancy,” he said in a surprised voice that
was quickly muffled as her hair bunched around his face.
I found myself raising an eyebrow prudishly.
I have no idea why. I was a woman of the world. As a woman of the
world, I understood that Nancy wasn’t exactly something your
average man turned down. Plus, she had legitimately gone out with
Denver in high school, and while I had a problem with her, I was
mature enough to know that I wasn’t everybody.
“I didn’t get a chance to catch up with you
at the reunion. Oh my god, how have you been?” She leaned back, but
tapped her hand on his chest as she spoke.
It was an intimate move. And no doubt,
considering how close she was, the sound of that nasal high-pitched
voice would be shaking up and down his bones. Not to mention the
scent of that perfume. I’d copped a whiff of it when I’d gone into
reception to hand back my keys, and it had hung in the air like a
cloying shadow.
Though Nancy continued to smile at Denver as
if they were long-lost lovers finally reunited, he now managed to
take a step back. He neatened his shirt, pulled down tightly on his
cuffs, and cleared his throat.
Was it just me, or did he look
uncomfortable? Not just awkward, not just irritated that Nancy had
thrown herself around him with no warning, but exceedingly put
out.
“Your brother said you’re now an FBI agent,”
Nancy said, her voice dripping with obvious enthusiasm. “Oh my god,
that’s so amazing. Do you have a gun?”
I couldn’t help it – I had to snigger at
that. Did he have a gun? What kind of question was that?
The answer was a sultry, flirtatious one.
Because on the word gun, Nancy let her gaze drop, and while I
couldn’t see what she was looking at, I doubted it was the side of
Denver’s hip.
Though I ensured that my snigger was quiet,
Denver turned his head sharply and stared my way.
As he did, Nancy appeared to realize I was
standing there, and she turned to face me. “So you decided not to
leave after all. That’s very brave of you.” She smiled around her
words, but there was no way she was being nice.
“No, not brave, I just found something to
stay for,” I answered sharply, manhandling my bag and suitcase as I
shoved the door open.
“Oh, you mean that award they’re going to
give you at the reunion for becoming the most successful graduate
of our class?” Nancy continued.
I stared at her darkly.
“That is, if you measure success by riches.
I, myself,” Nancy patted a hand on her chest, and it made her
cleavage wobble, likely on purpose, “think that happiness, strong
family ties, and the perfect relationship,” she sliced her gaze
towards Denver, “are what really matter in life.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Latching a hand on
the door, I took a step into my room. Pausing to turn back to face
her, I shot my gaze between the two of them briefly. “But I would
add morals and
lugged my suitcase out of the trunk, and dragged it up the steps to
my room.
By the time I opened my door, I swiveled my
head to hear footsteps ringing out along the concrete towards
me.
It was Denver.
Of course it was Denver. And of course he
was still wearing that exact same suit, that exact same tie, and
that exact same half-frown. I could tell just by the angle of his
chin and the narrowed look to his eyes that he was about to march
over to me to ask some more frigging questions.
Before I could push my head back and sigh in
exasperation, someone called his name.
“Denver, Denver Scott, oh my god, come
here.”
I shifted slightly to see Nancy rush across
the small lawn in front of the porch and practically somersault up
the stairs as she tried to get to Denver as quickly as she
could.
“I can’t believe it’s really you. I haven’t
seen you in years,” Nancy launched herself at Denver. Denver was
tall, but Nancy wasn’t that much shorter in her towering heels, and
she managed to get her arms around his neck easily.
“Nancy,” he said in a surprised voice that
was quickly muffled as her hair bunched around his face.
I found myself raising an eyebrow prudishly.
I have no idea why. I was a woman of the world. As a woman of the
world, I understood that Nancy wasn’t exactly something your
average man turned down. Plus, she had legitimately gone out with
Denver in high school, and while I had a problem with her, I was
mature enough to know that I wasn’t everybody.
“I didn’t get a chance to catch up with you
at the reunion. Oh my god, how have you been?” She leaned back, but
tapped her hand on his chest as she spoke.
It was an intimate move. And no doubt,
considering how close she was, the sound of that nasal high-pitched
voice would be shaking up and down his bones. Not to mention the
scent of that perfume. I’d copped a whiff of it when I’d gone into
reception to hand back my keys, and it had hung in the air like a
cloying shadow.
Though Nancy continued to smile at Denver as
if they were long-lost lovers finally reunited, he now managed to
take a step back. He neatened his shirt, pulled down tightly on his
cuffs, and cleared his throat.
Was it just me, or did he look
uncomfortable? Not just awkward, not just irritated that Nancy had
thrown herself around him with no warning, but exceedingly put
out.
“Your brother said you’re now an FBI agent,”
Nancy said, her voice dripping with obvious enthusiasm. “Oh my god,
that’s so amazing. Do you have a gun?”
I couldn’t help it – I had to snigger at
that. Did he have a gun? What kind of question was that?
The answer was a sultry, flirtatious one.
Because on the word gun, Nancy let her gaze drop, and while I
couldn’t see what she was looking at, I doubted it was the side of
Denver’s hip.
Though I ensured that my snigger was quiet,
Denver turned his head sharply and stared my way.
As he did, Nancy appeared to realize I was
standing there, and she turned to face me. “So you decided not to
leave after all. That’s very brave of you.” She smiled around her
words, but there was no way she was being nice.
“No, not brave, I just found something to
stay for,” I answered sharply, manhandling my bag and suitcase as I
shoved the door open.
“Oh, you mean that award they’re going to
give you at the reunion for becoming the most successful graduate
of our class?” Nancy continued.
I stared at her darkly.
“That is, if you measure success by riches.
I, myself,” Nancy patted a hand on her chest, and it made her
cleavage wobble, likely on purpose, “think that happiness, strong
family ties, and the perfect relationship,” she sliced her gaze
towards Denver, “are what really matter in life.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Latching a hand on
the door, I took a step into my room. Pausing to turn back to face
her, I shot my gaze between the two of them briefly. “But I would
add morals and
Similar Books
