tornado itself. Everything pushes and pulls at
once, in all different directions.” He couldn’t help but laugh at the
expression on her face. “I know it sounds it, but it’s really not painful.”
“I don’t know how you can
describe it like that, then turn around and say it’s not.”
“Explain how your gift works,
then. I bet it’s not as easy as it sounds.”
“Yes, it is. I just know things.”
She smiled smugly.
“And when you know what someone
else is feeling?”
“It feels like another part of me
is feeling it.”
“Oh.” What was it that lawyers
said? Never ask a question if you don’t know the answer already? Maybe he
should have taken that advice this time. “Okay, well, everything feels mushy as
it’s changing. And I get that goose bumps feeling as I’m growing fur.”
“Um, it sounds disturbing,
actually.”
“Yeah, but I’m probably not
explaining it well.”
“No, not at all,” she agreed. “My
work things are ready. I just need to grab clothes and other…stuff. I shouldn’t
be long.”
§§§
“Don’t expect much,” Cole warned
later as he unlocked the door to his house. “I’m not here a lot.” He held the
door open and moved out of the way to let her in.
Once inside, he set her bags down
by the door and brushed her arm as he walked by. It caused a warm feeling
inside she couldn’t quite explain. “If you have work you need to get done, I
can show you to your room and stay out of your hair.”
“Work can wait for now.” She
walked around the living room, noticed the sparse furniture, manly-sized
television and…nothing else. “Nice couch,” she commented with a grin. A typical
bachelor pad.
He ignored her comment, and she
grinned. Obviously his ugly beige couch was a sensitive subject.
“Are you hungry? If you want to
eat something, I’m afraid we’ll have to order in. I forgot to go grocery
shopping, so if there’s something in particular you want, just let me know and
I’ll add it to my list for tomorrow.” He glanced at her. “What?”
Lana looked at him innocently. “I
didn’t say a word.”
“No, you didn’t, but you were
thinking it. I saw it in your eyes,” he said as he walked up to her. He grazed
a finger lightly over her cheek and smiled when she leaned into his hand. “So
are you hungry?”
“Actually, yeah, a little. I had
planned on asking you to stop for food before we left my mom’s, but that was
before…” Before the tiger. She saw his jaw tighten and relax again.
“Then I’ll order something in.
What sounds good? Chinese?”
“Um, no. I don’t like Chinese
food, really. I wouldn’t argue if you ordered a pizza—extra cheese and
pepperoni.”
“What? No anchovies?” he said,
trying to look pain-stricken.
“Well, now that you mention it….”
“No. No anchovies. You know I was
kidding.”
She kept her expression deadpan.
“Did I? I thought you were serious.”
“Liar,” he said without heat
behind the accusation.
“What? Little ole’ me?” she said.
He snorted as he picked up her
bags. “C’mon, I’ll show you your room.”
A queen-sized bed covered in a
dark blue comforter sat in the middle of the room. Nearby, a chair held
carelessly thrown clothes and towels. The dresser in the corner was made of
red-oak wood with a vase of fake flowers sitting on top.
Lana turned and gaped at him.
“This looks suspiciously like your room, Cole.”
He shrugged. “It is. I’m going to
bunk on the couch while you’re here. It’s no big deal.”
“When you invited me, I figured
you had a spare room—not that I’d be taking your room. I’m not sleeping in your
room while you sleep on the couch. I’ll sleep there or you can just take me
back to my place.”
Narrowed eyes pierced hers as he
took a step toward her. His tone when he spoke was harsh with finality. “You’re
staying here, Lana. I don’t want you left alone.” He tugged on her hair gently.
“Besides,” he added, his tone
once, in all different directions.” He couldn’t help but laugh at the
expression on her face. “I know it sounds it, but it’s really not painful.”
“I don’t know how you can
describe it like that, then turn around and say it’s not.”
“Explain how your gift works,
then. I bet it’s not as easy as it sounds.”
“Yes, it is. I just know things.”
She smiled smugly.
“And when you know what someone
else is feeling?”
“It feels like another part of me
is feeling it.”
“Oh.” What was it that lawyers
said? Never ask a question if you don’t know the answer already? Maybe he
should have taken that advice this time. “Okay, well, everything feels mushy as
it’s changing. And I get that goose bumps feeling as I’m growing fur.”
“Um, it sounds disturbing,
actually.”
“Yeah, but I’m probably not
explaining it well.”
“No, not at all,” she agreed. “My
work things are ready. I just need to grab clothes and other…stuff. I shouldn’t
be long.”
§§§
“Don’t expect much,” Cole warned
later as he unlocked the door to his house. “I’m not here a lot.” He held the
door open and moved out of the way to let her in.
Once inside, he set her bags down
by the door and brushed her arm as he walked by. It caused a warm feeling
inside she couldn’t quite explain. “If you have work you need to get done, I
can show you to your room and stay out of your hair.”
“Work can wait for now.” She
walked around the living room, noticed the sparse furniture, manly-sized
television and…nothing else. “Nice couch,” she commented with a grin. A typical
bachelor pad.
He ignored her comment, and she
grinned. Obviously his ugly beige couch was a sensitive subject.
“Are you hungry? If you want to
eat something, I’m afraid we’ll have to order in. I forgot to go grocery
shopping, so if there’s something in particular you want, just let me know and
I’ll add it to my list for tomorrow.” He glanced at her. “What?”
Lana looked at him innocently. “I
didn’t say a word.”
“No, you didn’t, but you were
thinking it. I saw it in your eyes,” he said as he walked up to her. He grazed
a finger lightly over her cheek and smiled when she leaned into his hand. “So
are you hungry?”
“Actually, yeah, a little. I had
planned on asking you to stop for food before we left my mom’s, but that was
before…” Before the tiger. She saw his jaw tighten and relax again.
“Then I’ll order something in.
What sounds good? Chinese?”
“Um, no. I don’t like Chinese
food, really. I wouldn’t argue if you ordered a pizza—extra cheese and
pepperoni.”
“What? No anchovies?” he said,
trying to look pain-stricken.
“Well, now that you mention it….”
“No. No anchovies. You know I was
kidding.”
She kept her expression deadpan.
“Did I? I thought you were serious.”
“Liar,” he said without heat
behind the accusation.
“What? Little ole’ me?” she said.
He snorted as he picked up her
bags. “C’mon, I’ll show you your room.”
A queen-sized bed covered in a
dark blue comforter sat in the middle of the room. Nearby, a chair held
carelessly thrown clothes and towels. The dresser in the corner was made of
red-oak wood with a vase of fake flowers sitting on top.
Lana turned and gaped at him.
“This looks suspiciously like your room, Cole.”
He shrugged. “It is. I’m going to
bunk on the couch while you’re here. It’s no big deal.”
“When you invited me, I figured
you had a spare room—not that I’d be taking your room. I’m not sleeping in your
room while you sleep on the couch. I’ll sleep there or you can just take me
back to my place.”
Narrowed eyes pierced hers as he
took a step toward her. His tone when he spoke was harsh with finality. “You’re
staying here, Lana. I don’t want you left alone.” He tugged on her hair gently.
“Besides,” he added, his tone
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