accent. Still focused on the
computer, she lifted her left hand and wiggled her fingers, diamond
ring glittering. Then she slipped the ring off and tapped the
keyboard again. “ Call it incentive to stick around this time.
Honestly, what type of husband leaves his wife for months, hm?”
“What can I say? I’m a popular guy.” His
gaze swept across her body bent over the computer desk and he
bobbed his head. “You look good, Nai.”
She made a brusque sweeping gesture with her
hand. “Sweet talk will not get you back into my good graces.
It’ll take much more’n that.” Flash drive inserted into her
computer, Naima tapped a few keys and turned to face him, lips
pursed, one brow arched. “Who is she?”
The glass stopped halfway to his mouth.
Xander tilted his head, cocked his brow.
“The atrocious hag who’s kept you away from
me this long?” Naima marched back over to him, planted her hands on
slim hips and narrowed her dark eyes. “At your last visit, which
was eons ago, mind, you were late. You usually call if
you’re going to be late, but I let it go.”
“This is you letting it go?”
“You get here,” she pressed on, “something
clearly had you upset and when I ask you about it, I get typical,
tight-lipped Xander. You were so distracted, and then rushed out of
here after only two days ! We barely had time to—”
“There’s no woman, Naima.” Xander managed
the lie for a split second. Then his lips betrayed him, curling
into a smile as thoughts of Kizzie made their daily jog through his
head.
He’d seen neither woman in months, but now
realized how alike they were. Both absolutely alluring; both
interminably stubborn. Confident. Determined. Naima was like a
shorter, British-based version of Kizzie, with a lot less sass.
The biggest difference? Naima had proven
herself trustworthy. The verdict was still out on Ms. Baldwin. One
phone call to Connolly made it perfectly clear where Kizzie’s
loyalties rested.
Still banged up just days after Sacha’s
assault, she’d grimaced and winced with every move as she packed
her duffle. Xander watched from the doorway, mood foul and anger at
DEFCON 1. It took every ounce of his control as a Dom to tamp down
the frustration, promising to contact her as soon as they got a
lead on the necklace Sumi had stolen. In return he got Kizzie’s
“yeah, right” face, chock-full of snark.
It was a cute face.
He glanced up, running dab-smack into
Naima’s scrutiny. “There’s nobody.”
“That’s pants. Pants !”
“What about pants?” Xander asked, completely
lost.
Naima rolled her eyes and gave a little
shake of her head. “Something the kids are saying… Though, when I
was a kid, we just called it what it was: Bullshit.
“Just then, I saw your face. Sitting here in
front of me and thinking about her . So ‘there’s nobody’ is
pants. Don’t pants a pantser, Xander luv.” Her thick brow arched up
further, almost daring him to say otherwise. “ Who is she and where is she? If she’s got you missing time with me, I want
to check her out.” Xander held her gaze, lifting the cup to his
lips for a slow swallow of water. Naima turned her face away and
then stared at him again. With an imperious tilt of her chin she
asked, “Does she know you’re dreadful at relationships?”
An insulted V dug into his forehead. “I
wouldn’t say dreadful —”
“Ha!” Naima fully extended her arm, pointing
her index finger at him. “Addressing the lesser point means there is , in fact, another woman.” A giggle tinkled from her
throat. Taking up her water she plopped onto the couch; tucked one
foot beneath her, rocked the other on the rug-covered floor.
“What’s she like, sir?” He slid her a sideways glance and she threw
her head back, laughing hard.
As the minutes passed, she tapered to
expectant silence until her face was shy of exploding. He took
another deliberate swallow of water.
“Oh, all right. I swear the Sphinx took
lessons from
computer, she lifted her left hand and wiggled her fingers, diamond
ring glittering. Then she slipped the ring off and tapped the
keyboard again. “ Call it incentive to stick around this time.
Honestly, what type of husband leaves his wife for months, hm?”
“What can I say? I’m a popular guy.” His
gaze swept across her body bent over the computer desk and he
bobbed his head. “You look good, Nai.”
She made a brusque sweeping gesture with her
hand. “Sweet talk will not get you back into my good graces.
It’ll take much more’n that.” Flash drive inserted into her
computer, Naima tapped a few keys and turned to face him, lips
pursed, one brow arched. “Who is she?”
The glass stopped halfway to his mouth.
Xander tilted his head, cocked his brow.
“The atrocious hag who’s kept you away from
me this long?” Naima marched back over to him, planted her hands on
slim hips and narrowed her dark eyes. “At your last visit, which
was eons ago, mind, you were late. You usually call if
you’re going to be late, but I let it go.”
“This is you letting it go?”
“You get here,” she pressed on, “something
clearly had you upset and when I ask you about it, I get typical,
tight-lipped Xander. You were so distracted, and then rushed out of
here after only two days ! We barely had time to—”
“There’s no woman, Naima.” Xander managed
the lie for a split second. Then his lips betrayed him, curling
into a smile as thoughts of Kizzie made their daily jog through his
head.
He’d seen neither woman in months, but now
realized how alike they were. Both absolutely alluring; both
interminably stubborn. Confident. Determined. Naima was like a
shorter, British-based version of Kizzie, with a lot less sass.
The biggest difference? Naima had proven
herself trustworthy. The verdict was still out on Ms. Baldwin. One
phone call to Connolly made it perfectly clear where Kizzie’s
loyalties rested.
Still banged up just days after Sacha’s
assault, she’d grimaced and winced with every move as she packed
her duffle. Xander watched from the doorway, mood foul and anger at
DEFCON 1. It took every ounce of his control as a Dom to tamp down
the frustration, promising to contact her as soon as they got a
lead on the necklace Sumi had stolen. In return he got Kizzie’s
“yeah, right” face, chock-full of snark.
It was a cute face.
He glanced up, running dab-smack into
Naima’s scrutiny. “There’s nobody.”
“That’s pants. Pants !”
“What about pants?” Xander asked, completely
lost.
Naima rolled her eyes and gave a little
shake of her head. “Something the kids are saying… Though, when I
was a kid, we just called it what it was: Bullshit.
“Just then, I saw your face. Sitting here in
front of me and thinking about her . So ‘there’s nobody’ is
pants. Don’t pants a pantser, Xander luv.” Her thick brow arched up
further, almost daring him to say otherwise. “ Who is she and where is she? If she’s got you missing time with me, I want
to check her out.” Xander held her gaze, lifting the cup to his
lips for a slow swallow of water. Naima turned her face away and
then stared at him again. With an imperious tilt of her chin she
asked, “Does she know you’re dreadful at relationships?”
An insulted V dug into his forehead. “I
wouldn’t say dreadful —”
“Ha!” Naima fully extended her arm, pointing
her index finger at him. “Addressing the lesser point means there is , in fact, another woman.” A giggle tinkled from her
throat. Taking up her water she plopped onto the couch; tucked one
foot beneath her, rocked the other on the rug-covered floor.
“What’s she like, sir?” He slid her a sideways glance and she threw
her head back, laughing hard.
As the minutes passed, she tapered to
expectant silence until her face was shy of exploding. He took
another deliberate swallow of water.
“Oh, all right. I swear the Sphinx took
lessons from
Similar Books
