Read Online Tapestry of the Past by Alvania Scarborough - Free Book Online

first time since she’d closed her bedroom door last night, a tiny ray of light brightened her mood. Why would Gabriel bring up what had happened? He’d probably forgotten all about it already. Feeling marginally better, she plastered a bright smile on her face and slid onto the white ladder-back chair.
    Even though Kalesia didn’t think she made a sound, Gabriel turned and pinned her with that silver gaze.
    The smile froze on her face.
    “ Mornin ’.” He picked up two plates and brought them to the table.
    “Good morning,” she managed to croak as he set a dish of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of her. Smile. She was supposed to smile.
    “About last night,” he began, staring at his eggs.
    “Let’s just admit last night was a mistake and forget about it.” Kalesia stabbed an innocent lump of egg with vengeance. She so did not want to dissect what went wrong last night. Been there, done that and it always turned out to be her fault.
    Dead silence.
    “I want to go over your visions again after breakfast. After that, I need to go through your files. There has to be a reason someone wants you dead. A tie, if you will, between you and the killer. Assuming it isn’t totally random, then either your business or one of your visions is the most likely reason.” Gabriel chose a gently steaming biscuit and split it with precision before buttering each half. Strong white teeth sank into one half as he met her gaze.
    Kalesia was somewhat taken aback by his ready agreement to forget last night and by his matter-of-fact return to the investigation. In fact, she felt a bit insulted. Was last night really that unimportant to him? She drummed her fingers on the white wooden table. His eyes flickered to the movement. She stilled the little, irritated gesture.
    Damn. She’d wanted him to forget it. So why was she getting so upset?
    Good lord, had a part of her actually hoped he would insist on discussing last night’s fiasco? Hoped that he’d declare it—she—meant more to him than a fleeting moment of passion?
    If so, those hopes had taken a direct hit with his easy acceptance.
    Oh no. She so refused to explore that path. With the strength of will that had allowed her to recover after the disaster three years ago, she turned her attention to his statement that he wanted to go through her files. “Look, I’ve got to tell you. I am very uncomfortable letting you see my clients’ files. I have an obligation to keep their information confidential. They trust me.”
    Gabriel stopped chewing. “That’s the real problem, isn’t it? You don’t trust me.”
    Appalled that he’d misunderstood her, she protested, “That’s not it! It’s not a matter of not trusting you. Exactly,” she tacked on as it dawned on her that, in a way, he was right. She kept watch over her clients’ files the way a broody hen watched her nest.
    “Yes, it is,” he said. “It is exactly a matter of trust.”
    The intensity in his eyes refused to allow her to prevaricate. Kalesia knew what she said next was very important. And not just in the obvious way. “I don’t know you. How can I trust you with my files?”
    “You’re trusting me with your life.”
    “That’s different,” she defended, then shut her mouth with an inaudible groan. Really, could she sound any more stupid? “Major Harley said you could help.”
    Well, hell. Obviously, she could.
    To her chagrin, he didn’t say anything, just looked at her.
    “Well, he’s a sheriff’s officer! He wouldn’t have sent me here if he had doubts about your ability.” Let’s just see how deep we can dig the hole, Brannigan . If the man didn’t think you crazy before, he would now.
    He lifted a brow.
    It was time to call it quits. She was being ridiculous and they both knew it. Besides, she did trust him. Had from the moment she’d met his haunted gaze. It was just that when it came to her files she was like an overprotective mother. It was hard to give them into someone