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“Nowhere, Bella-Beast. I’m coming with you.”
“You said you had business in town.”
“I did. Business getting reacquainted with my long-lost cousin.”
That didn’t help my nerves. “Five years isn’t that long a time, Ian,” I managed.
“No, it isn’t. And yet sometimes it can seem like you’re an entirely different person.”
I really wanted to puke. Instead, I forced a smile. “I’m looking for flat sandals and a couple of loose sundresses. Then I have to stop at the Pharmacia and buy tampons and condoms. Are you going to help with that?”
He didn’t even blink. “I can lend you the condoms.”
I didn’t blink either. “But I doubt you have tampons.”
“Someone might have left some behind.”
“I only use a certain brand.”
“Oh, really? Are you built strangely down there?”
God, I wanted to slap him. “I’ll meet you at the Pelican in an hour,” I said, naming our favorite meeting place in an effort to shut him up.
“The Pelican’s been closed for ten years now and you know it. The hotel bar will do.” And he strode off without a backward glance.
There was no doubt—Ian was winning the battle of wills. I was going to need to keep away from him if I wanted any kind of peace of mind. I still didn’t believe he suspected—he was just trying to rattle his detested cousin. Unfortunately, he was doing too good a job.
Not that he’d detested me, but he would once he found out what I had done. We’d always had a wary truce, thrown together by Marcus and Bella’s mutual infatuation, and beneath his sharp tongue had been, if not kindness, at least no enmity.
The return of Bella Whitehead was greeted with joy and affection by the merchants, and it had been a simple matter to find a pair of plain, flat leather sandals and a couple of loose cotton dresses. At the last minute, I splurged on a pair of running shoes, cursing myself for not demanding them earlier. Even a style icon could use sneakers, though Bella’s probably cost hundreds of dollars.
Which made me ten minutes early to the darkened confines of the old hotel bar, where Ian sat drinking a cup of coffee.
He eyed the small bags I carried, but made no comment, when I’d braced herself for snark. “You want something to drink or shall we head back?”
“Marcus is probably back by now, don’t you think?” I don’t know why I said it, but the sudden tightening of Ian’s jaw almost made me regret it.
“Since I don’t know where he’s gone, I could hardly guess when he’d return. Are you hoping to rekindle your grand passion?”
“Why not?” I said recklessly. “Maybe we were meant to be together after all.” I wasn’t quite sure why I said it, I only know I wanted to annoy him, and it worked better than I would have expected.
“He’s not your type,” he growled.
“Tall, blond, and gorgeous?” I said. “Maybe you think I’d be better off with someone dark and dangerous, like you?”
He’d risen from his barstool, and he stood there for a moment. “At least you recognize I’m dangerous,” he said in a dulcet tone that did just what it was supposed to do. Send a shiver down my spine.
The fact that it sent a betraying heat as well only made it worse. “Is that a threat?” I demanded.
He took the packages from my hands. “Now why would I be a threat to you, Bella-Beast?” he said reasonably enough. “Looks like you forgot something?”
“What?” I demanded as we stepped back out in the blinding sunlight.
“Your condoms. If you find yourself overcome with need, you know where to find me.”
“I expect Marcus has his own.”
He drove even faster on the way back. “This isn’t the way back to Mariposa,” I pointed out with gritted teeth as we roared up a narrow road.
