“You’re right, it’s a defense strategy.”
She snorted even while her stomach tripped. That wasn’t it at all. Not being in a relationship meant she had more time to focus on school and a future career. It was simply a logical choice. Besides… “What would I need to defend against?”
“Oh, I don’t know. The fear of getting hurt? Or maybe you’re afraid of the temptations a romantic relationship might bring up?” Trent discarded his usual cocky expression, his face softening as he stared at her through cyberspace. “Look, I know I wasn’t always the best example for you, especially when it came to how I treated women. But not all guys are like I was, and you’re not like the women I used to spend time with. It’s okay to have feelings for a man, and it’s good to explore those feelings by getting to know him better.”
“I know that.”
“Do you? Because I’m all prepared to start quoting some Song of Solomon to you.”
“Trent.”
He matched her exasperated tone. “Amber.”
Despite herself, she laughed. “Look, I have a lot on my plate right now. It doesn’t seem like a good time to add another thing.”
He gave her a pointed look. “My advice, squirt, is that you start making some room on that plate of yours. Michael’s not wrong, a lot of guys are trouble, but if you’ve found a good one, well, don’t you think you owe it to both of you to explore your feelings?” His mouth dropped dramatically. “Or, wait. Maybe your rule is there because you have no feelings. Are you a robot? I knew that ACME box that came when I was a kid looked suspicious.”
Amber chuckled and shook her head. “You’re such a dork.”
He winked. “A smart dork. Think about what I said.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She pushed a button on her keyboard and signed off. She would think about her brother’s advice. She would…later.
The cover of C.S. Lewis’s book, a picture of a roaring lion in enticing colors, beckoned her to her bed. Right now, she needed to escape, and Narnia sounded like just the place to go.
Chapter Fifteen
Agitation grew in Seth’s stomach as he leaned against the airport wall in front of security. His finger tapped against his elbow, an outlet for his mounting negative energy. His temple began to tick, and he unclenched his jaw before he could give himself a headache.
A hundred times over he’d considered Kayla and her little stunt. No matter how he spun it, he couldn’t unravel a reason why she’d steal. It wasn’t like her. Not the Kayla he knew and remembered. She’d been the sweetest thing when they were kids. Creative, with a mind that made him swell with pride. They hadn’t had extra money for expensive art supplies, but the things she could do with the array of broken crayons and nearly dried-up paints they’d secreted away from school had been magical. While he had been busy trying to protect her from the seedier side of their neighborhood, she’d created other worlds for them to escape into with her art.
When was the last time he’d seen a paintbrush or a piece of chalk in her hand? It seemed like the soft, fluid lines within her had hardened to sharp angles. What had changed?
A flow of people trickled through the opening in the glass security partition for arriving travelers. He pushed off the wall and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He’d attempt a smile but couldn’t pretend anything about this pleased him. He’d spent his childhood trying to shield her from influences that would lead her to prison, and once he’d finally been able to remove her from the slums, she chose the wrong side of the law?
A familiar figure emerged, her hand gripping a designer carry-on bag. She scanned the area, her gaze searching then landing on his. For a moment he thought he could see her, the sister of his youth, but then shutters descended, and she was once again a stranger in a familiar form.
He exhaled a long sigh and stepped up beside her, pressing a kiss to her head. “Kayla.”
“Nanny.”
“Don’t be like that.” He reached for her bag, but she transferred it to her other hand.
“I got it.”
He ran his fingers through his hair, gripping the ends a bit and pulling. “Fine. Let’s just go and get the rest of your stuff.”
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “This is it. Mummy dearest said she’d mail anything she thought was pertinent.”
His teeth clenched again. “Fine.”
They walked in silence, their body language charged and arguing loud enough to turn heads as they passed.
A blast of heat laced with humidity hit him in the face as they exited the airport and entered the parking garage. He fished the keys out of his pocket and clicked the key fob. Mila’s borrowed sedan beeped, its lights flashing.
Kayla glanced over at him, her amber eyes laughing. “Really? Since when does the famous Seth Marshall drive a family car? You took your driving test in a Mercedes roadster.”
He opened her door and met her gaze. “People change.”
