“You promise? It would mean a lot to me if you could. I never want to interfere with that.”
Some strange expression overcame him. Like a mix of tenderness and admiration. “First, you could never interfere. Second, as long as I know you’re not overdoing it, I’ll make sure I keep up with them.”
After that sweet comment, Glory felt like tallying up another win for herself. “And your apartment?”
“It’s not going anywhere.”
Such an unsatisfying reply. Did that mean he wanted to eventually get back to it, or just that he still had time to decide. Payments were due the first week of each month and she hated to see him spending his hard-earned money on a place he wasn’t using.
At the same time, she didn’t want him to give up his plans just because she’d been caught off guard. “So...” She forked up another bite of succulent pork, buying herself some time as she ate. “Pretty sure this is going to tick you off.”
“Now what?” He sent her a long-suffering look. “So we’re clear, I don’t expect you to tiptoe around about things.” He, too, went back to eating. “If you’ve got something on your mind, I want to hear it.”
She finished a few bites first. No reason to waste Addie’s delicious meal. While she did that, she reevaluated.
“Dragging out the suspense, huh?”
“No, it’s just... I’m bored.” That was it in a nutshell; a way to get to her pertinent point.
His brows lifted. “I imagine so.”
“Your apartment is empty.”
The unnecessary reminder tightened his jaw. “I know, but it doesn’t matter.”
That did it. No longer under control, all the words just rushed out. “It matters tomebecause I’m the one keeping you from it. You’re here playing nurse, and housekeeper, and personal servant, which,” she added with a somewhat snide and suggestive laugh, “is one hell of a fabulous fantasy, so you know. All the other women would love it, believe me. But it shouldn’t be all about me, not when you’re so incredible and you’re missing out on so much. You had plans, Kam. Good plans, even though I know Addie would disagree. But that should be between you and her, and instead, I’m messing up everything.”
“You’ve been fantasizing about me?”
Throwing her fork became a real possibility. “That’s all you heard?”
The curve of his mouth wasn’t all that friendly or amused. “I’m flattered, so yeah, that part stuck with me. It was more interesting than the rest of that nonsense you’re spewing.”
Nonsense!She’s just opened her heart to him, and he dared to act put out?
He sat back in his chair and waved a hand at her. “You’re dying to tell me, so what does my incredibleness have to do with my apartment?”
Since the wreck, it seemed her emotions had boarded a roller coaster and hadn’t gotten off yet. It was enough to make a woman dizzy. One minute, she wanted to tell him she loved him, the next, she wanted to confess that they’d be tied together, and right now, she wanted to tell him to go away.
Except that she didn’t really want to be alone. She wanted some peace and quiet, yes, but she wanted it with Kam.
Dreaded tears burned her eyes. “You’re doing all the giving, I’m doing all the taking, and I don’t like it.”
“You just said you liked it enough to fantasize over it.”
At least glaring at him didn’t hurt.
Hitching his shoulder, he said, “Fine. We’ll move past the fantasizing part since we can’t do anything about it yet. Plan to revisit that topic when you’re healed, though.”
No other man could be so outrageous. To get it said, Glory waited until he put a big bite in his mouth, then rattled off the words she’d rehearsed in her head. “I’m buying some things for your apartment. Fun things. Things that will look great.” She lifted her right hand to stop any complaints. “I’m doing it. I need to do it. You can’t stop me.”
He dropped his fork with a clatter. “I can refuse to accept it!”
At least he’d lost his patronizing tone. “You can try. But then you’ll make me sad, and I’ll...” Her heart clenched, but this was important. “I’ll have to make you leave when I’d rather you stay.”
Anger gathered his brows together and added fire to his green eyes. “Blackmail?”
“That’s an impressive look, sexy really, but I know you won’t lose your temper on me.” Plus, she wasn’t above fighting dirty.
