“Yes—after I’ve helped.”
In a lightened mood—maybe because he was thinking of herbackside—he said without heat, “You’re the most infuriating woman.”
If he considered her infuriating, she might as well go for broke. “Once we’ve gotten everything put away, know what I want to do?”
“Get your butt rubbed?”
His wolfish grin made her snicker. Here she stood, battered and bruised, her hair messy, her clothes baggy, looking absolutely horrid, and still, he flirted. “Yes, but there’s something else, too.”
The buzz of his phone interrupted. After a single glance at the screen, Kam ignored it.
Glory didn’t. She gave him a look. “Aren’t you going to answer it?”
“Nah.”
Suspicions crawled in. Clearly, it wasn’t family, because he never ignored their calls. “Why not?”
Brushing past her, he went for more dishes. “I’m busy right now.”
Too busy to answer his phone?
The buzzing stopped—and then started again. “Answer it.”
“Why?”
“Why not?” she countered.
Grousing under his breath, he stalked past her with their glasses. “It’s Shara, and I already explained things to her.”
Shara!Now she was irked. “Maybe you need to explain again.”
He tried frowning, but Glory just gave him an imperturbable stare. She trusted him; that wasn’t the issue. At the moment, she wasn’t sure of the issue, she only knew she didn’t like it.
“Women.” Despite his grumble, he took the phone from his pocket and answered with, “Not a great time.”
Whatever Shara replied had him looking up at the ceiling.Deciding not to hover, Glory went into the kitchen, which was all of five feet away, and put the lid back on the food containers Addie had brought over. Though she was slow, she had them into the refrigerator just as Kam ended a low and somewhat private conversation.
Before she could even turn, he was back and carefully slipping an arm behind her. “Will you please sit back down now?”
“Everything okay?”
“I can tell you’re dying to know, so yes, things are fine. Shara is just being persistent. I told her—again—that it’s not happening.”
“How’d she take that?”
“If you’re asking if that’s the end of it, probably not. She came by the shop yesterday. She’s called a few other times. No idea what’s gotten into her, but Addie said she’s probably jealous because of you.”
A dash of cold water wouldn’t have been as jarring. “Addie knew she’s been after you, but you didn’t bother to tell me?” That hurt. They were practically living together. Or actually living together, except that his apartment was very nearby. Whatever. Even if she was out of commission, he still shouldn’t have kept it from her.
“You,” he said after a peck to the end of her nose, “had enough to deal with. I wasn’t keeping secrets, but I didn’t think it was necessary to update you on a pesky ex, either.”
No, probably not, but he should have, anyway.
“Glory, Shara doesn’t matter.” He put his big warm hands on either side of her face, then bent his knees to look into her eyes. “We have plenty of things we can debate, but this shouldn’t be one of them.”
Wrinkling her nose, Glory said, “Guess I’m a little jealous, too?”
The warmth of his gaze told her he liked it. “You have no reason to be.”
