“Goodnight, then,” Lily said, heading for the sofa. “I’m going to stay up a bit. We’ll definitely have a lot to talk about today. Brad has info about a new group coming in. There’s also his interview venture and our plans for that. You have this thing going with Hawk McMillan which might take up some of your time, so we definitely have to look at schedules.”
So it was “our plans,” was it? That was interesting in itself. Amber nodded. “It’s all tied together in one big Dummy package. We might be able to use it as hot stuff.”
Lily raised her eyebrows. “It looks like we all have something in common—Dilaver.” She took a gulp from her mimosa. “Maybe we can get Hawk to help us with our venture.”
“We’ll see. The man’s a bit one-track.” Amber thought of how Hawk’s focus was on his mission, even when there were other things that needed his immediate attention. “He might not help.”
“Oh, be your persuasive self, Amber,” Lily said, settling back comfortably in the sofa with a yawn. “Stop competing with one another and talk to the guy. He can be an asset to us.”
“Umm, I could say the same thing about your being nice with Brad,” Amber pointed out as she limped toward her room. “You must tell me the rest of this date. Girlfriends are supposed to do that, you know.”
“Horrors, next you’ll want us to paint each other’s toe-nails,” Lily quipped.
Amber laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind for our next slumber party,” she promised lightly. “Goodnight.”
“’Night.”
She quietly closed the bedroom door and leaned against it.Don’t go there.Hawk’s quiet words came, sliding between her and the painful images. She took a deep breath, finished her drink, then started to undress.
As she headed for bed, the laptop by her bed caught her eye. She crawled between the sheets and purred appreciatively. Her laptop was on an adjustable table that slid over the bed at lap level. Within such easy reach, it was way too tempting. She had to check.
Yes, he was online, waiting for her, it seemed. She found it disconcerting that he read her mind and knew that she would look for him.
Don’t you ever sleep? You’re always up, no matter what time of the night it is!
There wasn’t a reply for a few minutes. Maybe he was asleep after all. It didn’t matter. Amber yawned, then grinned. Maybe he was tired out from the night’s activities.
I was waiting for you. Make sure you got home safely.
Damn. So much for that thought.I can take care of myself, Hot Stuff.
You had a rough night. Thought you might want some company.
She was touched at his concern. He’d said it would be tough to shake off the memory of what she’d seen. She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her palms.Will the anger ever go away?
No.
What do you do about it?How did one live normally after watching that? She bit her lip. How did those girls she helped out live normally after going through that? She was beginning to understand that the stories she had been told before were a mere fraction of this horrific display of inhumane torture.
I meditate.
His reply surprised her. Meditate? He didn’t look like the meditating type.Like ohm-ohm-the universe is perfect? Not my cuppa.She preferred to deal with a problem more directly. Like total destruction of Dilaver’s network, for instance.You’re full of surprises, Hot Stuff.
So are you, Ambrosia. Not just a pretty face, after all.
She could hear the smile behind the words. She had only met and talked to the guy, what—three times?—yet she could read between the lines, understand that he was trying to distract her. It dawned on her that the guy was very much a gentleman, in an odd covert operative sort of way. She laughed softly. She supposed she could reciprocate and give him the same comfort he was offering—gently teasing each other to sleep.
I’m not the only one with a pretty face, you know. But I’m sure you know that.He was, by far, the nicest-looking man she had seen in Velesta, or anywhere, for that matter.I’m sure you hear that all the time.
Yeah, all the time.
Must be tough.Amber almost asked him whether he had any special girlfriend waiting for him somewhere, then shook her head. Where did that come from? It was none of her business. A man who looked like him had to have lots of girlfriends, if not one.Girls must flock around you like bees to honey.
Actually, they make me feel like a candy bar. Or a big pizza with all the toppings.
Startled by his reply, Amber settled back against her pillow for a few moments.Wow, do you really feel that way?
A pause.Sometimes.
