Page 175 of A Matter of Time

“I explained that it probably wasn’t but that maybe she should call animal control.”

“Why?”

“I dunno. Maybe she’s got a rabid Samoyed in her backyard for all I know.”

“I see.”

“You have a great smile, Jory.”

I looked up at him. “Thanks. You too.”

He took a shaky breath. “So tell me more about working at a PR firm.”

I shrugged. “It’s not that exciting.”

“Okay. Tell me how old you are.”

“Twenty-three. You?”

“Thirty-one.”

I tilted my head as I looked at him. “I’m too old for you, right? You like eighteen-year-olds?”

His jaw clenched. “No. Age doesn’t mean anything. I’ve dated guys in their forties and fifties and guys younger than me. I go where my interest draws me.”

“That’s a slick answer.”

“What?” he asked innocently.

I coughed softly. “So these beetles that eat flesh—what kind do that? Not, like, ladybugs, right?”

He smiled at me. “No, they’re called dermestid beetles.”

“Okay.”

“Like you care.”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t interested. I have all sorts of odd pieces of knowledge in my head.”

He reached out and touched the hem of my shirt. “If you have time tomorrow, maybe after I show you the museum, we could take a walk.”

“That sounds nice.”

His eyes flicked up to mine and locked there. “I wish it was tomorrow.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“J!”

We both turned as Paul came into the kitchen.

“Hunter’s here and he wants to go dancing instead of sitting around playing board games. Everybody else is in. What do you say?”

I looked at Kai. “Do you wanna go?”

“I don’t care as long as I get to hang with you.” He smiled quickly.

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Paul said, giving me a look before he walked back out.