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He quirked a brow. “Are you certain he was straight?”
She chuckled. “Yes, he’s straight. In fact, he enjoyed women who clung to his every word. He liked the type who was little and cute.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m so not a size two, so you can imagine how disappointed he was in me.”
“His loss is my gain,” Jason said as he knelt down and moved his hands beneath her slacks, then began rubbing her hurt knee again.
He watched as Emma let out a low moan. “Um, well, I learned from a very smart lady that we have to be true to ourselves.”
There was a faraway note in Emma’s voice. He didn’t care much for the underlying hurt he sensed in her words. Continuing to massage her leg, Jason wanted to take her beyond whatever it was that had brought sadness into her eyes. He smiled from his position at the foot of the bed, hoping to relieve the growing tension. “How about you have dinner with me. We could catch up a little more.”
“How about you give me your number and I’ll call you,” she said, as if attempting to dodge him. Emma removed her foot from Jason’s grasp. He stood and backed up when she sent him an unwavering look. She tested her foot, putting the bulk of her weight on her good leg first.
Jason moved quickly to her side and placed his arm around her waist. “Okay?”
“I’m fine, truly.” She patted his arm. “But I could really use a drink. You?”
“Lead the way.” He kept himself at the ready in case she should lose her balance, slowing his pace to match hers. She led him back to the stairwell. It seemed she wished to leave the intimate confines of her bedroom and get to more neutral territory. Had she invited any other men up to her apartment? The idea that he’d been the only man given access to her private space sent a jolt of possessiveness through him.
When they reached the lower level, Emma limped in the direction of the kitchen. Jason was so caught by the sight of her ass that he wasn’t watching where he was going, and a few figurines crashed to the floor. “Shit, sorry about that.”
“It’s all right,” she said, waving a hand in the air. “I’ll clean up the mess tomorrow.”
“I seriously doubt that,” Jason mumbled and knelt down to begin picking up the shards of broken glass.
“What di
d you say?”
“Oh nothing.” He looked at the case he’d just about destroyed. Though a few glass fairies and elves had broken, half a dozen crystals on braided strings had survived the fall. “What exactly are these anyway?”
“I call them sin catchers.”
“Sin, huh?”
“The idea is that the bearer of one will hang it in their window or around their home for protection from evil thoughts.”
He chuckled. “You’ve got to be joking, right?”
She placed her fists on her hips, clearly offended by his mocking tone. “I most certainly am not kidding. They have great power. Throughout the centuries, crystals have been used for many things. They have soothing properties, among other things.”
Then she seemed to consider him for a second. Unexpectedly, she limped to his side and chose one of the more intricately designed pieces. It was shaped in the form of a dragon. Picking it up, she closed her eyes and whispered something he couldn’t quite make out. Then her eyes opened, and she handed him the crystal dragon, taking the shards of broken glass out of his hand and laying them on the shelf in its stead. “Here, this one is yours now. He belongs to you and will aid you in your quest for a restful heart.”
Jason quickly pushed it back at her, uncomfortable with the too personal exchange. “I don’t need it. My heart’s fine, thanks.”
She only smiled that all-knowing smile. Her voice softened, caressing his nerves like delicate fingers. “You shouldn’t return a gift. It’s yours now. You own it. Please, for me, take him. Put him in a place where you’ll be able to see him whenever you wake.”
Somehow, he knew he wasn’t going to refuse her. Was it even possible to tell this woman no? He shook his head in annoyance. “In that case, I suppose I should thank you. What do I owe you for him?”
She snorted. “You owe me nothing, Jason. It’s freely given without expectation of gaining something in return.” Her voice gentled. “That’s what a gift is.”
“Emma, you can’t go around just giving things away, or you’ll find yourself on the streets.”
“Come on.” She took his hand and led him back toward the kitchen. He liked the feel of her small fingers twined with his larger ones. She was so delicate, much like the dragon he held in his other hand. So easily shattered, yet full of secrets and powers he didn’t think he’d ever understand.
Jason could spend hours in her company, and that was a totally new experience for him. Women were great, he loved spending time with them, but he usually didn’t sit sipping tea in a tiny trailer-size kitchen. No, usually he spent hours enjoying their bodies, figuring out all the pleasures their feminine curves could bring him. In bed, naked. Or sometimes in the shower naked. Even in the kitchen, but again, always naked. Though with Emma, he was fine with sipping tea and talking, clothed.
Christ, he was turning into such a wuss.
Jason walked to the nondescript round table and sat in one of the too old, too rickety chair. “Got any beer?”
