by Trish Wylie
‘You’re one of those people who reports their every move every five minutes so the universe can know how much time they spend doing laundry.’
‘Yes, that’s the only thing people use the internet for these days.’ She reached for her coffee. ‘It’s because working online isn’t a physical job, right? Anyone who isn’t lifting heavy objects or doing something with their hands instantly earns a low ranking on your Neanderthal scale of the survival of the fittest.’
‘You might want to slow down on the caffeine intake. I think you’re close to the legal limit already.’
Setting the cup down, she breathed deep and went back to work. ‘I write a blog.’
‘You can earn a living doing that?’
‘Among other things,’ she replied.
‘What’s it about?’
‘Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?’
‘Nope.’
‘Fine, then. I can play the “get to know me better” game until you get bored and leave. It shouldn’t take long with your attention span.’ Lifting her coffee again, she leaned back in her chair and looked him straight in the eye. ‘I work for a fashion magazine and as part of my job I write a daily blog on the latest trends and the kind of things twenty-something women might find interesting.’
‘You’re as deep as a shallow puddle, aren’t you?’
‘Not everything is about the meaning of life. Sometimes it’s more about living it. For some people that means finding joy in the little things.’
‘Like spending money on the kind of clothes that will put them in debt?’
‘Like wearing things that make them feel good.’ She shrugged a narrow shoulder. ‘I assume it’s how someone like you feels when they wear their uniform of choice.’
‘I don’t wear a uniform as a fashion statement.’
‘You’re saying you don’t feel good when you wear it?’
‘It’s a matter of pride in what I do.’
‘And doesn’t that make you feel good about yourself?’
She was smart, but that he’d known. Trouble was she wasn’t entirely right. ‘It’s not as simple as that.’
When her head tilted at an obviously curious angle, he lounged back in his chair. Since she’d given him the opening with the topic of conversation, he openly checked her out. ‘I take it the librarian look is in vogue now.’
‘It’s better than the mugger ensemble you’re wearing.’
Lowering his chin, he ran a large palm over the faded U.S.M.C. lettering on his chest. ‘I’ve had this since basic training. It has sentimental value.’
‘Wouldn’t that suggest you have a heart?’
‘Bit difficult to walk around without one.’
‘As difficult as it is to survive without sleep?’
Daniel stared at her without blinking.
‘Thin walls …’ she said in a soft tone that smacked too much of sympathy for his liking before she shrugged. ‘Try falling asleep without the television on, you might get more benefit from the traditional eight hours—especially if you’re watching something with that much yelling in it. What was it—horror flick of the week?’
‘You’re worried about me again? That’s sweet.’ Feeling sick to his stomach at how close he’d been to humiliation, he got to his feet. ‘Now I know you spend your nights with a glass pressed to the wall I’ll try and find something on the nature channel with whale song in it.’ When his trip to the door was halted by the brush of cool fingers against his hand, he looked down at her.
‘What?’
Dropping her arm, she avoided his gaze and shook her head. ‘Forget it.’
‘You got something to say, spit it out.’ He checked his watch. ‘I have an appointment with my boss in an hour.’
The statement lifted her chin again. ‘Because of what happened yesterday?’
‘Hardly the first time I’ve had my ass hauled across the coals for breaking the rules.’
‘You saved a man’s life.’ She shrugged her shoulders and looked away. ‘I’m sure that counts for something.’
She was reassuring him?
‘Not that you don’t deserve it for doing something so asinine,’ she added. ‘You could have placed other members of your team in danger.’
That was more like it. It was also pretty much exactly what he expected to have yelled at him in an hour. ‘We all do what we gotta do when the situation calls for it.’ He lowered his voice. ‘You should know that better than most.’
She looked up at him from the corner of her eye. ‘And there you go thinking you know me again.’
‘Did it ever occur to you that you don’t make it easy for people to do that?’
‘People who want to make an effort.’
‘And how many tests do they have to pass before you talk to them like they have an IQ higher than a rock?’
‘Stupid is as stupid does,’ she replied with a smile.
‘I take it back. If you’re quoting Forrest Gump at me you obviously need more caffeine.’ He placed an apologetic look on his face. ‘I’d get you some before I leave but I’m not allowed to buy coffee here.’
‘You’re the most irritating person I’ve ever met.’
‘See you later, babe.’
‘Not if I see you first.’
‘Still rusty.’ He shook his head. ‘Keep practising.’
‘How’s the challenge coming along?’
‘Hmm?’ Jo blinked at her erstwhile roomie, a second night of interrupted sleep catching up with her.
He must have moved his bed after the conversation in the coffee shop. The yelling had been further away but, like the first time, when it came it was torture. She doubted anyone could hear a human being in that much pain and not feel the effect of it emotionally.
‘The challenge the magazine gave you?’ Jess prompted. ‘The one where you wear outfits from the centre pages to discover if different images change how people see you? I’m assuming that’s why you look like a French onion seller today. Not that the beret doesn’t work for you.’
Yes, she liked the beret. It was the kind of thing she’d have chosen herself, especially when it had a little touch of France to it. But since she wasn’t supposed to wear anything the magazine hadn’t chosen for her …
Lowering her chin, she idly rearranged the crumbs on her plate with the prongs of her fork. Wasn’t as if he would tell her what had caused the nightmare if she asked him, was it? That part of not pushing the subject she got. Where it began to get weird started with the fact she hadn’t felt the need to talk it through with his sister. His family cared about him. If he was struggling with something that happened when he was overseas they would want to help in any way possible. Not that he would make it easy. Trouble was she couldn’t forget how the colour drained from his face when he’d thought she knew.
It felt as if the man she had known and disliked so much hadn’t come home and someone new had taken his place. Someone she could empathize with and wanted to get to know better.
It was just plain weird.
‘Earth to Jo …’
‘It’s going fine,’ she replied as she speared another piece of cake with her fork and popped it into her mouth. ‘Mmm, this one …’
When she risked a brief glance across the table at the only person who knew when she was hiding something, Jo was relieved to find amusement sparkling in Liv’s eyes.
‘You said that about the last two.’
Jo angled her head. ‘Remind me again why we’re doing this with you instead of Blake?’
‘Because he’s more interested in the honeymoon than the cake we have at our reception.’
Fair enough. She reached for a second sample of chocolate cake. ‘I lied, it’s still this one.’
‘You know chocolate is a substitute for sex,’ Jess commented. ‘It’s an endorphins thing.’
‘It’s more than that,’ Jo replied. ‘You never have to worry if chocolate will call … it never stands you up … and it doesn’t mind keeping
you company during a rom-com on a Friday night.’ She sighed contentedly as she reached for another sample. ‘Chocolate is better than sex.’
Jess snorted. ‘The hell it is.’
‘She’s young.’ Liv nodded sagely. ‘She’ll learn.’
‘If she tried having it occasionally she’d learn a lot quicker.’
‘She scares them off.’
Jo waggled her fork in the air. ‘Still in the room …’
It wasn’t her fault guys found her intimidating. With the kind of life experience that went beyond her twenty-four years, she was self-sufficient and hard-working with her focus fixed firmly on her career. If there was overtime available, she took it. Holidays people with family commitments didn’t want to work, she volunteered. But regardless of her career, she was also very open about the fact she wasn’t interested in getting involved, even if she wasn’t prepared to explain why. Put everything together it was difficult for guys to envisage her needing them for more than one thing. Though in fairness there were plenty of them who wouldn’t see that as a problem.
There was a short debate on the merits of vanilla cream before Jess asked, ‘How’s our new neighbour?’
‘In order to be “our” new neighbour wouldn’t you need to be there more than once a week?’ Jo smiled sweetly.
‘You need reinforcements, you just have to yell.’
‘You like Daniel.’
‘Everyone but you likes Danny.’ Jess shrugged. ‘He is what he is and doesn’t make any excuses for it. There’s a lot to be said for that.’
‘There’s nothing hidden with him,’ Liv agreed. ‘When we were kids his bluntness got him into trouble, but honestly? We all kind of relied on it.’
Jo was beginning to wonder if anyone knew Daniel as well as they thought they did but she didn’t say so out loud. She couldn’t. Not without telling them there were some things he kept hidden.
‘You could try taking the high road,’ Jess suggested.
‘I get nosebleeds.’ Jo frowned.
The chocolate cake was gone and how had they got from the subject of her sex life to Daniel in the space of two minutes anyway? Apart from spending time with the friends it felt as if she hadn’t seen much of lately, part of the appeal of the cake tasting had been the opportunity to take a break from him.
‘You make a decision on the cake yet?’ she asked.
‘I’m swaying towards different layers of these three.’ Liv pointed her fork at the emptiest plates.
‘What’s next on the list?’
‘Flowers.’
The conversation swayed back towards wedding plans as they left the bakery and made their way past the public library to the nearest subway station. Jess glanced at the steps in front of the large Grecian columns where several men in helmets and bulletproof vests were gathered around one of the stone lions.
‘Isn’t that Danny?’
Oh, come on.
Reluctantly—as Olivia and Jess headed towards him and she lagged a step behind—Jo had to admit the uniform was sexy in a badass/mess-with-me-and-die kind of way. But then she’d always known Daniel had an edge to him. While he could attract women with a smile, he could make grown men cower with just a look. She had seen that look once. When was it? Tyler’s thirtieth, which his younger brother deigned to make an appearance at? Yes, she thought that was it. A giant with a brain the size of a pea was foolish enough to manhandle his girlfriend within Daniel’s line of sight. All it had taken was that look and a quietly spoken ‘show the lady some respect’ and he’d backed down with a string of mumbled apologies. When it was over Daniel had simply continued what he was doing as if nothing had happened.
Jo wondered why it had taken seeing him in uniform for her to remember she’d been impressed by that.
‘Ladies.’ He nodded once in greeting.
Gathering herself together, she stepped forward and gave the answer everyone expected.
‘Officer Moron.’
‘Really?’ he questioned with a deadpan expression. ‘When I’m holding a gun?’
‘What can I say?’ She shrugged. ‘Guess I must like living on the edge.’
While she cocked her head in challenge, he shot a brief downward glance at what she was wearing. It lasted less than a heartbeat, was immediately followed by a cursory blink and then his intense gaze locked with hers, leaving her feeling suddenly … exposed. Whether it was because she’d never noticed him looking at her before or because she was more aware of when he did, she didn’t know. But neither option sat well with her. Particularly when she suspected the momentary sense of vulnerability she’d experienced stemmed from the sensation he knew she was remembering things she’d chosen to forget.
Jess chuckled at the interaction. ‘Hey, Danny.’
He turned on the charm with the flick of an invisible switch. ‘Hey, gorgeous.’
Jo inwardly rolled her eyes at her friend’s reaction to his infamous smile before allowing her gaze to roam over the crowd. If she focused on something else, with any luck, she could try and pretend he wasn’t there. All she needed was something to take her mind off—
Her stomach dropped to the soles of her strappy heels. ‘I’ve got to go.’
‘I thought we were going to look at flowers?’
Looking into Liv’s eyes, she used the tone that translated into a hidden message. ‘I’ll call you later.’
‘Okay.’
She didn’t look at Daniel as she left, but Jo could sense his gaze on her as she merged into the crowd. How it made her feel helped explain the secret she kept from his sister. Only someone with a shadowy secret of their own could understand what it meant to bring it into the cold light of day. Gaze fixed on the figure she could see moving into the park, she shut down emotionally in preparation.
It was the only way she could deal with it.
The dream began a handful of hours before dawn. New faces—a different scenario—but the outcome was always the same. As he jerked back into reality, pulse racing and heart pounding, Daniel wondered why he was surprised at the latest additions. There was nothing the damn thing loved more than new material.
At times he swore he could hear scaly little demon hands being rubbed together with glee.
Grabbing the sweatpants on the end of his rack, he hauled them on and swore when he stubbed his toe on a box on his way to the kitchen. As he reached for a light switch he froze. The second he yanked open the door to the hall she jumped and dropped her keys.
‘Damn it, Daniel!’ Jo exclaimed.
Leaning a shoulder against the door frame, he folded his arms across his chest. ‘Late night or early start?’
It was a question that didn’t require an answer; the outfit she had been wearing outside the library said it all. With considerable effort, he dragged his gaze away from the perfect rear poured into tight black trousers that ended halfway down her calves.
‘Who made you the hall monitor?’ Keys in hand, she stood up tall and turned to face him.
‘I’m a light sleeper.’
A brief frown crossed her face before her gaze landed squarely in the centre of his naked chest. The former should have bugged him more than the latter, especially when it was dangerously close to the kind of look that had forced him to move apartments over the years. Instead he was more bothered by the jolt of electricity travelling through his body from the point of impact. The fact she continued staring didn’t help. If anything it aided the flow of blood that rushed to his groin in response.
‘Isn’t it usually the guy who sneaks home after the deed is done?’ he asked as if bringing up the subject of her sex life again would distract his misbehaving body. When her gaze lifted sharply, he changed the subject. ‘Didn’t occur to you that having a cop for a neighbour might involve him greeting you with his service weapon if he hears you creeping around in the dark?’
‘The lights are on,’ she argued.
‘It’s the middle of the night.’
‘I don’t have to answer to you.
’
‘Do you have any idea how much paperwork I’ll have to fill out if I accidentally shoot you?’
She arched a brow. ‘Accidentally?’
‘That’s what I’ll call it.’
A lump appeared in her cheek as her gaze searched the air. ‘That’s twice in twenty-four hours you’ve threatened to shoot me. I wonder if that’s enough for a restraining order. Remind me to ask your sister.’
‘He tossed you out of his apartment, didn’t he?’
‘What is it with this sudden obsession with my sex life?’ She looked into his eyes. ‘If I didn’t know any better I might think it’s been a while for you.’
Longer than he cared to admit, but it wasn’t as if he could share a bed with a woman for long. He could guarantee his complete and undivided attention while he was there; took a great deal of pride in that fact. But when it came to leaving them satisfied, there was just as much emphasis on the word leaving. Preferably before he was dumb enough to fall asleep and risk making a fool of himself.
‘Worried I might be lonely, babe?’
She scowled. ‘Don’t call me babe.’
‘If the shoe fits …’
‘You know by saying that you’re saying you think—?’
‘You don’t have to like someone to think they’re hot.’
‘I … You …’ When her mouth formed words that didn’t appear she clamped it shut, took a short breath through her nose and snapped, ‘What are you doing?’
Damned if he knew but the fact it had flustered her worked for him. ‘Isn’t he a little old for you?’
Something unreadable crossed her eyes before she blinked and lifted her chin. ‘Who are we talking about?’
‘The guy you were with in Bryant Park.’
‘What guy?’
Nice try, but Daniel had never been known to give up that easily. ‘The one you argued with before you dragged him into the subway station.’
‘You were spying on me?’
‘You think when I’m dressed like that I’m supposed to ignore what’s happening around me?’
She sighed heavily and turned away. ‘I don’t have the energy for this.’
‘It’s Wednesday. We’ll pick it up in the coffee shop.’