“And I want to continue enjoying myself with you.Funny thing, though.There’s been one strange little side effect.”
“Side effect?”
She forced a laugh.“Since we slept together that first night, I’ve been hearing Arthur’s voice in my head.”
“Arthur…talks to you?”
“Not really.I sort of talk for him.I have since he died, to be honest.It used to be little updates here and there.I’d tell him how things were going at the sanctuary, how certain cats were doing.But lately, the conversations have changed.They’re not going so well.”
“Ah.What does he say?”
“He definitely doesn’t like what we’ve been doing.”
“I see.”He glanced at his lap.
When he looked up again, she searched his face, but there was no sign that he thought she’d lost the plot.
“Listen,” he began, “I realize I never got to meet Arthur, but from what you’ve told me, I think he’d be happy you’re moving on.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.Only there’s this thing Adele said a while ago, that maybe I’m just not ready for all of this.Maybe Arthur’s voice is a manifestation of that fear.”
“Do you think you’re ready?”
“I want to be ready.Most of the time, I think I am, but then I hear him again and it’s like a full-on assault from my psyche.And to be honest, I think I’ve been using you to drown out his voice.Sex with you shuts it down.”
“Okay.”
“I know how ridiculous this must sound.”
“I don’t think it’s ridiculous at all.If you ask me, it’s understandable.”
“Really?I haven’t scared you away?”
“Claire, you’d have to do a whole lot worse to scare me away.”
“Oh.”She’d been certain he would head for the door as soon as she mentioned Arthur’s voice.“Thanks for understanding.I didn’t want you to think I was being selfish in thrusting myself at you.It’s been fun, of course.”
“For the record, you can thrust yourself at me any time you want.”
His knowing grin made her want to pole vault over her desk, onto his lap.
“So, we’re okay?You don’t want to call a moratorium on our sexual adventures?”
“Fuck, no.”
A low growl underscored those two little words.
She would definitely be revisiting the memory of that growl later.
“All righty, then.”
“All right.”Nick got up and stalked toward her.He tipped up her chin and took her mouth in a kiss that she felt down to her toes.“I’ll see you later?”
“Not if I see you first.”
With a grin, he left her office.
Hmm.He didn’t think her strange for hearing Arthur’s voice, and he hadn’t blamed her for using their fling as a distraction.
