I watched him walk toward the stairs. Just before he turned the corner, he looked back and smiled.
God, I was in so much trouble.
I waited until I heard his car’s engine roar to life, then let myself back into the apartment.
Priya was already nested on the couch again. “So, that went well.”
“You were listening?”
“Obviously I was listening. What kind of sneaking, spying best friend would I be if I let you talk to that man without putting a glass to the door?”
“You—”
She barreled on. “Thursday, huh? At his place? I assume this is not to play board games, no?”
My face went nuclear. “I hate you.”
“You love me. Also, I like him. He’s good. Keephim.”
“Thanks, mom. I’ll do my best.”
“I call my mother, ‘Amma.’ If you insist on promoting me to parental status, please use that term.”
“Fuck my life,” I groaned.
“Fuck that man, you mean.”
I felt my toes blush as I took off down the hall toward my bedroom.
Chapter 35
Chase
Thursday came slower than any day in the gazillion-year history of mankind. Seriously. It was painful.
Finn and I texted every day. Hell, we texted so often I thought my phone might die of exhaustion. Still, Tuesday dragged, and Wednesday crawled. By Thursday morning, I was checking the clock on my office wall every five minutes like a criminal defendant awaiting a jury verdict.
Shortly after five o’clock, I walked in my front door, looked around my house with fresh eyes, and started stress-cleaning. I straightened pillows, adjusted the kitchen towels, and made sure my bedroom was presentable.
Never mind the fact I had a cleaning service who’d visited earlier that morning.
My phone buzzed at 5:47.
Finn: On my way. Be there in 10. You wearingsomething slinky for me?
I laughed at my phone screen.
Me: You know me and chiffon. Nothing but bright colors and bold feathers.
I checked my reflection in the bathroom mirror. My hair was doing what it was supposed to.
I looked fine.
A little terrified.
But also fine.
The temperature outside had jumped back up to the mid-eighties today, Tampa’s brief flirtation with winter apparently over. January weather in Florida was like that. Forty degrees one day, eighty-five the next, with no logic or reason for the mood swings.
