Then she turned around and wriggled her butt, and that was it. The laughter ripped out of me, loud and honest and joyous. It was a full minute at least until I could speak. A minute during which she struck various, amusing poses. One leg up against the doorframe. Muscles flexed. Looking back at me over her shoulder with a sultry smile.
‘Stop,’ I finally managed to wheeze. ‘Please. My cheeks hurt. They actually hurt.’
She stood up straight again. ‘Good. That’s what you get for making fun of people.’
‘How did I make fun of you?’
‘Uh, you laughed at me, remember?’
‘Can you honestly blame me? You answered the door wearing a Christmas reindeer outfit and big woolly socks.’
‘So?’
‘And then you turn around…’ Laughter bubbled out of me again at the memory. ‘And reveal a flap of material over your butt that says, “No Peeking”.’
She crossed her arms over her chest. ‘What’s your point?’
‘Well, you can see why I laughed. It’s not exactly what I was expecting.’
‘That’s your fault.’
‘How do you figure that? You’re the one who paid money for that… whatevenis that?’
‘They’re pajamas,’ she said, rolling her eyes. ‘Obviously.’
‘Did you forget that I was coming?’
‘No.’
‘I think maybe we had different ideas about the plan for today.’
She yawned, quickly covering it. ‘Actually, I have no idea what the plan for the day evenis, which is why I am still wearing these. I don’t mind surprises, but I do need a little bit of information to go on.’
‘Fair enough.’ I crossed the small porch in two steps and breezed past her into the cottage.
‘Come on in, why don’t you,’ she said, closing the door behind me.
I stopped suddenly as something occurred to me. Looking around the cottage, I noticed something. Or rather, something missing. ‘Where’s all your stuff? This place looks exactly the same as it did the other night.’
‘I told you, most of my things are still back in Chicago.’
‘I know, but… clothes?’
‘In the wardrobe and drawers where they belong.’
‘Girly stuff?’
‘Girly stuff?’
‘Yeah. You know.’ He pointed at my face and hair. ‘Makeup and moisturizers.’
‘In the bathroom drawers and cupboards. What’s with all the questions?’
‘Aha.’ I spied something and darted across to the bedside table, picking up a book. ‘Evidence.’
‘Evidence of what?’
‘That you’ve actually been staying here for the last week.’
