Page 89 of A Matter of Time

“Hey.” He yawned before he smiled at me. “You’re home.”

I stared at him, at the door, and back at him. “I never left.”

“Yeah, I know you said that but… C’mere.”

I was rooted to the spot. I had to get my brain around him not being in the bedroom.

He scowled at me. “What’s wrong with you?”

I pointed at the bedroom door. “There are two people screwing in your bed.” Which wasn’t as eloquent an explanation as it could have been, but it did make my point.

“What?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I thought it was you.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“I thought you brought some woman home and took her to bed.”

The look was dark—half scowl, half anger. “You had my word on that.”

“I don’t know you. What’s your word worth to me?”

“My word is good. If I say it, I mean it.”

I shrugged. “Okay. I didn’t know; now I do.”

“If you don’t believe me or what I say, maybe you should go.”

“Maybe I should.”

We stared at each other a long time before he suddenly barked at me, “I’m not even in there and I’m in fuckin’ trouble. How is that fuckin’ fair?” He had become exasperated in seconds. It was almost funny.

“I dunno, but could you stop swearing, please?”

He growled at me as he crossed the room, stopping close enough that I had to step back and tilt my head up to meet his gaze. He was so much taller than me, the top of my head coming only to his shoulder.

“Am I staying or am I going?” I asked him softly, trembling suddenly.

“This isn’t working,” he muttered, sounding miserable.

“What? Me?” I asked, staring up into his eyes. “Do you want me to go?”

“No, me. I gotta go.”

That made no sense at all. “What are you talking about? Do you even know?”

His eyes were locked on mine. “You live here, J. You’re comfortable in my place, in your skin… I’m the one having a goddamn mental breakdown.”

I smiled suddenly and leaned into him, wrapping my arms around his waist, squeezing tight. “It’s good you’re home. I missed you.” My voice was husky, and it cracked on the last word. “And I’m so glad you’re not in bed with some woman.”

He stroked my hair, and I heard the deep sigh as he tilted my head back so he could see my eyes. “I didn’t wanna go. I wanted to sit on the couch and watch you do your computer shit.”

“Then you should’ve stayed home with me,” I said, wetting my lips, drawing his attention there. “’Cause I missed you.”

Slowly he bent forward…and we both heard the giggle from the other side of the door. “What the hell?” he said before he grabbed the handle and threw open the door. There was a quick scream from the darkness as he flipped on the lights. “Oh fuck me,” he groaned loudly.

I peeked around the corner, and there was a man who actually looked nothing like Detective Kage sitting in bed beside a woman who kind of did. She was clutching my comforter to her chest. When she saw me, her eyes got even bigger.