Page 31 of Unexpected Complication

“Well, if you’re just going to randomly start filling out my crossword, I want to be able to take credit for the ones I did.”

Take credit?

“Oh, is that how it is?”

“Yep.”

“Game on, Kitten.”

When Sean entered the kitchen, he stopped short at the sight of us. Skylar was tucked under my arm, wrapped in a blanket I’d given her since she was still cold. She looked more relaxed than I’d ever seen her and almost goofy. We were both laughing, calling out numbers and words. I was attempting to fill in the squares and stop Skylar from marking off every clue as her own. She even cheated at games, it seemed. She couldn’t behave at all.

“Well, it’s nice to see you two getting on so well.”

Skylar rolled her eyes. “He cheats.”

“I cheat? Miss-let-me-check-off-every-word Cheater?”

“I got all those words!”

“Did not! You just took advantage of my having to write them all!”

“You kept covering up the words so I couldn’t see them!”

Sean started to laugh. “So mature, both of you.” He went over to the refrigerator. “Drink?”

“Skylar likes Coke—with ice. She won’t drink it all, so I’ll finish hers.”

Arching his eyebrow at me, he handed me the glass and Coke. I opened it and poured some for her, sliding the glass her way.

She smiled. “Thank you.”

I finished what was left in the can in three long swallows. She sipped at her drink a couple times, then pushed the glass my way and stood. “I think I’m going for a nap now, if that’s okay.” With an exaggerated wink, she handed me her pen. “All accounted for, Cian?”

Laughing, I took it from her. “Yep. All good.”

Sean sat down. “Dinner will be in a couple of hours. Would you like to eat with us?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Okay, we’ll come get you.”

Looking shy suddenly, she left the room. I watched her go down the hall, her door closing softly.

I picked up her glass to finish it and caught his eye.

“What?”

“You two looked cozy.”

“She was cold. I gave her my socks.”

“Not what I meant.”

“We were just having a bit of fun.”

“When’s the last time you had ‘a bit of fun,’ Cian?”

I frowned. “It’s no big deal.”