Page 51 of Chasing Forever

“Fine. How are you?”

He hated their stilted attempt at conversation, yet he wasn’t ready to walk away. “I just jumped again. Not sure if you saw me…”

“I saw you.”

There was no mistaking the chill in her tone. But why should he apologize for whatever it was she was silently accusing him of? Women are so damned confusing.

“Her name is Sara. The woman I jumped with.”

“Um-hmm.”

“She introduced herself to me in front of my unit.”

“Oh?”

“We started talking about cliff jumping, and she said she’d been wanting to try it.”

“So, naturally, you volunteered to go with her.”

“Are you pissed?”

“Why should I be?”

“Here we go again.” This time, neither of them laughed.

“What you do and with whom is your business.”

“True.”

“Well, have fun with Sandra.”

“Sara.” He got the impression she’d said the name wrong on purpose, and he almost chuckled, but he didn’t dare. Callie might be petite, but she was a force to be reckoned with.

“I don’t plan on spending all day with her,” he added.

“Just long enough, then?”

Ouch. “I was just being friendly.”

“Friend away. Don’t let me stop you.” She flapped her hand around as if dismissing him, but he stood his ground.

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“I’d have jumped with you too if you’d asked me. In fact, I’d rather it had been you.” That got her attention.

She snapped her head up, slid her sunglasses down her nose, and studied him. “Are you serious, or are you just saying that because you don’t think I’d do it?”

“Would you?”

“Here we go again.” This time she laughed, and it warmed him to the bones.

“I’ll go with you right now if you want to.”

“What about Sandra?”

“Sara.”