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"No. Tani. Try seven at night. You've been out cold all day.
The phone didn't wake you up, and I've been beating the hell
out of your door for ten minutes."
She wrinkled her nose, trying to surmise if he was joking
or not. His sarcasm was a little thick.
"I'm sorry, Houston," she murmured, awake but barely. "I
swear I never heard the phone." Her brow furrowed. "After
we stopped at the hospital, we stayed up kind of late. I think
I fell asleep on him." She giggled. "In fact, I know I did."
Memories of his warm shoulder were returning.
Houston shook her. "Tani, what is with you?"
"Houston?" Laney interjected. "I think you're going
overboard again. He obviously isn't here now."
"I know," he relented. "Tani, I promised Laney I'd take her
out tonight. Are you going to be all right here by yourself?"
"Sure, is there a shelf somewhere?" she asked him flatly.
"Tani, that isn't fair." She felt his annoyance and wasn't
surprised when he tried to argue. "I'm supposed to take care
of you. Your mother "
"Isn't here." She sat up, giving up on getting any more
sleep. She brushed her hair back. "Look, Houston, I'm sorry,
but you have to realize I'm not the sixteen year old, scared of
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her own shadow, girl you met. I know how to protect myself.
How to form barriers, and I hate the fact that since Diego has
shown up, you've not only gotten more restrictive with me,
but that you hate him."
"And you refuse to take precautions. You can't keep this
up, Tani. Don't you realize that?"
She glared at him. "And what do you think I'm going to
do? Wear a sandwich sign proclaiming my identity as I walk
around town?" She lifted her knees and dropped her head.
"Just go, Houston. I want to shower. I promise to behave."
She was tired of fighting over this with him. He would never
accept that she was a grown woman, rather than a helpless
child.
His hand gentled, brushing at her hair before resting on
her head. "Tani. I love you. You know I do. I'm not trying to
restrict you, but think about this. You've had all sorts of
trouble in the last two weeks. You've lost weight don't tell
me you haven't. I just want to make sure you stay in one
piece, angel."
She muffled her voice into her blanket. "I know. I just
need to be alone. Go ahead. Have fun. I'll be fine."
"She means it," Laney said, tugging at Houston's arm.
"Now you're cross examining me?" she asked tightly. First
Houston, now Laney. What was she, five again?
"No!" Laney exclaimed. Laney sat on the bed next to her.
"Tani. Regardless of Houston's opinion, I've seen Diego with
you. The last thing he would allow is for something to happen
to you." She found Titania's hand, holding it. "I'll admit, when
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I first met him, he scared me. I thought you were in way over
your head, but not now."
"What changed your mind?" she asked, ignoring Houston's
scowl.
"The way he looks at you. The way he walks with you. Like
you're the only thing on this planet that matters."
"I should be. That's what I pay him for. Why else would he
act like that?"
Laney shrugged her shoulders.
"If you girls are done with this little gossip swap," Houston
said.
"What is the deal, Houston?" She swept her gaze up to his,
realized he was dressed in more than jeans, and Laney wore
a nice gown. "Oh, hell. I'm sorry. I completely forgot. Happy
anniversary." She gave him a sheepish smile.
"Forgiven. Now we are leaving." He looped Laney's hand
into his own. "We'll see you later."
"I won't have hurt feelings if you don't," she offered.
Houston winked broadly and closed the door again behind
them.
Awake but not by choice, she took a leisurely shower,
feeling restless. After sleeping all day, she felt energized after
all but falling over last night. She was probably catching a
bug after all, she guessed. She still wasn't hungry, and that
was beginning to worry her more.
After her shower, she drank a bottle of water and made
herself drink half a bottle of juice. The thought of food made
her stomach hurt too much. She was getting sick, she
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thought with a touch of disgust. Just great. Half a tour to
finish, and she was coming down with God knew what.
Looking at her clock, she knew Diego would be arriving
soon. With the hotel only a few blocks from the San Francisco
Wharf, it was a lure in itself. She made a promise to not be
out too long. She just needed a few minutes to feel normal
again. She stuffed some money and her card key into the
front pocket and left her room.
Light stabbed her eyes the second she walked outside. She
blinked heavily, tears forming in streams. She didn't
understand why they were so sensitive, and she normally
didn't wear sunglasses. But out of necessity, a little booth
with tourist trap written all over it was the first place she
found. She played and posed, picking out a pair after several
minutes. Her eyes were still sensitive, but at least she could
walk with her eyes open now.
She strolled along the sidewalk and laughed to herself
when no one even looked sideways at her. "Told them so,"
she muttered. "Like anyone would care. I'm not that big a
deal." She purposely didn't meet any gazes, keeping to
herself. A single tourist woman out enjoying the sunset.
She believed it until her feet hit the wharf. Someone was
watching her. Their heavy gaze felt like a weighted blanket.
That was when she remembered Diego's warning. Like now
was a good time to remember it, when she was probably
already in trouble. She shook her head, keeping her gaze
lowered, hearing the berating Houston was going to give her
over this. The feeling of being watched didn't go away as she
walked, either.
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She should know better by now than to purposely thumb
her nose at Houston. Not watching where she walked, with
her thoughts racing around Diego and Houston, she smacked
right into a solid chest. She gasped, stepping back in
mortification, her cheeks burning. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I wasn't
watching where I was going."
"Neither was I," the man said. "My apologies to you." His
piercing gaze narrowed. "Do I know you?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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