按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
things to say。 It made the fight a lot less fun for me。
Jason whispered as I walked by； very softly； 〃Go； Anita； go； Anita。〃
It made me smile。
Sylvie watched me with cool eyes。 〃Good luck。〃 It didn't sound pletely sincere。
〃Do you have a problem？〃 I'd have much rather fought with her than Richard。
〃If he wasn't dating you； then he might choose a mate。 It would help things。〃
〃You want the job？〃 I asked。
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃I do； but sex is integral and I'm not up for it。〃
〃Then I'm not standing in your way；〃 I said。
〃Not in mine； no；〃 she said。 Which implied there were others； but I didn't give a shit； not today。 I said； 〃It is too damn early in the morning for furball politics。 If someone wants a piece of me； tell them to go to the back of the line。〃
She cocked her head to one side； like a curious dog。 〃Is it a long line？〃
〃Lately； yeah。〃
〃I thought all your enemies were dead；〃 Jason said。
〃I keep making new ones；〃 I said。
He smiled。 〃Fancy that。〃
I shook my head and walked towards the bedroom。 I'd have rather faced Raina again than Richard。 I almost hoped the assassin would jump out of the woodwork and give me something to shoot at。 It would hurt less than breaking up with Richard。
10
Richard's bedroom was painted pale green； a vibrant rug thrown in front of the bed like a piece of stained glass。 The bed was a heavy four…poster； and even hurt； he'd made the bed； pulling the solid red spread up over it。 He had three solid spreads that he rotated on the bed； green； blue； and red。 Each color picked up a different color in the rug and the painting over the bed。 The painting was of wolves in a winter scene。 The wolves were looking directly out of the picture as if you'd just e around a tree and surprised them。 There was a deer bleeding on the snow； its throat torn out。 It was an odd choice for a bedroom； but it fit somehow。 Besides； I liked it。 It had that quality that all fine paintings do； as if when you leave the room the painting will move； life suspended and captured on canvas。 The green spread emphasized the evergreens； the blue spread caught the washed blue of the sky and the bluish shadows； the red caught the stain of blood on the snow。
Richard lay on his stomach across the crimson cloth。 He was totally nude； his jeans thrown on the corner of the bed。 His tanned skin looked dark and smooth and incredibly touchable against the red cloth。 I felt heat rise up my face as my eyes followed the curve of his body； over the smooth expanse of his buttocks。 Lillian had just finished sewing up a curve of claw that had spilled down from his buttocks。 I looked away。
I'd seen Richard nude once when I first met him； but never since。 We hadn't even been thinking about dating then。 I had to look away； mainly because I wanted to look。 I wanted to see him like that； and it was too embarrassing for words。 I studied the contents of the built…in shelves on his bedroom wall like I'd memorize them。 Bits of quartz； a small bird's nest。 There was a lump of fossilized coral as big as my hand； a dark rich gold in color with streaks of white quartz。 I'd found it on a camping trip and given it to him because he collected bits and pieces； and I didn't。 I touched the bit of coral； and didn't want to turn around。
〃You said you wanted to talk； then talk；〃 Richard said。
I glanced back。 Lillian snipped the black thread she was using to close his skin。 〃There；〃 she said。 〃You shouldn't even have a scar。〃
Richard folded his arms on the bed； resting his chin on his forearms。 His hair spread around his face； foaming and touchable。 I knew it was as soft as it looked。
Lillian glanced from one to the other of us。 〃I believe I'll leave you two alone。〃 She began putting things into her bag； which was brown leather and looked more like a fishing tackle box than anything else。 She looked at Richard and back to me。 〃Take a piece of advice from an old lady。 Don't screw up。〃
She left with Richard and me both staring after her。
〃You can get dressed now；〃 I said。
He glanced at his crumpled jeans； moving only his dark eyes。 His eyes came back to me； and they were as angry as I'd ever seen them。 〃Why〃
I concentrated on meeting those angry eyes and tried not to stare at his body。 It was harder than I would have admitted out loud。 〃Because its hard to fight with you when you're naked。〃
He raised up on his elbows； hair falling down into his eyes； until he stared at me through a curtain of brown gold hair。 It reminded me of Gabriel； and that was unnerving as hell。
〃I know you want me； Anita。 I can smell it。〃
Oh； that made me feel better。 I blushed for the second time in five minutes。 〃So； you're gorgeous。 So what？ What the hell does that have to do with anything〃
He raised up on all fours； knees； and hands。 I looked away so fast it made me dizzy。 〃Please put on your jeans。〃
I heard him slide off the bed。 〃You can't even look at me； can you？〃
There was something about the way he said it that made me want to see his face； but I couldn't turn around。 I just couldn't。 If this was the last fight we ever had； I didn't want the memory of his body imprinted on my mind。 It would be too cruel。
I felt him standing behind me。 〃What do you want from me； Richard？〃
〃Look at me。〃
I shook my head。
He touched my shoulder； and I jerked away。
〃You can't even stand for me to touch you； can you？〃 For the first time。 I heard pain in his voice； raw and hurting。
I turned then。 I had to see his face。 His eyes glittered with unshed tears； eyes wide so they wouldn't fall。 He'd pushed his hair back from his face； but it was already spilling forward。 My eyes traveled down his muscular chest； and I wanted to run my hands over his nipples； down his slender waist； and lower。 I drew my eyes back up to his face with force of will alone； my face pale now； rather than blushing。 I was having trouble breathing。 My heart was beating so hard； it was hard to hear。
〃I love it when you touch me；〃 I said。
He stared down at me； his eyes filled with pain。 I think I preferred the anger。 〃I used to admire you for saying no to Jean…Claude。 I know you want him； and you keep refusing。 I thought it was very moral of you。〃 He shook his head； one tear slid from the corner of his eye； trailing in slow motion down his cheek。
I brushed the tear from his face with my fingertip。 He caught my hand in his； holding it a little too hard； but not hurting； only surprising。 It was also my right hand； and drawing the gun left…handed was going to be a bitch。 Not that I really thought I'd need the gun； but he was acting so strangely。
Richard spoke； staring down at me。 〃But Jean…Claude's a monster and you don't sleep with monsters。 You just kill them。〃 Tears slid from both of his eyes and I let them fall。 〃You don't sleep with me； either； because I'm a monster； too。 But you can kill us； can't you； Anita？ You just can't fuck us。〃
I jerked away from him； and he let me。 He could have bench pressed the heavy cherry wood bed； so he let me go。 I didn't like that much。 〃That was an ugly thing to say。〃
〃But it's true；〃 he said。
〃I want you； Richard； you know that。〃
〃You want Jean…Claude； too； so that's not very fl