lounging on her couch, he’d been the consummate professional.
Not once had anything about their intimate activities come up from him, and she appreciated that more than he might know. It had allowed her mind to calm and get focused back on work.
“Hey Rak,” she called.
The nickname had stuck. There was nothing romantic about it however, so she refused to let herself think of it as an affectionate title. Nobody had called the other dear, darling, babe, honey, or any other commonly used forms of address.
Because we aren’t in a relationship. It was just sex.
For now.
She frowned at her mutinous inner voice. They were supposed to be on the same side, but she was having to fight it.
Nothing was going on between them, and Rak seemed fine with keeping it that way. As was she.
End of story.
“You call me?” Rak said from the couch nearly a minute later.
I’ve created a monster, she thought to herself, shocked at how he’d taken to reading the fiction books.
“Yeah. I was wondering something...”
“Which is what?”
“Well, when can I go up to the mountain?”
Laura was ready now. She wanted to go, wanted to see his dragon. Plus, the Cado wouldn’t get her up there, though she was still reluctant to leave her house. But the more she thought about it, the more it felt right. Like she was supposed to go there. What she was going to do once she was there was a different story.
There was a long pause, and Laura figured he was just nose-deep in the book again.
“We can go tonight, if you would like,” he said just before she spoke again.
His voice was no longer distracted. Laura knew she had his full attention, and that he must have given a lot of thought to whether or not ‘the time was right’, as he’d said.
What had changed overnight I wonder? To make him decide this was the right move? She wasn’t about to question her good fortune, however. Dragon sightseeing, here I come!
“That…would be nice,” she agreed. “I can take the next few days off work too, now that I’ve finished this up. I really only have one task left.”
Rakell sat up, leaning over the back of the couch to look at her through eyes that glowed jade in the daylight that streamed into the back half of her house.
“What is that?” he asked.
She smiled and pulled up the tab that she’d begun browsing during her needed break moments throughout the morning. “Why don’t you come and see for yourself,” she said cryptically.
Rakell frowned, but he was already up and moving at her invitation, coming around to peer at the screen.
“How does this one look?” she asked, pointing at the listing on the page. “Assuming you’re still interested in moving into town.”
“More so now than ever,” he answered back.
Laura’s eyes narrowed, but she kept them focused on the screen. Had that been some sort of cryptic message to her? About wanting to be closer now that they had become more than just bodyguard and client? Was that his way of saying he was interested in something more with her?
It was too vague, however, and Laura was unwilling to act on it. He would have to be far clearer if that’s what he wanted.
And what about what I want? Here I am just assuming I want that sort of thing with him. Yet I have no idea what I want.
Didn’t she?
Her stomach was tying itself in knots right then with Rak merely peering over her shoulder at the screen. His simple presence was enough to raise her heart rate and make her wonder if he was going to lean in and kiss her forward.
You have no idea what you want.
Wasn’t that just the truth.
“Not this one,” Rakell said, interrupting her internal reverie.
“Okay, how about this one?” she said, showing him a nice newer built ranch on the northern end of town, where the bigger and newest places were located.
“Mmmm, no,” he said after only three pictures.
Laura frowned, and moved on to the next.
“No,” he said before she’d gone to the second picture even.
Third time was the charm, perhaps.
“No,” he repeated.
“Okay, well, have you thought about it any more?” she asked before moving on to the next. “Any styles? Any features you want or like? There aren’t exactly a ton of houses on the market. It’s not a super busy market here in Five Peaks you know. But maybe I can narrow it down for you.”
He shrugged.
“What’s the right house for Rakell?”
“When I see it,