thumb. Man, did that hurt.” She laughed at the memory. Her mother hadn’t been able to pull the fork out easily. “And it bled all over Mom’s favorite kitchen rug. She was not a happy camper.”
He smiled. “How old were you?”
“Eight. I learned quickly why you shouldn’t run with knives and forks in your hand. What about you? Any childhood injuries that left their mark?”
He chuckled and shook his head the tiniest bit. “A few.”
She waited and when he didn’t elaborate she said, “Liiiiike...”
His jaw clenched then loosened. “I broke my toe during my first move into an apartment building. I was trying to load a refrigerator onto the moving truck, but the hydraulic lift collapsed and landed on my toe. Crushed it. On the way down, it took most of the skin off my shin to the bone.”
Julie crinkled her nose in sympathy. “Ouch.”
“Yeah. Wasn’t a good day to be me.”
Another hit song from Seger’s CD began, and Julie sang along softly. “Always Believe” talked about how someone’s love could make a person whole. She’d always wanted a love like that for herself. She thought she’d found it with Lucas, but that certainly hadn’t been the case.
“You got quiet,” he said.
Not only had the song ended, but several more had also played. Thinking about Lucas had taken her right out of the conversation.
“I got the impression that you liked it quiet.” It was a risk to say that, but one she wanted to take.
He glanced at her through the mirror. “You’re probably right. But I like hearing you talk. I like your voice.”
Warm fuzzies sprang up in her chest. For some silly reason, she flushed. “Well, that’s nice of you say, but I’d rather not talk if it’s going to be a one-sided conversation.” He was a smart man. He had to know what she implied between the lines.
“Fair enough. I’ll do my best to keep up.”
Wasn’t this interesting? “Okay. My favorite color is purple. What’s yours?”
“Green.”
For several hours they talked about music, cars and the crazy price of gasoline, which led to politics and oddly enough Saturday Night Live. They were both fans of Tina Fey. Troy’s answers might have been abbreviated but he was talking. That was good enough for Julie.
That night, outside of Des Moines, pretty much replicated Denver with one exception. By the time Julie got out of the bathroom, Troy had taken off his own boots before passing out on the king-size bed. Her frustration nearly blew the lid off her cool, but she refused to beg for it. She thought for sure after all the conversation that he’d be more inclined to be physical. Unless the more he got to know her, the less he wanted to be with her.
Well that sucked.
Julie kept her nose buried in her script most of the next day for a few reasons. One, she really did need to do her homework for the movie role, and two, baring her soul to Troy only made her more vulnerable and she didn’t like the feeling. If he wanted something between them he was going to have to do his part.
On the fourth night, they arrived in Erie, Pennsylvania. The last stop before they reached their destination.
“We’ve got a shorter day tomorrow,” he said, tossing their luggage onto the racks he’d set up. This room also had one bed, but Julie had learned that sleeping with him hadn’t necessarily meant sleeping with him. The place had been recently remodeled with new dark green carpeting that matched the flowers on the peach comforter.
She came out of the roomier than normal bathroom, surprised to see Troy right in front of her. She edged over to give him room to pass, but he didn’t budge. She glanced up and froze as his hot, penetrating stare drilled into hers. He looked at her and looked at her until her blood raced in her veins.
Hello, Mr. Dodge the Sex. Was he finally cracking under the pressure?
“You’re not asleep,” she said. Apparently she’d lost her brain if that was the best she could come up with.
He nodded, his gaze roaming to her mouth and back to her eyes, but didn’t say anything. Stroking a hand through her hair, he bent closer to her mouth. Julie’s heart nearly exploded. Moving in slowly, his lips came down over hers, soft and insistent, and she melted at his touch. She let the crutches fall when she snaked her arms around his neck and held him closer.