[B.S. #1] Tied Up in Knotts by Dale Cadeau Page B

such personal items. James stood up straight and widened his hands.
    “Sorry, didn’t mean to upset you, just trying to help.”
    Moving to the couch, he started gathering the CDs laying on it and the table in front. Glancing back he could see Avery scrambling to gather the other items of clothing as fast as she could and stuff them in boxes. Her face was still red and she did not meet his eyes when he had spoken to her.
     
    * * * *
     
    Leaving James and Avery alone in the apartment, Clay glanced back at Angel as they both carried boxes down the sidewalk to the office. Angel had his balanced on his shoulder.
    “We’ll have to keep a close watch on her. It wasn’t enough that we had the Feds and a drug lord after her. Now we have to add these punks into the mix.”
    Angel just shrugged his shoulders, the box not moving.
    “We’ve dealt with worse. More fun for us,” Angel replied as he walked around Clay, who had stopped as he spoke in thought. “Let’s get this done and get to the good part of this job.”
    Clay followed Angel and thought of the job ahead. “Yes, it might be fun taking out a drug lord, keeping the FBI off of Avery’s (and their own) back and cleaning up the neighborhood at the same time.” Clay grinned at Angel’s broad back and followed him through the front door of their temporary office and up to Avery’s new apartment.

Chapter Seven
     
    Back at the apartment with Avery, James was having a heated discussion with her about not carrying boxes that were giving her a hard time down the stairs. “Why don’t you go ahead and leave all this to me. I can get this to the office faster…” James caught himself when Avery turned on the stairs in a snit and nearly unbalanced herself in the process.
    “What are you trying to say? That I’m slowing you down? Well listen here, this is my stuff and I can just manage by myself. If you’re in such a rush you go ahead and I will manage just fine.”
    James could see this would be a losing battle and tried to choose his words carefully. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded, I just though you could go ahead and start unpacking while I moved the rest of the box—”
    “You think because I’m a girl that I can’t keep up with you. I’ll have you know that it was me that brought all the stuff up the first time with no help and I can sure take it back down.” Turning, Avery continued down the stairs, brushing off his words. The box she was holding swayed back and forth as she tried to balance it and look at the steps at the same time.
    “I don’t think that. I just meant that you have me to help so why not take advantage and let me do this. I’m here to help you and you don’t have to do everything yourself this time.” God she was frustrating.
    Avery glanced back at James and stumbled down a step. “I don’t take advantage of anyone if I can help it. Now let’s get this done, see if you can keep up.”
    Avery heard James sigh behind her.
    Well maybe she was being unreasonable, but this morning when she realized that her choices had been taken away she had felt helpless. She had had to put up with Danny and his gang. Making her own decisions, even if it was only moving boxes, in some small way to her, would show she was made of sterner stuff and could stand on her own two feet. Telling herself that, she proceeded to the sidewalk and finally laid the box down. It was heavy, but she could do this. Picking the box back up, she started walking the sidewalk before James could comment on its weight.
    James watched her curvy rear sway in front of him. Well, he’d been told. He would allow her the last word this time, and a bit of freedom. After all, she didn’t know the rules—yet. He would just have to teach her. Something he was very much looking forward to.
    Avery was proud of herself as she took her first steps into the new apartment above the office. She had won their first argument. Maybe she could handle this job and these men as