believe that someone as sociable as her didn’t want company, Liz had instead used the busy pace of her job and its long hours as an excuse. She didn’t want unexpected visitors because she might be sleeping. Lame, but people had accepted the reasoning…and she’d carefully ignored how little sleep she’d gotten by on as a medical student.
“That was thoughtful of you.” She tried to slip her arm from Brandon’s hold as she walked down the step to stand beside him. In her ballet flats they were the same height.
He merely adjusted his hold to politely clasp her arm. “I’m double-parked, so before someone gets cranky…”
And before he heard anything…Liz chanced a quick glance at her home. The front windows were open. Kylie must have, naturally enough, opened them to let in the lovely summer’s day. However, Liz didn’t want Brandon asking after her visitors or being curious about them.
She went swiftly to his car. “We’d better not block the neighbors. They get fierce.” She was grateful for her practical, if expensive, jeans as she got into the car with Brandon holding the door.
He closed it gently and walked around to the driver’s side, raising a hand in acknowledgement—it didn’t seem in apology—to the two cars waiting behind them. The car moved off with the low growl of a powerful engine.
Inside, it smelled of new car, leather and Brandon. Not an unpleasant combination.
He watched the traffic with a predator’s alertness and a Londoner’s exasperation.
“I was debating car or Tube,” Liz said as a van cut them off.
“I’m glad I spared you that,” he said. “I like driving, but not the stop-and-start traffic around here. It eats up time. I’m thinking of getting a driver, then I could work instead of wasting hours.”
“Mmm.” She preferred to drive herself, and yes, she knew that made her a bit of a control freak. Most doctors were. There was a reason nurses said doctors had god-complexes. She changed the topic. “How did you get roped into going to Cobar’s show? I didn’t think a fashion show was your sort of thing.”
“I heard you’d be going.”
Oh. Oh wow. That was a blatant statement of interest. An assertive one.
“Brandon.” She didn’t know what to say. He was an attractive man. If she hadn’t been hiding Kylie, would she have let things ride, even enjoyed the chase while making up her mind? But Kylie was in her home and needed protecting.
Liz had sworn to Ooma that she’d tell no one of Kylie’s presence. It wasn’t that she mistrusted Brandon, her family or friends, but the more people who knew a secret, the more chance of it leaking. Weres were used to keeping secrets, but a promise was a promise.
“Brandon, I’m not looking for a mate.”
“I know.” A calm response. “I intend to change your mind.”
It was a level of arrogance that might have annoyed, if he hadn’t flashed her a grin.
“Liz, at least let me try.”
“I…” Her mind went blank. Trying would mean he’d turn up at her home. He’d learn her schedule. He’d find out about Kylie. Wolf-weres took determined to a whole new level. “You can’t.”
“Why not?” He brought the powerful car to a smooth stop at a red traffic light and gave her his complete attention. Shrewd hazel eyes studied her face and the giveaway of her fingers twisting around each other.
She stilled her hands. “I didn’t want to tell anyone.” She wished the wretched traffic lights would turn green. As it was, she struggled to hide her panicked reaction from him. She had to put him off in a way he’d believe. She needed a reason he’d accept, one that he couldn’t challenge. “I…I really don’t want a mate, but…I’m seeing Carson.”
By an immense effort of will she stopped her fingers from crossing. She hated lying! Loathed and felt dirty at the dishonesty. That meant she was stretching the definition of “seeing” to its limit— I did see Carson early this morning! —to
“That was thoughtful of you.” She tried to slip her arm from Brandon’s hold as she walked down the step to stand beside him. In her ballet flats they were the same height.
He merely adjusted his hold to politely clasp her arm. “I’m double-parked, so before someone gets cranky…”
And before he heard anything…Liz chanced a quick glance at her home. The front windows were open. Kylie must have, naturally enough, opened them to let in the lovely summer’s day. However, Liz didn’t want Brandon asking after her visitors or being curious about them.
She went swiftly to his car. “We’d better not block the neighbors. They get fierce.” She was grateful for her practical, if expensive, jeans as she got into the car with Brandon holding the door.
He closed it gently and walked around to the driver’s side, raising a hand in acknowledgement—it didn’t seem in apology—to the two cars waiting behind them. The car moved off with the low growl of a powerful engine.
Inside, it smelled of new car, leather and Brandon. Not an unpleasant combination.
He watched the traffic with a predator’s alertness and a Londoner’s exasperation.
“I was debating car or Tube,” Liz said as a van cut them off.
“I’m glad I spared you that,” he said. “I like driving, but not the stop-and-start traffic around here. It eats up time. I’m thinking of getting a driver, then I could work instead of wasting hours.”
“Mmm.” She preferred to drive herself, and yes, she knew that made her a bit of a control freak. Most doctors were. There was a reason nurses said doctors had god-complexes. She changed the topic. “How did you get roped into going to Cobar’s show? I didn’t think a fashion show was your sort of thing.”
“I heard you’d be going.”
Oh. Oh wow. That was a blatant statement of interest. An assertive one.
“Brandon.” She didn’t know what to say. He was an attractive man. If she hadn’t been hiding Kylie, would she have let things ride, even enjoyed the chase while making up her mind? But Kylie was in her home and needed protecting.
Liz had sworn to Ooma that she’d tell no one of Kylie’s presence. It wasn’t that she mistrusted Brandon, her family or friends, but the more people who knew a secret, the more chance of it leaking. Weres were used to keeping secrets, but a promise was a promise.
“Brandon, I’m not looking for a mate.”
“I know.” A calm response. “I intend to change your mind.”
It was a level of arrogance that might have annoyed, if he hadn’t flashed her a grin.
“Liz, at least let me try.”
“I…” Her mind went blank. Trying would mean he’d turn up at her home. He’d learn her schedule. He’d find out about Kylie. Wolf-weres took determined to a whole new level. “You can’t.”
“Why not?” He brought the powerful car to a smooth stop at a red traffic light and gave her his complete attention. Shrewd hazel eyes studied her face and the giveaway of her fingers twisting around each other.
She stilled her hands. “I didn’t want to tell anyone.” She wished the wretched traffic lights would turn green. As it was, she struggled to hide her panicked reaction from him. She had to put him off in a way he’d believe. She needed a reason he’d accept, one that he couldn’t challenge. “I…I really don’t want a mate, but…I’m seeing Carson.”
By an immense effort of will she stopped her fingers from crossing. She hated lying! Loathed and felt dirty at the dishonesty. That meant she was stretching the definition of “seeing” to its limit— I did see Carson early this morning! —to
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