IceAgeLover by Marisa Chenery Page B

you can leave.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Durlach stopped mid-stir, then let out a laugh that came
across as strained and forced. “Did I say you couldn’t leave? I don’t mean you
physically can’t. What I meant was it would break Kajakti’s heart if you did
go.”
    Jaren stared at Durlach, not sure how to respond to his
statement. “I don’t know about that,” she said slowly. “If things don’t work
out between us, I doubt he’d have a hard time finding someone else.”
    This time Durlach’s smile appeared genuine. “I’ve known
Kajakti for a very, very long time. It has only been a day since you met him,
but believe me, you’re the woman meant for him. You’re not like the other women
he has been with in the past.”
    A warm feeling went through Jaren. She wanted to believe
what Durlach said was true. And if it was, what was she going to do about it?
After spending the day in Kajakti’s bed, thinking about leaving him and never
seeing him again made her feel as if she couldn’t catch her breath. It was
almost as if an anxiety attack wanted to sneak up on her and grab hold. And
she’d never had one in her life. Not even after Matt had left her stranded.
    “Say that’s true and Kajakti tells me that very thing. What
about me?”
    Durlach gave her a questioning look. “I don’t understand.”
    “I was in a committed relationship with Matt, my ex, for a
year up until yesterday. Who is to say what I’m feeling for Kajakti will be
strong enough to last? Subconsciously I could be using him and what I think we
have is only me rebounding. Those types of relationships never amount to much.”
    Durlach put the spatula on the spoon rest then walked over
to her. He looked her in the eyes. “Do you really think that is what you have
with Kajakti? That you only feel for him the way you do because he was there
when you needed someone to lean on the most?”
    His questions forced Jaren to take a much closer look at her
feelings for Kajakti. As she’d figured out earlier, they weren’t the same as
what she’d had for her ex. She hadn’t really loved Matt. She hadn’t cared if
she didn’t see him every day. And it had been she who hadn’t wanted them to
live together. She’d thought she just liked her space too much. With Kajakti,
not once had she felt smothered by him. She was comfortable being around him,
he made her actually want to have someone to lean on. And it had nothing to do
with what he’d done for her the day before.
    “No, I don’t,” she finally said. “What I feel is stronger
than that.”
    “Then you’re not going to be a problem.”
    “But, as I told Kajakti, I can’t just stay here without
going back to Canada. I have an apartment and all my things are still there.”
    “Then take Kajakti with you when you go home. He can help you
get those organized for you to move here. Plus, he’s never been on a plane
before. None of us have, except for the girls I think.”
    Now that was a good idea. Jaren wouldn’t have to say goodbye
to Kajakti even for that short amount of time. And with that thought, that
uncomfortable anxiety disappeared.
    She leaned in and kissed Durlach on the cheek. “Thanks. When
did you get to be so smart?”
    He smiled. “I do have my moments. I consider Kajakti one of
my brothers. I like seeing him happy. And you do make him feel that way. Even
though he has never said anything, I could tell he felt a little lost in his
life. Now that he found you, that’s changed.”
    Jaren shook her head with a smile. “Do the others know you
watch them that closely?”
    Durlach chuckled. “No, and don’t be telling them.”
    “My lips are sealed. Now let’s get back to finishing dinner
before we end up burning something.”
    As she worked, Jaren continued to think of Kajakti and what
she wanted to do after her holiday was supposed to end. As she’d told Durlach,
she and Kajakti really hadn’t discussed their feelings for each other. Yes,
Kajakti had talked about