“Oh God.” She shook her head in denial. “I fainted. I’ve
never fainted.”
I found it amusing that she was more horrified by the fact
that she fainted, than the fact that a strange man was in her apartment. It was
certainly telling. Emma Watts hated weakness. “It’s perfectly natural, given
the circumstances.” I found two cups that seemed somewhat clean. Matchmakers
were supposed to be old and annoyingly serene. Not…not her. Not young, not hot, not exciting and stubborn.
She laughed, a manic laugh that worried me. I’d heard that
sort of laugh…right before someone was committed. “Perfectly natural?”
The teakettle gave off a shrill whistle.
“It’s not perfectly natural for me to faint and it’s not
perfectly natural for you to just…just…” She waved her hands around like a
crazed hen, flapping her wings. “Not natural for you to be here!”
Taking the moment to gather myself, I poured water into two
cups. I was in charge here, at least I was supposed to be, yet I felt like a
damn novice. I steeled myself and faced her. “Have some tea?”
“I don’t want tea!” She stomped her foot. It was pretty damn
funny, actually. Any other time I might have laughed. I knew better than to
react now.
“Would you prefer coffee?”
“No! I’d prefer answers.”
We had so many things we needed to discuss, yet all I could
think about was that there was something entirely too amusing about getting her
riled up. What the hell was wrong with me?
I set her cup on the small bit of counter that wasn’t
cluttered with dishes. “I was perfectly willing to give you answers yesterday,
when you rudely ran away.”
“I was being chased by an angry man. What did you expect?”
Not her. I certainly hadn’t expected a woman like Emma. And
I sure as hell didn’t expect to be attracted to her. I glanced toward the
heavens, cursing the gods. Was this some sort of test in which I had to prove
my worth?
If it was, I was failing fast. I couldn’t look her in the
eyes without losing my train of thought. Couldn’t sleep last night without
dreaming about her. This wasn’t good, wasn’t good at all.
“Owen, I want answers now.”
So did I. I sighed and turned to face her. “It’s true your
aunt left you her possessions.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, looking leery and
confused. She didn’t trust me and that sure as hell wasn’t a great way to start
our relationship. “Yeah, the cottage, you told me.”
I nodded. “Her worldly possessions are yours. Which, besides
the cottage, isn’t much.”
“Okay, wonderful.” She moved into the kitchen, brushing by
me. We didn’t touch, but I felt her energy all the same. “Where’s the aspirin?”
“Does your head hurt?”
“Yes, it hurts.” She rummaged through a kitchen drawer.
“Been hurting for two days now. I don’t get headaches often. It’s…odd.”
They’d said a new Matchmaker’s body would need time to
adjust to her abilities, but hadn’t gone into detail about what her symptoms
would be. Clarice’s death had been a shock and I hadn’t fully had time to
prepare for my new charge. It was a disservice to Emma, and I felt guilty as
hell.
She found the bottle and turned toward me. “So, are there
papers I need to sign, or what?”
I shifted, uneasy. Time for the truth, the complete and
utter truth. “Um, no. The cottage isn’t important.”
She focused on the bottle, tugging at the lid. “Damn thing.”
She glanced up briefly. “What is important then?”
I sighed and strolled toward her, stopping so close I could
feel her body’s heat. Yet she wasn’t intimidated by my size or presence. The
girl wasn’t intimidated by anything and I couldn’t help but admire her
strength. It also worried me. A good dose of fear was healthy.
“Here.” I held out my hand.
She paused, her stubbornness in full force. Yes, she hated
handing over her power, even if it was for something as simple as opening a
bottle. Her reluctance
never fainted.”
I found it amusing that she was more horrified by the fact
that she fainted, than the fact that a strange man was in her apartment. It was
certainly telling. Emma Watts hated weakness. “It’s perfectly natural, given
the circumstances.” I found two cups that seemed somewhat clean. Matchmakers
were supposed to be old and annoyingly serene. Not…not her. Not young, not hot, not exciting and stubborn.
She laughed, a manic laugh that worried me. I’d heard that
sort of laugh…right before someone was committed. “Perfectly natural?”
The teakettle gave off a shrill whistle.
“It’s not perfectly natural for me to faint and it’s not
perfectly natural for you to just…just…” She waved her hands around like a
crazed hen, flapping her wings. “Not natural for you to be here!”
Taking the moment to gather myself, I poured water into two
cups. I was in charge here, at least I was supposed to be, yet I felt like a
damn novice. I steeled myself and faced her. “Have some tea?”
“I don’t want tea!” She stomped her foot. It was pretty damn
funny, actually. Any other time I might have laughed. I knew better than to
react now.
“Would you prefer coffee?”
“No! I’d prefer answers.”
We had so many things we needed to discuss, yet all I could
think about was that there was something entirely too amusing about getting her
riled up. What the hell was wrong with me?
I set her cup on the small bit of counter that wasn’t
cluttered with dishes. “I was perfectly willing to give you answers yesterday,
when you rudely ran away.”
“I was being chased by an angry man. What did you expect?”
Not her. I certainly hadn’t expected a woman like Emma. And
I sure as hell didn’t expect to be attracted to her. I glanced toward the
heavens, cursing the gods. Was this some sort of test in which I had to prove
my worth?
If it was, I was failing fast. I couldn’t look her in the
eyes without losing my train of thought. Couldn’t sleep last night without
dreaming about her. This wasn’t good, wasn’t good at all.
“Owen, I want answers now.”
So did I. I sighed and turned to face her. “It’s true your
aunt left you her possessions.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, looking leery and
confused. She didn’t trust me and that sure as hell wasn’t a great way to start
our relationship. “Yeah, the cottage, you told me.”
I nodded. “Her worldly possessions are yours. Which, besides
the cottage, isn’t much.”
“Okay, wonderful.” She moved into the kitchen, brushing by
me. We didn’t touch, but I felt her energy all the same. “Where’s the aspirin?”
“Does your head hurt?”
“Yes, it hurts.” She rummaged through a kitchen drawer.
“Been hurting for two days now. I don’t get headaches often. It’s…odd.”
They’d said a new Matchmaker’s body would need time to
adjust to her abilities, but hadn’t gone into detail about what her symptoms
would be. Clarice’s death had been a shock and I hadn’t fully had time to
prepare for my new charge. It was a disservice to Emma, and I felt guilty as
hell.
She found the bottle and turned toward me. “So, are there
papers I need to sign, or what?”
I shifted, uneasy. Time for the truth, the complete and
utter truth. “Um, no. The cottage isn’t important.”
She focused on the bottle, tugging at the lid. “Damn thing.”
She glanced up briefly. “What is important then?”
I sighed and strolled toward her, stopping so close I could
feel her body’s heat. Yet she wasn’t intimidated by my size or presence. The
girl wasn’t intimidated by anything and I couldn’t help but admire her
strength. It also worried me. A good dose of fear was healthy.
“Here.” I held out my hand.
She paused, her stubbornness in full force. Yes, she hated
handing over her power, even if it was for something as simple as opening a
bottle. Her reluctance
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