backlash of seeing
Lanessa. The last thing he wanted was to feel anything for the
woman. Turning up his car radio, he tried to think of text commands
and pathways.
Chapter 4
“ Did you hear me? I asked if
you wanted another glass of wine.” Karin stood waiting for an
answer. She held a cut glass wine carafe in one hand.
“Alex?”
He glanced at her as though she’d
appeared in a cloud of smoke.” Excuse me?”
“ More wine?”Karin studied
him with her head titled.
“ Uh, no. I’ve got an early
day tomorrow.”
Alex tried to focus on where he was
not where he’d been three years ago. The other two couples, guests
at Karin’s dinner party, were preparing to leave. He joined her
telling everyone goodbye. After ten minutes Karin and Alex were
alone. Alex helped her load the dishwasher and straighten up a bit.
It only took another half-hour before they were back in her
spacious living room. The soft blue, gray and mauve colors that
decorated it were soothing. Muted lighting made the room a perfect
romantic setting. Karin sat close to him on the sofa.
“ I’m glad Alicia and Percy
could come. They’re a nice couple.” Karin sipped from a glass of
white wine. “Yes, they are.”
” I think he just might use
your company to help him set up the network, or whatever you two
were jabbering about,” Karin said with a soft laugh.
“ It’s called a LAN, local
area network. It means the computers in one location, in this
instance his office, are linked.”
“ Right, anyway including
them was a good idea. They’re fun. And I suspected he’d be a
possible client from listening to Alicia talk.” Karin smiled at
him. She seemed to be waiting for his approval.
“ You were right again. These
once a month dinner parties of yours are always a hit,” Alex said
smiling back.
“ I’m sorry Evan and his new
lady couldn’t make it.” Karin leaned her head back against the sofa
cushion. She took her hand in his.” But this is nice,
too.”
Alex gazed at her. Her creamy skin the
color of cinnamon was flawless. Soft jet-black curls framed her
perfect oval face. Her dark eyes were wide and lovely. With good
food, wine and soft blues playing on the compact disc this evening
should be just right. Yet he felt nothing. No, that was not quite
right. He was... restless. What was wrong with him? “You’ve been
distracted most of the night. You’re putting in too many long
hours.” Karin patted his hand.
“ Yeah, well the state
contract should be through in another month or so.”
“ Going smooth for you?”She
kept her hand on his.
“ Just fine. No major kinks
so far, knock on wood,” Alex replied.
“ So if it isn’t work, what
is it?”She gazed at him steadily.
Alex felt a stab of guilt and
anxiety.” Nothing is wrong,” he said.” Not exactly.”
“ You seem more than just
distracted to tell the truth. There’s a distance between us.” Karin
was suddenly quite somber.” Have I done something
wrong?”
“ No.” He hesitated as he
groped for some way to express his feelings.
“ Is it something I haven’t
done?”
“ No, it’s not you.” Alex
stopped short of uttering the cliché that it was him. Still it was
true.
“ I care a lot about you. You
know that.” Karin leaned closer to him.
“ And I care for you, too.”
Alex looked down into eyes glowing with affection. He felt like a
blue ribbon jerk.
Karin pulled back from him.” But we’re
not going to get past being good friends, are we?”
“ You’re a wonderful woman,
Karin.” Alex knew this was a lame response. He just could think of
nothing better to say under the circumstances.
“ I thought giving you space
would lead to. . . Obviously I was wrong.” Karin wore a taut
expression. Anger bubbled just beneath her tone.
“ I never meant to lead you
on.” Alex still felt as though he had, despite the talks they’d had
about not getting serious. Clearly she wanted more, and he had been
blind to it.
“ Sure.
Lanessa. The last thing he wanted was to feel anything for the
woman. Turning up his car radio, he tried to think of text commands
and pathways.
Chapter 4
“ Did you hear me? I asked if
you wanted another glass of wine.” Karin stood waiting for an
answer. She held a cut glass wine carafe in one hand.
“Alex?”
He glanced at her as though she’d
appeared in a cloud of smoke.” Excuse me?”
“ More wine?”Karin studied
him with her head titled.
“ Uh, no. I’ve got an early
day tomorrow.”
Alex tried to focus on where he was
not where he’d been three years ago. The other two couples, guests
at Karin’s dinner party, were preparing to leave. He joined her
telling everyone goodbye. After ten minutes Karin and Alex were
alone. Alex helped her load the dishwasher and straighten up a bit.
It only took another half-hour before they were back in her
spacious living room. The soft blue, gray and mauve colors that
decorated it were soothing. Muted lighting made the room a perfect
romantic setting. Karin sat close to him on the sofa.
“ I’m glad Alicia and Percy
could come. They’re a nice couple.” Karin sipped from a glass of
white wine. “Yes, they are.”
” I think he just might use
your company to help him set up the network, or whatever you two
were jabbering about,” Karin said with a soft laugh.
“ It’s called a LAN, local
area network. It means the computers in one location, in this
instance his office, are linked.”
“ Right, anyway including
them was a good idea. They’re fun. And I suspected he’d be a
possible client from listening to Alicia talk.” Karin smiled at
him. She seemed to be waiting for his approval.
“ You were right again. These
once a month dinner parties of yours are always a hit,” Alex said
smiling back.
“ I’m sorry Evan and his new
lady couldn’t make it.” Karin leaned her head back against the sofa
cushion. She took her hand in his.” But this is nice,
too.”
Alex gazed at her. Her creamy skin the
color of cinnamon was flawless. Soft jet-black curls framed her
perfect oval face. Her dark eyes were wide and lovely. With good
food, wine and soft blues playing on the compact disc this evening
should be just right. Yet he felt nothing. No, that was not quite
right. He was... restless. What was wrong with him? “You’ve been
distracted most of the night. You’re putting in too many long
hours.” Karin patted his hand.
“ Yeah, well the state
contract should be through in another month or so.”
“ Going smooth for you?”She
kept her hand on his.
“ Just fine. No major kinks
so far, knock on wood,” Alex replied.
“ So if it isn’t work, what
is it?”She gazed at him steadily.
Alex felt a stab of guilt and
anxiety.” Nothing is wrong,” he said.” Not exactly.”
“ You seem more than just
distracted to tell the truth. There’s a distance between us.” Karin
was suddenly quite somber.” Have I done something
wrong?”
“ No.” He hesitated as he
groped for some way to express his feelings.
“ Is it something I haven’t
done?”
“ No, it’s not you.” Alex
stopped short of uttering the cliché that it was him. Still it was
true.
“ I care a lot about you. You
know that.” Karin leaned closer to him.
“ And I care for you, too.”
Alex looked down into eyes glowing with affection. He felt like a
blue ribbon jerk.
Karin pulled back from him.” But we’re
not going to get past being good friends, are we?”
“ You’re a wonderful woman,
Karin.” Alex knew this was a lame response. He just could think of
nothing better to say under the circumstances.
“ I thought giving you space
would lead to. . . Obviously I was wrong.” Karin wore a taut
expression. Anger bubbled just beneath her tone.
“ I never meant to lead you
on.” Alex still felt as though he had, despite the talks they’d had
about not getting serious. Clearly she wanted more, and he had been
blind to it.
“ Sure.
Similar Books
