all without losing his mind completely.
****
Morning came, and the woman who’d stolen his heart failed to emerge from her room.
Connor knew she would rise late after imbibing so much drink the night before, but wished he could see through the door that separated them to be certain she was well.
He paced his domain for ages before her door opened. She stumbled to the kitchen, her hair mussed, her eyes barely open, and still wearing that long shirt with nothing covering her legs.
He listened as she worked in the kitchen, and after several minutes he heard a chair scrape against the floor followed by a moan of pleasure. The sound shot straight through his body. A more torturous existence awaited him—
apparently. Not only had he discovered he had a heart, a part of his body he’d never engaged during his natural life, but lust was to be his constant companion as well.
The doorbell rang, and she rose to answer it.
He observed her as she came into view. The circles beneath her dark green eyes caused him 5
Jo Barrett
to wince and mutter a curse against the man who’d caused her so much pain.
Tori paused, her hand on the doorknob and glanced around the room.
“Oh, I am so losing it,” she muttered. She’d spent half the night talking to herself, crying in her wine, and now she could swear she’d heard someone. As if they were standing right beside her cursing.
Which she proceeded to do as the bell pealed once again. She opened the door to admit her friend, Lynne, knowing and hating what was going to come out of her mouth.
“Hey there—wow. What hit you, a truck?”
“A big bottle of wine.” She waved her in, and they went into the kitchen.
Lynne snatched a cup of coffee and sat down at the table beside her. “Then you already know about Tom.”
Tori nodded. “And before you say anything, yes I know I need to get over it, yes I know I can’t go on crying over him, and yes I know he’s not worth a single tear.”
Lynne patted her hand and smiled. “Then you’re getting better. You used to cry for a full twenty-four hours and deny all of that, as I would so kindly remind you each and every time.”
She chuckled, then winced, cupping her forehead as she leaned on the table. “Actually, I had a nice little talk with myself last night and I think it helped.”
“Good. Now, although I suspect you’d rather stay home and veg, we’re going out shopping.”
Tori groaned. “Lynne, thanks, really. But I’m just not in the mood. And I need to get myself repaired before I visit Nana this afternoon.”
6
The Man In The Mirror
Lynne sighed, but agreed.
They visited a little longer then once Lynne left, she hit the shower. Her fingers tangled in her hair, and she recalled her conversation the night before.
“I deserve everything,” she said with a chuckle. Well, why not? Maybe if she thought like that she could get past the hurt. Although she had to admit, the hurt wasn’t really about Tom anymore. It was about what he represented. About not being loved, about not having all the things she thought she would have by now. A home and family. Why were those things so hard to obtain?
With a scowl, she wrapped a towel around her and crossed the room to her dresser.
Halfway there, she paused, eyes wide, and swallowed the lump of fear climbing her throat.
“Lynne?” she called, peeking through the doorway to the living room, but got no answer.
She eased out of her bedroom, certain she’d heard someone.
“Have mercy,” a voice groaned.
With a yelp, she jumped back into her room and slammed the door. “Whoever you are, you’d better know I’m calling the police.” Problem was, the phone was in the living room. Her little apartment didn’t need more than one, and she’d left it in the living room by the couch last night after talking to Nana.
“Blast it,” the very male voice said. “I’ll not hurt you, I vow it.”
“I have a gun,” she lied. She only had some pepper spray, which
****
Morning came, and the woman who’d stolen his heart failed to emerge from her room.
Connor knew she would rise late after imbibing so much drink the night before, but wished he could see through the door that separated them to be certain she was well.
He paced his domain for ages before her door opened. She stumbled to the kitchen, her hair mussed, her eyes barely open, and still wearing that long shirt with nothing covering her legs.
He listened as she worked in the kitchen, and after several minutes he heard a chair scrape against the floor followed by a moan of pleasure. The sound shot straight through his body. A more torturous existence awaited him—
apparently. Not only had he discovered he had a heart, a part of his body he’d never engaged during his natural life, but lust was to be his constant companion as well.
The doorbell rang, and she rose to answer it.
He observed her as she came into view. The circles beneath her dark green eyes caused him 5
Jo Barrett
to wince and mutter a curse against the man who’d caused her so much pain.
Tori paused, her hand on the doorknob and glanced around the room.
“Oh, I am so losing it,” she muttered. She’d spent half the night talking to herself, crying in her wine, and now she could swear she’d heard someone. As if they were standing right beside her cursing.
Which she proceeded to do as the bell pealed once again. She opened the door to admit her friend, Lynne, knowing and hating what was going to come out of her mouth.
“Hey there—wow. What hit you, a truck?”
“A big bottle of wine.” She waved her in, and they went into the kitchen.
Lynne snatched a cup of coffee and sat down at the table beside her. “Then you already know about Tom.”
Tori nodded. “And before you say anything, yes I know I need to get over it, yes I know I can’t go on crying over him, and yes I know he’s not worth a single tear.”
Lynne patted her hand and smiled. “Then you’re getting better. You used to cry for a full twenty-four hours and deny all of that, as I would so kindly remind you each and every time.”
She chuckled, then winced, cupping her forehead as she leaned on the table. “Actually, I had a nice little talk with myself last night and I think it helped.”
“Good. Now, although I suspect you’d rather stay home and veg, we’re going out shopping.”
Tori groaned. “Lynne, thanks, really. But I’m just not in the mood. And I need to get myself repaired before I visit Nana this afternoon.”
6
The Man In The Mirror
Lynne sighed, but agreed.
They visited a little longer then once Lynne left, she hit the shower. Her fingers tangled in her hair, and she recalled her conversation the night before.
“I deserve everything,” she said with a chuckle. Well, why not? Maybe if she thought like that she could get past the hurt. Although she had to admit, the hurt wasn’t really about Tom anymore. It was about what he represented. About not being loved, about not having all the things she thought she would have by now. A home and family. Why were those things so hard to obtain?
With a scowl, she wrapped a towel around her and crossed the room to her dresser.
Halfway there, she paused, eyes wide, and swallowed the lump of fear climbing her throat.
“Lynne?” she called, peeking through the doorway to the living room, but got no answer.
She eased out of her bedroom, certain she’d heard someone.
“Have mercy,” a voice groaned.
With a yelp, she jumped back into her room and slammed the door. “Whoever you are, you’d better know I’m calling the police.” Problem was, the phone was in the living room. Her little apartment didn’t need more than one, and she’d left it in the living room by the couch last night after talking to Nana.
“Blast it,” the very male voice said. “I’ll not hurt you, I vow it.”
“I have a gun,” she lied. She only had some pepper spray, which
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