Page 52 of Mending Hearts

“Oh.” Tyler brushed back the strands of my hair that had fallen forward away from my hat. “I’ll feed you all right.”

I was giddy. How had I missed that he was this much fun? “I’m going to need more than a cockmeat sandwich.”

A laugh so loud it drew attention from everyone in the produce section burst out of him. Pride flooded me. I did that; I made him laugh so wholeheartedly. Another emotion I didn’t recognize followed, swelling my chest. He was amazing. How had I managed to meet someone so amazing?

“All right,” Tyler said when his laughter faded to a grin. “Tell me what’s on your list since you already vetoed mine.”

“You know what I’d really like?” I stared into the half-full grocery cart. None of it was appealing.

He stared at me expectantly.

“A burger from the same place as last time, the one Pasha recommended.” At my insistence, Pasha had stayed outside the grocery store by the entrance. He hadn’t been happy about it. Perhaps this would smooth over his grumpy attitude and satisfy my craving for red meat.

“Burgers, it is,” he agreed. “Let’s pay for this and give Pasha the good news.”

I couldn’t stop staring at him as he moved around the kitchen, eating one of his burgers and getting himself and Pasha beers. He’d already slid a glass of water across the island to me. Pasha was hunched over his bag of burgers, steadily working his way through them, each one making him grunt less and talk more.

When the bag was empty, he stood up, took the mountain of burger wrappers around him, and threw them into the garbage. “I walk house. Then bed. Long day.”

“Thank you.” I ran my hand down his arm and smiled at him.

He patted my head and slipped out the back door. Even though Pasha was only thirty, he often seemed so much wiser. A protective big brother.

“Do you have that sort of relationship with all your bodyguards?” Tyler tipped his beer and took a long swallow.

“No.” I pressed my water glass between my palms. “He told me a few weeks ago that I remind him of his little sister back in Russia.”

“Makes sense.” He nodded and set his empty bottle in the sink. “He seems attached to you. Why do you like him?”

“I’ve never worried he’ll betray me.” I gave him a fleeting smile. “A quality I don’t take for granted in anyone anymore.” I swept up my burger wrapper and took it to the garbage next to Tyler. After I dropped it in, I glanced up at him. “Jealous?”

“I’m not sure.” His lips quirked up into an almost smile. “Curious, definitely. Maybe it’s jealousy of a sort. You rely on him. You trust him.”

“Want to know what I like about you?”

“You mean besides my sweat smelling like jasmine?” His eyes brimmed with affection.

A soft laugh tumbled out, and I rose on my toes, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Besides that. Though, it is incredible anyone’s sweat can smell so good. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were magic.”

“So, what is it, then?” He nuzzled under my ear, and I sighed with contentment. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this relaxed and at peace with my life.

“Your honesty. You’ll tell me the truth, even if I don’t like it.”

“I’m trying.” He took a deep breath and kissed my bare shoulder before meeting my gaze again. “I can’t say I’ve ever beenthishonest with anyone else.”

His admission was comforting and frustrating. He wouldn’t tell me the one thing I really wanted to know. Why had he and Katie split up? Who’d broken up with whom? Asking him right now would destroy this mood, and I definitely didn’t want to do that.

Pasha came back in through the sliding side door and waved without looking at us directly. “All okay. I go bed and read. Call you need me.” He flipped the lock into place and moved the metal bar down to secure the doors. He ambled along the hallway without a backward glance.

“A reader.” Tyler’s voice was pitched low. “Never would have guessed.”

“In Russian.” I laughed and sprang onto my toes for a quick kiss. “He’s tried to teach me a few words, but I’m useless. He’s smarter than me.”

“Necessity breeds some skills. You don’t need Russian, or you’d learn it.”

“One skill I have to relearn is how to write music. Or find my rhythm again. It’s been forever.”

“Your guitar and keyboard should be delivered to the train station tomorrow. We can go pick them up, or I can drop you off there to write on my way to the store.”

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