Page 66 of Mr. Dangerous

"Thank you for the invitation," she said politely, and then walked into thebookstore.

Grandmother was shaking her head as we took their seats at the airport bar. I decided not to ask, but she was dogged asusual.

"She seems rather flustered," Grandmotherobserved.

"Mm? I think she just loves books." I pretended not to know what she meant. But I couldn't help flashing back to Naomi's slow, genuine smile as she thanked me for the Kindle. It made me want to buy her alibrary.

The waiter came over then, and I ordered a whiskey on the rocks even though it was beforefivep.m.

Because being around other Delaneys drove me todrink.

When it was nearly time for Liam's plane to land, I paid the check and left Grandmother at the ladies' room door for whatever it was she did that kept her looking so fresh all the time -- quite possibly involving the blood of virgins, nothing would surprise me -- and then re-traced my steps to the bookstore. I could have texted Naomi to join us, but I had expected her to meet us at the bar once she had browsed the books. I was curious what haddistractedher.

I found her sitting cross-legged on the carpet in the empty last aisle, a hardcover open in her lap. Her dark hair almost brushed the pages. I felt a pang of regret about the tensionbetweenus.

I squatted in front of her, bracing myself with my forearms on my thighs, and she looked up at me withsurprise.

"Oh," she said, scrambling to grab her purse next to her. "Are you ready to go? I'm sorry. Lost trackoftime."

"It's okay," I said. "It'sjustLiam."

She smiled slightly at that, closing the cover of the book and setting it neatly back on theshelf.

"You don't want it?" I stood and offered a hand. She was already scrambling to her feet,though.

She shook her head. "That's allright."

"I'll buy it for you," I offered, taking it off theshelf.

"That's really allright."

"Can we talk?" Iasked.

She glanced around the aisle. "Now?Aboutwhat?"

About how desperately unkissed she looked right then, and how badly I needed to slip my hands around her waist and kiss heragain.

"Not now," I said. "Just... tonight. I think what I said came acrosswrong."

She smiled mirthlessly. "Youthink?"

"I need to talk to you without an audience. I hadn't expected thechaperone..."

"Too true," she saidlightly.

"What doyoumean?"

"About your grandmother chaperoning us because she wants to make sure I'm not putting a move on you, RobertDelaney?"

"She's just nosy.Recreationallynosy."

She wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her arms, which were stubbled with goosebumps. "Let's gogetLiam."

"Are you cold?" I took one last glance at the book cover, committing it to memory, and headed behind her down the aisle. "Do you want mysweatshirt?"

"What would your grandmotherthink?"

"I'm not the one whocares."

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