Page 133 of Cerulean Truth
As it was.
James raised his eyebrows, that elusive slow smile spreading across his face.
"Careful there, Miss Thomson, or I might start thinking you're glad for that."
I hesitated, then opted for honesty.
"I am." Two words, a thousand nerves.
"Really?" His voice softened as he took a step closer.
"Truly," I whispered, matching his step.
“Well,” he attempted to reciprocate, “I’m not too crippled by meeting you either.”
I snorted out a laugh. “That supposed to be a compliment?”
His smile vanished and his expression turned serious while his features remained soft. His eyes never left mine as he gently pushed back a string of hair behind my ear. "No, a complimentwould be..." He paused, clearly about to say something significant.
"James!" a voice interrupted, breaking the moment.
Oh for fudge’s sake.
We both looked up to see a woman in a striking black fighting outfit, with sleek, armored segments. It was unmistakably Offensive gear, a stark contrast to James’s relaxed look today.
“Rachel,” James said flatly, barely masking his annoyance. “What are you doing here?”
Rachel, seemingly oblivious to the tension, smiled brightly. “I’m on leave from Kanata C. Just visiting some old friends.” She glanced at me, her eyes curious. “And you?”
“Emma,” he said without much enthusiasm. “This is Rachel, someone I trained with at Cyclos in the Advanced Academy classes.”
I extended my hand. “Nice to meet you, Rachel.”
Rachel shook my hand firmly. “Nice to meet you too, Emma.” She looked at James expectantly, clearly awaiting further elaboration.
James sighed, clearly uncomfortable. “Emma is my, uh, friend.”
I smiled to ease the tension. “We’re on a date, actually.”
What the flap? Why the heck would I say that?
Rachel’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Ah, I see. Well, I didn’t mean to interrupt. It’s just a surprise to see James looking so... different. In a good way.”
James nodded curtly. “Trying something new.”
Rachel nodded approvingly. “It suits you. Well, I’ll leave you two to your date. It was great running into you, James. And nice meeting you, Emma.”
“You too, Rachel,” I said, watching her walk away.
James ran his hand through his hair, looking detached. “Sorry about that.”
I chuckled. “She seems nice. And it’s good to know more about your past.”
James nodded, his gaze distant. “Yeah. Now, what’s all this about a date?”
I swallowed. My nerves were instantly shot. Me and my big mouth. “Well, uhm. Just like, you know…” I mumbled under my breath, not meeting his gaze.
James surprised me by barking out a laugh so genuine, I took a few steps back. “Your face is priceless,” he grinned and grabbed my hand. “It’s an honor that a woman like you would even consider a man like me worthy enough to go on a date with. But Emma, this isn’t a date.”
