Page 12 of V is for Valentine
Felicity did not respond because the answer was obvious, but Danny stated it anyway. “Because you’ve chosen to make it that way is my guess.”
Her hackles started to inch up because time management was one of her ticklish areas. She liked to keep herself busy, but more than one friend and/or colleague had pointed out that she might be keeping herself a little too busy.
Felicity pulled in a breath and reminded herself of professionalism. “You guess right.”
“So you’ve chosen not to volunteer,” he said easily.
“I have,” she said darkly. She propped a hand on her hip. “Any more judgments you care to make?”
“I’m good for the moment.” He shot her a look and then his shoulders dropped half an inch. “Sorry.”
“For what?”
“Doing the thing.”
“What thing?” She knew what thing, but it seemed that she was unable to resist falling into the very thing he was talking about.
He took a step closer. “The thing you and I do.”
She flattened her mouth. “Nothing wrong with doing the thing.”
“You like it?”
“I’m comfortable with it.” And the sad truth was that she wasn’t comfortable when they weren’t doing it, just as she wasn’t comfortable at the way that Danny, in his worn jeans and canvas Converse and Awesome shirt, drew her eye. And held it. “I can handle it for two weeks.”
“You don’t have anyone to spar with in Seattle,” he guessed. “Youwantto do the thing for two weeks.”
“I…”
No one left her at a loss for words like Danny.
“It’s bad to get rusty,” he said. “I’m sparring circles around you right now.”
“You are not. I’m trying to be professional because I need you and we have a lot of work to do.” She stepped back behind the mounted drywall before muttering, “Besides, one of us has to be the grown-up.”
“Didn’t hear you,” Danny called in a tone that told her he clearly had.
“Go to work.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And you need to wear steel toe boots tomorrow.”
“Yeah. I thought I had a pair at the folks’ house, but they must have gone to donation. Everything else is in storage.”
“What will you do?”
He gave a shrug. “Buy boots.”
“For just this job?” She sucked in a breath as she tackled another sheet of drywall. Her shoulders were getting sore.
“I’ll use them for other things. I have some projects.”
Felicity managed to put the sheet on the lift without it shifting out of her grip, even though it had been off-balance as she carried it. “Since when does computer repair require steel toe boots?”
“I have a fixer-upper I’m working on. I might have your dad advise me.”
“A fixer-upper?” she echoed, hoping for more information.
