Page 6 of Spar
“Don’t touch me,” she whispered.
Chris held his hands up in surrender. “Fine, but we’re having this conversation.” Christ, he was starting to believe he really did have something to talk with her about other than her nearly dying.
“What do you want,Chris?”
She said his name like it was painful to do so. He remembered a time when his name rolled off her tongue in a way that made his whole body come alive.
“Did you tell anyone about Saturday night?” He hated that he had been reduced to playing it out this way. While he wasn’t keen on everyone knowing he was boxing again, he’d had no intention of asking her to keep his secret until just now.
Tori smiled for the first time since he had entered the room. “Which part? The part where I saw you boxing at Benny’s or the part where you were all over some old lady?”
Chris gritted his teeth. She knew how to push his buttons. Fine. He could play this game. They’d been playing it for years.
“Jealous, honey?” Chris reached out, grasped her hand, and rubbed his thumb over her long, lean fingers.
She let his hand linger there a moment before pulling away. “I said don’t touch me.”
“It’s a yes or no question, Tori. Did you tell anyone or not?”
She pulled her shoulders back. “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me,” she said icily, pushing past him and leaving him alone with only the longing burn of her skin etched on his fingertips.
“Thanks for lettingme stay here.” Tori yelled out from Claire’s spare bedroom as she threw her bag on the bed. Pulling her hair from its ponytail and letting it fall down past her shoulders, she walked back out to the living room where Claire was pouring wine into two goblets.
Thankful for a warm bed and a friend who knew just what she needed, Tori’s mind drifted to the many disasters of the day. None stung as badly as Autumn being kept from therapy.
Claire handed her a glass as Tori sank into the couch, exhausted. She had been keeping herself busy all day trying to figure out what to do about Autumn, worrying about being homeless, and getting Chris and his mocking touch out of her head. She refused to let him get under her skin again.
Claire sat down next to her on the couch. “Any word on your apartment?”
“Jake said my place wasn’t impacted, but the other side of the building has some structural damage, so they aren’t letting anyone back in until all the repairs are done.”
“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want.” Claire smiled. “It’ll be just like the old days when we lived in that ancient house downtown.”
Tori wrinkled her nose. “The house with the roaches!”
“We’ve come a long way, my friend.” Claire raised her glass and clinked it against Tori’s. “Where’s Jake staying?” she asked, staring down at her wine.
It was no secret there was something between Claire and Jake, but so far neither one of them had been forthcoming with their feelings. Tori felt bad she hadn’t bothered to check that Jake had a place to stay. He wouldn’t be able to get in his apartment either, and as far as she knew, he didn’t have any family in Sweetbriar.
“I’m not sure. Should I call and invite him to stay here?” Tori asked sweetly and batted her eyelashes at her friend who was retreating to the kitchen.
“Ha, ha, very funny,” Claire said, picking up and throwing a piece of salt-water taffy at Tori.
Claire brought several bags of candy and mini bottles of various liquors over to the couch with a large, red, heart-shaped piñata.
“Help me fill this for the party tomorrow.” She handed Tori a bag of goodies.
“This is for Ryan and Elle’s party?” Tori eyed the piñata.
Claire held it up high, admiring it. “Yeah, isn’t it great? I’m posting it all on the blog.”
Claire was a blogger, and they often benefited from her extravagant party ideas that she turned into a reality and posted on her blog.
Tori nodded, impressed with her friend’s creativity. “That’s so cool. You’re really good at this.”
“Thanks. I’m excited to see his new house. Elle says it’s beautiful.”
Ryan’s home overlooking Sweetbriar Lake was breathtaking. He and Chris had both built houses up on a remote stretch of land that provided a great view of the lake below. Chris rented his place out and lived in one of his other properties in town, but Ryan had moved in only a month ago. Ryan was settling down and showing all the signs of being a well-kept man. Ever since he had met Elle last year, they’d become inseparable. Tori knew it wouldn’t be long before Elle moved in, and they started talking about marriage.
