Page 20 of Forever Fickle

“Is that what the problem is?” Jace said bluntly. “Because I can feel this between us…”

“There’s nothing between us,” she countered, feeling cornered.

“You can say ‘no’ all you want, but…”

“Butnothing– no means no.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that still…” she whispered, feeling a little panicked. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you…” she stammered, waving her hand nervously.

“Like I’d like to take you to dinner or kiss you senseless?” Jace finished, straightening up and crossing his arms over his chest. “You know I would – and I will…”

“No, you won’t.”

“Why?”

“Leave me alone,” Karen said abruptly, panicking as she heard the front door to the building open. She picked up her mug and immediately backed out of the room, leaving her plate with the donut nearly untouched.

Armadillo smiled… only to have it fade slightly.

“Karen?”

“I’m fine.”

“HOT CAKES!” Armadillo snapped angrily – charging into the kitchenette to her defense.

It was almost sweet that the guys would take her side almost immediately – but a bigger part of her felt bad for Jace because he hadn’t really done anything other than lay on the charm or ask her out.

Most guys do that when they are interested in a girl… and normally it doesn’t result in self-defense to your friends.

She could hear the two of them arguing wildly in hushed whispers, trying to keep from being overheard.

“I told you to leave her alone, dang it!”

“I was just being nice!”

“You can’t keep it in your pants for two seconds…”

“I can assure you my pants haven’t moved, ‘Dilla…”

“Why does she look like a cornered rabbit?”

“I was being nice – that’s all.”

“I’ve dragged your version of ‘nice’ out of a bar before, Hot Cakes, and Karen isn’t that type of girl.”

“No, she’s the real-deal.”

“Not for you, she’s not.”

“I know…” Jace said bitterly, just as Karen rounded the corner to come to the man’s defense. The look of candid hopelessness on his face was painful and only there for a split second before it was hidden.

“Armadillo, everything is fine,” Karen began, seeing Jace’s confused look out of the corner of her eye. “We were just having coffee and breakfast when I realized it’s almost eight.”

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