Tainted: Book Two - Coerced

32. Advice on Cherishing

Rome

The next morning, I waited beside the Oldsmobile's trunk for Kerry to bring the first load of gear and saw Mira coming toward me. She'd taken time to braid her hair, I noticed, but not grab her new coat.

"Where's your coat?" I frowned. "It's cold out here."

She ignored me, as I could have predicted.

How dare someone try to care about her.

"I'm gonna make some armor for you and Kerry."

"I don't know if we have time for that."

"We aren't leaving until after lunch. I'm pretty quick. And I'll make Kerry's first and work on yours later." She stopped talking and let out a small shriek, diving into the depths of the trunk. "George is still here! Yay! I thought I'd lost him!"

She brandished a massive sledgehammer, grinning like a cat, and I raised my eyebrows.

She certainly is an interesting girl.

Next, she levered a sheet of metal out of the trunk and I watched her biceps flex under the thin material of her shirt.

"Can you grab George, please? I haven't forged anything interesting in months. Oh, this is going to be so much fun! Can I use your room to work in? Gigi has stuff spread all over ours and John's sleeping in the other one."

Unprepared for her to smile at me with such happiness lighting her face, I was easy prey and fell into the trap of her eyes.

Like aged whiskey.

"Sure." I fished the pass key out of my back pocket and handed it to her. "Move whatever you need to out of the way."

She took the pass key between two fingers and bounded off, and I watched her twin braids swing with the sway of her hips.

"You like her, don't you?" a voice came from right behind me.

"You must be joking." I turned and glared at Kerry. "Where's the gear?"

"No, I don't know how to joke." He shook his head. "But I've seen the way you watch her. And Gigi said we'll pack the car after lunch."

"She's a temporary ally. That's all. And why are we waiting?"

"Don't be embarrassed. And I dunno. You go ask Gigi. I've learned to roll with that stuff."

"I am not embarrassed!" I slapped my palm over my face and groaned. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about! And roll with what stuff?"

"You're right. It isn't embarrassing to like someone." His face was as open and honest as a child's. "And I roll with stuff that matters to the girls, but not to me."

"Stop. Just stop," I said through gritted teeth. "Please stop. And fine! We'll load the car when Gigi's ready."

"Okay, okay! I can see you're shy about it. But you should know she watches you, too."

With a strangled howl of exasperation, I spun on my heel, told him to grab the sledge, and stomped toward our room. I waited to hear his laughter, but he only followed quietly.

Then my brain started to work again.

Kerry doesn't know how to pretend or prevaricate any more than he understands sarcasm.

I paused at the door and glanced back. He was right behind me, the hammer slung over his shoulders and held in place by a hand on either end.

"She watches me?" I murmured.