Crossover Crossroads (The Kell and Maille Story)

016: Of Bedrooms and Decorations

"What are we playing?" she asked going along with it.

Kell's ideas of a date were fine with her, as her ideas of a date involved simply whatever her sisters had been doing. She was glad he'd planned it.

"Odd and Even."

  "Never heard of it."

"Odd, I ask you a question and Even you ask me."

"This again?" she laughed. "What about face cards?"

"I took them out."

She raised her eyebrows. When they had two piles of cards in front of them Kell flipped the first one over and looked up at her expectantly. It was a two.

"Om..." Maille grinned and considered her former thoughts, but of course, now her mind was blank. "Om... did you make the dinner yourself?"

"Yes."

She flipped a card. A four. She wrinkled up her face. "Where's your dog?"

"In his yard." He tipped his head toward the outdoors nonchalantly and flipped his own card. A ten.

Maille shrugged to give herself time. Maybe all the questions she wanted to ask him were too personal. "How many cars do you have?"

"Five. Only two here." He shrugged, blowing it off as irrelevant.

A six. Maille cocked her head. "How many homes?"

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Two. Here and New York."

She watched his eyes as he studied her fingers playing with the next card. She deliberately flicked it a couple of times to see his anticipation, and he didn't disappoint.

A three. His face took on a determined look of delight. "You said yesterday that you wished you had a car, a home, and--- a job?" This was said as if he couldn't remember the exact quote, and Maille nodded. His eyes held hers. "Why do you not already have these things?"

Maille drew in her breath sharply. She knew the answer. But it made her look like a baby, and cowardly, unable to think for herself.

How to answer?

"I had no need for them previously."

Kell's expression did not change immediately, but she recognized the exact moment when he determined she was withholding at least a partial truth from him. A tick in the left jaw under his ear appeared briefly and he glanced back at his cards, his tongue residing between his lips like a tiny turtle poking its head out.

He flicked the card in his hand and finally let his eyes meet hers again. Without altering his gaze, he flicked the card, and watched as she looked at it. "Yours." She indicated with a smile, glossing over her previous reticence.

"Why will you not enter my room?"

"Your room is too personal. It's your room. You share it with....'' She looked away, but a finger under her chin turned her to face him.

Maille closed her eyes.

Two fingers pried her eyes open, she laughed and wiped his hands away. "I was taught never to enter bedrooms alone.''

"Do you not sleep in one?" he flipped another card and Maille gave him a mocking gaze.

"Mine.'' He looked at the card. "What did Myndee tell you about me?"

"I can't break that confidence."

"Was it told in confidence?" he asked her softly, so low, she knew although she had turned her face toward the deck, that he was leaning very close to her.

"Not exactly.''

"Then tell.''

"But I promised never to divulge it afterward."

"Promised...."

"And my word is my bond.'' She replied, using his own catchphrase from the night before.

Kell sat back and contemplated her. Then be took her hand and pulled her toward the stairs. At the bottom, she dug in her heels. Kell's eyes glinted. "I can pick you up."

"Yes, but will you?"

"You are safe with me, Maille Mann. Come and see my house. My whole house, or else bow can you help me pick out its furnishings?"

"Interior decorating? I warn you in advance I am not good at it. Is that all you need me for?"

His eyes in the glow from the city were pricks of crystal. His teeth gleamed in the darkness and sent a shiver down her spine.

"No, Maille Mann, but I'm not ready to tell you why I want you, so know you are safe. Very safe."

"You're making me nervous." She tried to withdraw her hand.

He let her go instantly.

Vexed, he came down a step. "Fine, fine, fine." He said softly. "Not now."

He swaggered and swayed out onto the deck waiting for her. "Come meet my dogs."

*****