Bonds of Need by Lynda Aicher

Author:Lynda Aicher
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-05-16T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“You cold?” Cali asked, noticing the shiver Kendra couldn’t suppress.

She tucked her hands under her legs, the snug spot a warm place for her icy fingers. The room wasn’t cold, not really. With the fire burning across the room in the gas fireplace and the aroma of coffee filling the space, it was actually quite cozy. But she couldn’t seem to shake the chill that had settled under her skin.

Coffee time with Cali and Allie was one of the things Kendra looked forward to each week. Yet she couldn’t get into the light chatter today.

She moved her hands to cradle the coffee cup, looking for some residual warmth, and made an effort. “I’m fine. How’s the new client going?” Cali’s bookkeeping business had been the topic of many conversations since the three women had started meeting for Saturday coffee last summer.

“They’re fine.” She brushed off the subject with a wave of her hand. “Disorganized as heck, but I’ll get them figured out. Or their books, at least. I can’t do much for the rest of the place.” She shook her head, a look of disbelief mixed with disgust on her face.

“I hear you,” Allie piped in. “I don’t know how people can manage to work in total chaos. There are lawyers in our firm who can barely find their desks. It would drive me nuts.”

“I agree.” Cali leaned on the table tucking her hair behind her ear, the shoulder-length blond strands smooth and silky as always. Even on a Saturday afternoon, she was neatly put together in black slacks and a burgundy turtleneck sweater. Cashmere, if Kendra guessed right. “I can’t stand to work with piles of random papers stacked around me. Of course, that usually presents a problem when I go into customer sites.”

The other women laughed in their mutual agreement, and Kendra pushed back her chair heading to the kitchen for more coffee. She couldn’t sit still. It’d been five days since she’d been to The Den. Only five pitiful days since her last session with Deklan, and her body was acting like it was deep in withdrawals. It was insane.

She rubbed her palms on the jeans, tried to generate some circulation in her fingers before picking up the coffee pot. The stress of wondering when Eric would strike next, of when he’d drop in and ruin this nice little world she’d made for herself, was getting to her. The letter was a taunt that was working exactly as he’d wanted it to.

On top of that, she’d finally admitted to herself that Deklan was getting to her too. Their schedules had been off that week so she hadn’t even seen him for their runs, which she’d somehow allowed herself to get used to. This was the longest she’d gone without seeing him since they’d signed the contract, and it really pissed her off that she missed him. Not just the sessions, but him. Damn it. She didn’t want these feelings.

“Do either of you want more?” She held up the pot, trying to focus back on the conversation in the room.

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