Sighs Matter by Stillings Marianne

Author:Stillings, Marianne [Stillings, Marianne]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2011-05-31T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Juvenile

Child-sized river in Egypt.

“So,” Claire said, her hands shoved deep into her pockets. “Now that you’ve done your good deed for today, you’ll be taking off, hmm?”

Taylor’s eyes snapped at her remark. “What in the hell does that mean?”

She flicked a glance at Aunt Sadie, who was deep into some private kind of stand-up routine with Hitch over by the window.

Keeping her voice low, Claire said, “Didn’t you see how she responded when you asked for her help? She thinks this is like a movie role. Dammit, Taylor, I’m going to have to watch her every second to make sure she doesn’t do something risky. It’s not like I don’t already have enough to worry about—”

“I’m old, not deaf,” Sadie sang lightly, causing both Taylor and Claire to look her way.

“. . . not deaf . . . Detective McKennitt . . . bastard . . .”

“Shut up, Hitch,” Sadie admonished as she turned to Claire. “Don’t worry dear. I’ll be good.”

Her eyes held a sparkle that unnerved Claire more than a little.

Urging Hitch up to her shoulder, Sadie said, “I’m going to my room now. I need to work a bit more on my memoirs. I’m stuck on my brief affair with . . . oh, never mind. You’re too young to remember him.” She slid a shrewd glance between Claire and Taylor, standing toe-to-toe, obviously ready to do battle. With a sly smile and the arch of a brow, she tilted her head as though confiding to the bird. “Fasten your seat belt. It’s going to be a bumpy night.”

As Sadie and Hitch disappeared up the stairs, the parrot muttered something about a failure to communicate.

Unwilling to let her concerns go unanswered, Claire curled her fingers around Taylor’s forearm.

“I adore Aunt Sadie,” she whispered. “If any harm comes to her because of this thing with Mort, I’ll hold you personally responsible. And I mean it.”

For a moment, Taylor only stared down into her eyes, then he placed his hand over hers. “Claire. I’d die before I’d see any harm come to her. Or you. And I mean it.”

They stood like that for a long time, long enough for Claire to realize something had shifted between them. The dynamics of their relationship had changed, solidified in some subtle way. She’d dropped her guard so briefly, yet it had given Taylor enough time to move past her defenses and into her life, into her thoughts, maybe even into her heart. She wanted to shove him back out again, resist her feelings for him, but she was weary from the struggle.

“What time is it?” she said, easing her hand from his arm. “I need to eat something.”

In the cozy kitchen, they prepared and ate dinner together. Taylor talked about himself, his brother, their parents, what it was like growing up in Seattle. As he spoke, she watched him by the light of the candles she’d lit and placed on the table. During the day, Taylor’s eyes were like twin blue flames, hot with intelligence and interest.

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