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.Though that thought wasn’t exactly flattering, I realized I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted from him, either.As much as I thought I could develop real feelings for the guy, I wouldn’t be willing to agree to full-time status until—and unless—he let me know who Seth Rutledge really was and proved to me that he wasn’t going to flake out again.I handed the pad of Mad Libs and the jewelry-making kit to Savannah.She offered another smile behind the mask before her eyes blinked three times and slowly drifted closed.It was probably a good thing they’d doped her up.Maybe she could sleep through some of the pain.“We should probably be going now,” Seth said to both Savannah’s parents and the nurse, who stood watch at the door.“She looks like she could use some sleep.Thanks for letting us see her.”“No, thank you!” said Savannah’s mother, grabbing both of Seth’s hands in hers and giving them a squeeze.“And I promise, we will never let our tree get so dry again.We’re going to buy an artificial one next Christmas.”* * *Though Seth was clearly relieved to see that the little girl he’d rescued would survive, it was obvious from his tight grip on his steering wheel that something still had him upset.He glanced my way a couple of times as if assessing me.“How about a late lunch?” he asked.“Sounds good.”Seth had stayed at my place until after four in the morning.I’d let Brigit out to relieve herself when he left, so she’d been gracious enough to let me sleep in this morning.I’d dragged my butt out of bed around ten and had a bowl of granola, but it hadn’t held me over long.He drove to Spiral Diner, which was only a couple of miles from the hospital.The hostess seated us at a booth along the back wall.A waiter with a nose ring and the letters P-E-A-C-E tattooed across his knuckles swung by with brunch menus.Seth continued to eye me over his menu, though he said nothing.Finally, I could take it no longer and stared back at him for a moment.“Is there something you want to say to me?”“No.” He turned his gaze downward to his menu.An instant later, though, he tossed the menu onto the table and gave me a pointed look.“Who is he?”My first instinct was to play it coy and say Who? I don’t know who you’re talking about But I’d never been one for games.“He’s a deputy who’s been working the stock show.”Seth’s jaw flexed.“You’ve been seeing him?”“We went for drinks after our shifts last night.That’s the first time we’ve seen each other outside work.”The waiter came back to take our order.I ordered the Sunshine Sandwich.Seth went for the Lumberjack.When the waiter had gone, Seth eyed me again.“You going to see him again?”I shrugged.“I don’t know.Maybe.”He looked past me, out the window, evidently looking at the lightpost on the sidewalk.“Don’t.”“Why not?” Is it simply because you’re jealous? Or is it because you actually care for me?“’Cause it makes me want to punch something.Him, mostly.”A laugh escaped my mouth.I supposed Seth admitting that seeing me with another man made him want to punch something was an indirect admission that he had feelings for me.I supposed him being upset shouldn’t have made me as happy as it did, but what can I say? It was nice to know he cared.“What about our deal?” I said.“We’re free to see other people, remember?”“Maybe I want to renegotiate.”The conversation hung in the air, waiting for one of us to pick it up and continue.But I knew how negotiations worked.The first to speak often got the worst part of the bargain.Finally, Seth broke the silence.“Have you kissed him yet?”It wouldn’t be fair to lie to Seth.I wouldn’t want him lying to me.“Yes.”“He as good at it as me?”“No.”Seth exhaled loudly and sat back against the booth.“So you’re interested in him?”“Maybe.” I was interested in Clint, but more because he was a fun guy than because I thought he could be my soul mate.He was a little too flirty to take seriously, though he was a fun distraction.I sent an intent look Seth’s way.“I’m more interested in you, though.By a three percent margin.”Once he’d processed my words, his shoulders relaxed.He grinned and cocked his head.“I’ll take those odds.I bet I can work that number up to a hundred, push that deputy right out of the picture.”My cheeks warmed with a blush.It was nice to feel wanted, desired [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]