Part 33 (1/2)
”It wasn't a hards.h.i.+p. I like kids.”
”It shows. And-” she kissed him again ”-that's for putting Boyd's mind at ease”
”I don't know if I'd go quite that far. He's still thinking about punching me out if I make the wrong move with his baby sister.”
”Well, then...” Her eyes danced up at his. ”You'd better be careful, because my big brother is plenty tough.”
”You don't have to draw me a picture.” He swung her toward the doors. ”Come on back up with me. I need to get a couple of things.”
”All right.” They'd barely started up the stairs when the bells sounded. ”Oh.” The sound of clattering feet echoed below them.
”I'm sorry the kids missed this.” Then she stopped, wincing.
”That's terrible, acting like a fire's a form of entertainment.”
”It's a natural reaction. Bells, whistles, men in funny uniforms. It's a h.e.l.l of a show.”
They crossed over to his office. She waited while he sorted through papers. ”Do you ever get cats out of trees?”
”Yep. And kids' heads out of the pickets on railings. I got someone's pet iguana out of a sewer pipe once.”
”You're joking.”
”Hey, we don't joke about rescue.”
He looked up and grinned. She looked so tidy, he thought, in her navy blazer and slacks, with the cashmere sweater, red as one of his engines, softly draped at the neck. Her hair was loose, honey gold. When she tucked it behind her ear in that fluid, unconscious movement, he could see the wink of rich blue stones. Sapphires, he a.s.sumed. Only the genuine article would suit Natalie Fletcher.
”What is it?” A little self-conscious under his stare, she s.h.i.+fted.
”Did Keenan leave something edible smeared on my face?”
”No. You look good, Legs. Want to go somewhere?”
”Go somewhere?'' The idea put her off balance. Apart from the challenge of that first meal, they hadn't actuallygone anywhere.
”Like a movie. Or...” He supposed he could handle it. ”A museum or something.”
”I... Yes, that'd be nice.” It shouldn't be so awkward, she thought, to plan a simple date with someone you'd been sleeping with.
”Which?”
”Either.”
”Okay.” He stuffed some papers in a battered briefcase. ”The guys should have a newspaper downstairs. We'll check it out.”
”Fine.” When they started out, Natalie glanced first toward the stairs and then back toward the poles. She took a deep breath and gave up. ”Ry?”
”Yeah.”
”Can I slide down the pole?”
He stopped dead and stared down at her. ”You want to slide down the pole?”
Amused at herself, Natalie shrugged her shoulders. ”Ry, I'vegot to slide down the pole. It's driving me crazy.”