Part 29 (1/2)

Sara just smiled triumphantly. ”All part of the mystique”

”All part of the irritation,” Nik corrected, but he didn't look annoyed, only bemused, like someone facing a six hundred piece jigsaw puzzle of Samoyed puppies lost in a blizzard.

His irritation she could easily handle. It was the other part that she couldn't. The part where he told her that he liked her. He wasn't talking about friends.h.i.+p, that much she could see in his eyes. ” ”

Then why ”

Nik framed her face, his long fingers curving about her cheeks.

”Because I do like you, Sara. A great deal. I don't completely understand what's going on here myself. When I figure it out, I'll let you know. But until I do, I intend to go on exploring it. That means I'm going to be seeing you a lot.”

She felt her pulse throbbing in her throat like a b.u.t.terfly caught in a hunter's net. She wasn't sure how she managed to get any words past it. ”Lucky me.”

”:qqMaybe; He leaned over more. Gently his lips justly brushed against hers. It felt like brus.h.i.+ng against qen, she thought. ” Or maybe we'll both get lucky. ” q the resistance that had been so strong only a moment ago qqelt as lax as overcooked spaghetti now. Sara sighed deeply. u'qqAll right, I guess I could use some help tomorrow.” She :qnced at the date that was on the bottom right corner of qqe computer screen. Something occurred to her. don't qyou work on Sat.u.r.days? ” q He'd been working seven days a week for a long time. It q the to let go a little. Starting now. If nothing else, if he burned out he'd lose his creative edge, and running Sinqir 's meant constant change, constant revamping of menus and alteration of tried-and-true recipes.

”I'm learning to be flexible. Jennifer says it's good for my health and for business.” Nik rose to his feet. Time to get back before Chris started another fire in the kitchen. ”What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow? ”

She thought for a moment. ”Eleven, I guess. He's supposed to be discharged before noon ” She looked up at Nik still uncertain about the wisdom of being around him any more than she had to. ”Are you sure...

He looked down into her eyes. The pull was there, hard and strong.

There was no use denying it. ”I'm sure.”

Sara felt her stomach flipping over and tying itself in a knot all over again. afraid that he'd see more than she wanted him to, Sara turned her chair back to the computer screen.

”Don't say I didn't warn you,” she murmured under her breath.

But he heard her.

She was agitated. He could tell by the way she was sitting next to him in the car. Perched as if she expected the seat to explode under her at any moment. But, for a change, he didn't think her state had anything to do with him. She'd been friendly when he'd arrived and their conversation had been pleasant enough, revolving around work, Jennifer and Brom.

Yet there was something in her manner that convinced him she was edgy.

She didn't want to be doing this, Nik thought. She didn't want to be going to the hospital to pick up her father.

He realized that, in all this time, she hadn't said all that much about the man. Nik made up his mind to give Brom a call and find out some of the missing pieces to this puzzle.

But he didn't want to wait until tonight. He wanted Sara to tell him.

He wanted Sara to trust him. ”Do you and your father get along?” Nik saw her shoulders stiffen just a little

Sara stared straight ahead as they took the off ramp from the freeway.

She could see the hospital looming on the horizon just ahead. ”I haven't been around him long enough to get along.”

Nik eased down on the brake as they came to a red light. Renovating construction was going on to the right, giving the old streets a new face.

He raised his voice to be heard above the jackhammer. ”Why's that?”

Sara shot him a look. ”You're prying again,” she shouted.

He s.h.i.+fted his foot to the gas pedal as the light turned green. ”Yes, I am.”