“Close your eyes.”
Whoa.
He hadn’t used that voice before. Up until now, she’d heard him sound calm, concerned, and slightly bewildered.
But never . . . firm.
He was still calm. Still slightly concerned. But definitely firm.
And she couldn’t help but take notice.
Darn it.
How the heck did he do that?
“That’s a good girl.”
You do not like that. No. Nope. You don’t like that at all.
But she did. She really, really did.
Fight it, Maya. Don’t show him.
“I want you to take a deep breath in and hold it for two. One. Two. That’s it. Listen to me. Now, let it out. One. Two. You’re doing such a good job for me.”
Look at her! She was doing such a good job!
She bounced up and down on her toes before she could stop herself.
“I can see that makes you happy,” he said quietly.
Oh shoot.
What was she doing?
You’re making an idiot of yourself. Again.
Opening her eyes, she tried to move away, but he still had her hand in his.
“Are you feeling better now?” he asked in his soothing voice.
Again.
Fireplace. Blanket. Marshmallows.
Urgh. It was infuriating. She didn’t want to feel this way about anyone. But it was worse when it was a man who she couldn’t even look at!
Irritation filled her. “Yes. You can let go.”
That was good. Irritation was pushing aside her desire and embarrassment.
“Maya, we’re going to have to get used to one another,” he told her. “We’re going to be very close for the foreseeable future. We will know each other well.”
“That’s why it won’t work!” Now her irritation was aimed at herself. But it had the same effect. Her words came out clearly. “I can’t look at you!”
“I know, sweetheart. It’s okay.”
She shook her head. It wasn’t. It was humiliating. What an idiot she was, and he must think that too. She waited for him to make fun of her, to make her feel about a foot tall. It’s what most people would do in her experience.
