Page 14 of Double Booked

She scooted out of his way. It was one thing to sit and talk to him and another standing beside him in the crowded kitchen. She wondered if it would be less awkward by the end of their stay.

“Let’s review your list now,” he said, once everything was put away.

She’d been so preoccupied with dinner and discussing his photography she’d almost forgotten about the list. “It’s on my laptop. I’ll go get it.”

“Okay,” he said.

She went into the bedroom and unplugged her laptop from the charger. When she came back out, he was sitting on the couch instead of at the kitchen counter.

She hesitated to join him, thinking the setting felt too intimate.

He must have read her mind or her expression. “We can sit in the kitchen if you want. I just thought it would be more comfortable here.”

“No. This is fine.” She chastised herself for behaving like a young girl, afraid to get cooties from a boy. She set the laptop on the coffee table and joined him, leaving a respectable distance between them.

She opened the document with the list, and he began scanning it. Rereading it, she realized it sounded harsher than she’d intended. Of course, she’d still been angry when she’d written it.

Laughing, he pointed to an item on the list. “Occupants must be appropriately dressed at all times, especially when both are on the premises. Does this mean I can’t stroll out on the deck naked?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Would you do that if I weren’t here?”

“It’s quite possible.”

She raised her eyebrows, the image of him naked forming at the back of her mind. Since she had no point of reference, the image was blurry at best.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my clothes on while you’re here.”

She tried coming up with a clever response, but settled on, “Thank you.” Then she realized something. If she’d been trapped in this cabin with another woman, this conversation wouldn’t be necessary, and there’d be no mention of the rut. Things would have been so much easier.

“The occupants shall keep the noise level to a minimum when playing music, watching television, or talking on the phone. Darn! There goes my idea of hosting a wild party,” he teased.

“Okay. You know what? You’re not taking this seriously at all.” She started closing the laptop.

“No. Wait.” He shot out his hand and covered hers. They looked down at their hands, the contact shocking them both. Then he quickly pulled his hand away. “Sorry. I’ll stop goofing off.”

Now she felt like an uptight teacher, and he the mischievous student. “Never mind. Most of these things are common sense, anyway.”

“Can I ask you something?”

She eyed him warily. “Go ahead.”

“Did you have a bad experience with a prior roommate?”

His question caught her off guard, but there wasn’t a hint of teasing about it. His hazel eyes were pinned on hers, and he simply waited for her reply. The way he studied her was slightly unnerving, yet she was tempted to tell him everything. Why was that?

“No, not exactly.”

“Was he or she messy?”

“Somewhat.” It was so much more than that.

“Ah. I get it now.”

“You do?”

“Yesterday, when you first walked in, my stuff was lying around. It probably reminded you of your messy roommate, right?”

So far, nothing about him reminded her of Patrick, other than their anatomy.