****
Lydia’s brief respite was short lived when Marlaina showed up and took her to the cafeteria to get a bite to eat. They’d had a friendly chat. Once the blonde had figured that Lydia wasn’t trying to make a move on Brody, the ice that Lydia had felt in the conference room had thawed. Thank god she didn’t see Brody’s kiss. Jaime carried her tray of food to a nearby table, walking right past them like they weren’t even sitting there. She sat two tables away by herself until Briggs showed up and sat across from her. The annoyed look on Jaime’s face was somewhat entertaining. She looked just as aggravated with the silent giant as Lydia had been when Rick declared he was coming to the compound with her. Lydia glanced at the clock and winced. It was only one in the afternoon, nowhere near a time when she could crawl into bed and let her poor body rest.
A full belly and a pot of coffee later, Lydia felt renewed as she sat in her room. More like her old self since she’d arrived. The caffeine helped against her fatigue, but it still did nothing to help her muster enthusiasm for the upcoming training with Jaime, the warrior princess.
Lydia stood at her counter and was contemplating making another pot of coffee when she heard another knock on her door. It was like Grand Central Station around this place. She was used to being alone in the world, and she’d barely had a quiet minute to herself since she’d arrived. She walked over to the door and pulled it open. Rick stood there, leaning on her doorframe. No smile graced his lips like he’d given her that morning. His features were unreadable. She knew what that look was about. He’d seen Brody kiss her and her throw the man against the wall. If anyone had a right to be pissed, it was her. Not only had she received a kiss she didn’t want, now she had a jealous man standing at her door. A man who didn’t bother with questions, just assumed whatever the hell he wanted. The electricity in the air danced over the hairs on her arms. Gone was the sexual tension from that morning; only an icy stare looked down on her.
Lydia rolled her eyes and walked back into the living room, leaving the door open. “What do you want, Rick? I don’t have the energy to try and figure out why you’re scowling.”
Lydia plopped down in the recliner and dropped her head. He had been right earlier. She’d brought this on herself. Walking up to him, she’d silently wanted him to kiss her. Even so, the kiss wasn’t ownership; it didn’t mean that he had any right to say a word about Brody or how she’d handled things, not that he’d stayed around long enough to figure it out.
“I’ve just got to know. Do you kiss everyone like that?”
Lydia lifted her gaze to meet his. His arms were crossed over his chest. His lips pulled into a thin line.
“Nope.”
She figured her one word answer was better than any explanation she could offer him. Maybe if he thought she was mad at him, he might go back home and give her a chance to forget what he did to her mind and her body. She felt the energy in the room rise. Rick raised a brow, and his lips tilted up at the corners.
“Good. I’d like to think the only lips you want on yours would be mine.”
Lydia threw her hands up and pushed from the chair. “I don’t have time for this, Rick. If you need to go flex your muscles and thump your chest, I’m sure Brody is up for the challenge.”
Lydia walked to the sink and rinsed out the coffee pot. Her anger almost elicited a mental response. She could feel it deep down in her core. She placed her hands on the counter, dropped her head, and took several deep breaths. She needed to rein in her powers and stay calm, or she might hurt him too. She’d conquer her anger if it was the last thing she did, and now she had someone to push her buttons so she could practice.
She felt the anger drain back down into her body, feeling a sense of calm roll over her. Lydia lifted her head and turned to find Rick standing behind her. He placed his hands on her hips.
“I’m sorry, Lydia. I have no right to say who you can and can’t kiss.” Rick let his hands drop, and he took a step back. He motioned between them. “I’m just trying to figure out what this is between us.”
Lydia stepped past him and patted his chest. “Don’t worry, big guy. I know what this is.” She made the same gesture. “I’m your science project. You’re trying to figure me out. Nothing more, nothing less, and I get it. You explained it just fine this morning.”