There were a lot of things to say.
“Thank you” being the biggest one on the list, but the words weren’t good enough.
“I’m sorry to be a pain in the ass” was another one that was way up there.
I knew I should say something, anything, but I didn’t know what to say.
“I don’t know what to say,” I said.
His eyebrows came up.
I took my hand from his arm and looked away.
“Chiquita, is this about the keys?” he asked.
“It’s about everything,” I told the window.
Silence.
“Hey,” he said quietly and I looked at him.
His eyes were serious.
“I’m guessin’ you feel you owe me big just about now.” I nodded.
He smiled slowly. First the dimple, then his lips curved, then his white teeth came out.
I narrowed my eyes at him, turned away, did my seatbelt and crossed my arms on my chest. “I really don’t like you,” I said.
He laughed.
“I’m not joking.”
“You’re so ful of shit.” But he said it like it was a good thing.
Wonderful.
*
We walked into Fortnum’s together. It was a few minutes before opening but there were already two people waiting to get in. I let them in and left the door open. Jane and Tex were behind the coffee counter. They both looked up when we arrived and Tex opened his mouth to boom but I got there first.
“Eddie doesn’t have a coffee maker. Coffee! Now! No lip!” I snapped.
I went directly behind the counter and stared at Tex as he banged around the espresso machine, making me a strong Americano at the same time he made Eddie a cappuccino.
The whole time, he was grinning.
I handed Eddie the cappuccino that Tex gave me, sloshed milk into my Americano and took a sip without stirring it.
I looked at Tex. He was stil grinning.
“What’s funny?”
“You, Loopy Loo.” His eyes moved to Eddie, “Sorry Chavez, but she’s a lot more fun when people are shootin’
at her.”
“You’re a nut,” I told him.
“That I am, darlin’,” he replied, unperturbed, and turned to the first customer.
Eddie backed me into the counter behind the espresso machine.
“Gotta go,” he said, his arms sliding around me, one hand stil holding the cup.
My hands were between us and it was either wind them around him or spil coffee over both of us. As coffee was a life force at that moment, I wound my arms around him.
His eyes had that warm and tender look.
“After work, we’l go shoppin’ for a coffee maker,” he said.
Dear Lord.
Shopping with Eddie for a coffee maker.
How did this happen?
I just stopped myself from checking to see if my hair and eyebrows had burned off considering our relationship was progressing at the speed of light.
He watched me and then his face came closer to mine. “I hate to say this, but part of me likes that you’re forced in a corner, that way you can’t retreat and I can see you real y want to.”
It was my turn to watch him.
“What happens when I’m out of that corner and I don’t need you to rescue me anymore?”
It was the six mil ion dol ar question and I held my breath waiting for the answer.
“One thing at a time,” he said.
Not the right answer.
“No, I real y want to know. What happens when I’m not getting shot at and I’m not interesting anymore?” His eyes changed and he looked at me as if I’d asked him if I could spend the afternoon painting his house in shades of Pepto-Bismol and adorning the front yard with plastic flamingos.
Then he said, “You think I’m a little scary? I think you’re a little crazy.”
Okay, so it was time to let it al hang out.
“I’m not crazy, I’m anything but crazy, I’m so not crazy that I’m anti-crazy. Eddie, I hate to tel you this, but I’m boring.” He waited a beat, watching me, and then burst out laughing.
My mouth fel open.
Then his head dropped and he nuzzled my neck.
“Definitely crazy,” he muttered against my neck and then lifted his head and looked at me, “and total y ful of shit. You couldn’t be boring if you tried. And if this is your next tactic to try to get me to give up, go for it. It’l be amusing to watch you try to be boring. Almost as amusing as it was to watch you pretend to be normal.”
Wel , what could you say to that?
Except, I’m so… very… sure.
He didn’t read my look of supreme unhappiness, or more likely, ignored it. Instead, he touched his lips to mine and he was gone.
Yeesh.
Even the truth didn’t work.
*
Mid-morning, Indy swung through the door. “How’re you doing?” she asked when she got to me, her eyes concerned.
“After work, Eddie and I are going shopping… for a coffee maker,” I answered, thinking she’d understand my plight.
She blinked.
“No, I mean with the guy who’s threatening to rape you.” I waved my hand and went back to steaming milk.
“Oh that. I’m over that,” I said.
Her mouth dropped open.