Riled (The Invincibles 4)

“I’m kidding. Gawd, Teag. It’s not an all-the-time thing. And it isn’t necessarily knowing what someone is thinking. It’s a combination of reaction and body language and intuition.”

“There’s no way you could’ve known that Rile’s deceased wife was Marta’s daughter.”

“No? Not even when a look of sadness came over her face and she said, ‘as nice as it can be now’? Honestly, I think that was mainly intuition.”

“It’s interesting to think about, yes? Do you have a sixth sense, or are you just really good at reading people? Whichever it is, Kenz, it’s unnerving.”

I stood and shook my arms and legs. “I need some exercise, and you do too if you want to impress these hotter-than-Cortez guys you were talking about.”

“Thanks a lot, mate.”

“Come on, let’s go do something. I’m going crazy just sitting around.”

We went for a swim, and then I ran on the treadmill while Teagon lifted weights.

“That didn’t help,” I grumbled.

“How far did you run?”

I looked over at the display on the treadmill. “Five miles.”

“If that didn’t help, I don’t know what will.”

I wiggled my eyebrows. “I do.”

“Can’t help you there, girlfriend.”

“I can,” said Cortez, coming around the corner and scaring the bejesus out of me. He walked over and put his arm around me.

“I’m all sweaty.”

“The way I like you best,” he whispered, licking my neck.

“That will be my cue to leave. Thanks for the workout, Kenz.” She looked at Cortez and, when he nodded, walked out of the workout room.

“I’m sorry I’ve been too busy to spend time with you today.”

“Don’t be. It isn’t up to you to entertain me.”

“I like entertaining you very much.” He wiggled his eyebrows like I had.

I smiled and sat down on one of the lifting benches.

“Something is on your mind.”

I wiped my sweaty face with a towel. “Do you know that, or are you guessing, or do you already know what I’m thinking?”

He sat next to me. “I can tell there’s something on your mind because you seem tense. I cannot read your mind, Kensington. When I know what you’re thinking, it’s because you want me to. Even then, it’s a feeling.”

“Sometimes, I think I hear your words in my head.”

“Yes, it can be that way.”

“Doesn’t it make you crazy?”

“It isn’t any different than when you and I are talking. I can choose to still my mind and listen to what you’re saying because I very much want to know. There are other times there’s a great deal on my mind, and I’m not paying attention the way I should. It’s the same for everyone, I think.”

“It’s just that you hear more than only what people say.”