Hourglass (Hourglass 1)

“I’m sorry about before, on the street—”

He shook his head. “It wasn’t that.”

“Then what did I do?”

“Besides fall asleep?”

“I’m sorry. It’s not the company, but we were up so late, and the sun felt so good.” I stopped. Why was I defending myself? Michael wasn’t too big on the explanations, so I had no idea why I was trying to clarify anything to him.

He looked away from me to focus on the side of the building. “You seem so vulnerable when you sleep. I don’t get that from you a lot.”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “I almost cried at dinner the other night. Was that not vulnerable enough for you?”

“There’s a difference. At dinner you were sad; today you’re … soft.” His eyes returned to my face. What I saw in them made me catch my breath.

“As long as I didn’t drool.”

One corner of his mouth twisted into a half smile. “I wish I didn’t have to go.”

“Don’t.”

“I have to. It’s probably not a bad thing. I don’t know how I would handle another incident like the one we had last night on the patio,” he said uneasily.

“When will you be back?” I reached down to grab my backpack and the books he gave me. And to hide my flaming face.

“I can’t say for sure, but maybe by tomorrow. I hope you’re a fast reader.”

I opened the car door. I needed to get out, needed to put space between us. “Please. Faster than a speeding bullet. Even with the whole”—I twirled one finger in a circle beside my head, giving him the international sign for crazy—“thing, I was ranked in the top five of my junior class.” I shut the car door for emphasis. “Actually, top three.”

“Funny, gorgeous, and a genius. What a package.” He backed out of the parking space, smiling as he drove away.

I loved that he left crazy off the list.

I loved it even more that he would never think to add it.

Chapter 18

The binder Michael gave me overflowed with detailed information, making me cross-eyed. I gave it all I had for half an hour, decided I needed sugar and caffeine, and went to grind some beans I’d snagged from Murphy’s Law for a fresh pot of coffee.

Instead of watching it drip, I did my good deed for the day and cleared the countertops of all the piled-up papers. I pinned tiny white cards with dates and times for obstetrician’s appointments scribbled on them to the corkboard on the wall, threw away old newspapers, and saved unopened bills. I’d just finished spraying down the counters when a long beep sounded to tell me my coffee was brewed. I leaned down to put the spray cleaner under the sink and spotted something barely sticking out from underneath the cabinets.

Dru’s key ring.

Maybe the excitement of the pregnancy was making Dru forgetful, because it was totally unlike Dru to lose anything. Yet her keys, including the master, lay on the floor right in front of me.

By accident.

Or by fate.

I wanted to know more about Michael. I didn’t expect anyone from my family to be home for at least another hour, and since Michael was out of town, what kept me from slipping next door, sliding the key into the lock, and taking a quick look around? Maybe Michael left a candle burning. Maybe he forgot to turn off his iron, or the oven. Maybe he left his dishwasher running and it was flooding the place, or a thirsty plant desperately needed water.

o;What are you doing anyway? You never approach guys. I realize he’s exceptional, but really?” He might be a pain, but he was my pain. Sort of.

Lily looked at me and shrugged. “Exceptional is an understatement.”

“Later,” I murmured as I jumped the last step and ran toward him, barely looking as I crossed the street.

“Hey.” The breathless thing was happening again, but I didn’t care.