“Don’t say that, you’re more than good enough.”
She smiled but ignored his compliment. “I’d like to work in graphic design. The sketching…well, I find it helps me think clearly, more calmly, I guess.”
“You certainly seem to be much more…in control of yourself.” His mouth lifted at one corner as he spoke.
Sky resisted the urge to smart mouth him. He’d been reckoning with self control back there in the hallway every bit as much as she had been.
He leafed through loose sketches, scenes from around the city, so she commented on that instead. “There’s a need to express things I see that strike me as important, I guess.”
He nodded, then looked her over with a blatant stare. “Could I guess what you think is important, without looking?”
The way he looked was so blatantly sexy. The tension between them was building again. She gave a soft laugh. “You know me well enough. I’m sure you could.”
He stared at her silently for the longest moment, then scanned the surroundings. “Where’s my USB?”
Sky took a deep breath. “Sit down, I’ll get it.”
She pointed at the futon.
He ignored her.
She hated that he’d flipped over to the computer stuff again. She wanted him to sidle over to the sofa and drop down on to it, make himself at home. But he was more interested in scanning the joint looking for his precious USB stick.
With a loud sigh, she opened her earring box, reached inside and lifted out the USB stick with the red dot. She dangled by its lanyard holding it close to her chest. “Here it is.”
He strode closer, grabbed it in his fist, snatching it off her and brushing her breast as he did so.
Her breasts tingled. Her body wanted more contact.
Once he had the damn thing in his hand, he gestured at her with it. “You should never have kept it. I’m upset you did that.”
“You’re telling me off, now?” Sky laughed, she couldn’t help it. “Get you, playing the big brother now you’ve got your precious cargo back.”
“Yes, I’m telling you off now. I couldn’t risk it before because you’d have gone off the rails and put yourself in even more danger.” He gestured at her with the USB stick. “This…this is dangerous. It’s bad news, Sky. It’s my responsibility because I wrote the code and I have to destroy it.” With a heavy frown, he pulled out a pen knife and began to pry the USB stick open. “Where’s your toilet?”
She nodded at the bathroom door. “You’re going to flush it?”
“Yes, and then that’s the end of it.” He turned away.
He was deadly serious, and it was heavy shit, whatever it was. Her mind whirred over. She darted after him. “Wait.”
Rory paused.
“Um. Shouldn’t you destroy whatever it is in front of whoever it is that wants it, otherwise how will they know you don’t have it anymore?”
He stared at her silently a moment then gave a slow smile. “Good point. You’re not just a pretty face any more”
Sky savored that, turning away so he couldn’t see her smile. She went to the window sill, where she had a couple of bottles of beer.
Glancing into the bathroom, Rory gave a dry laugh. “You really couldn’t swing a cat in this place.”
“Just as well I don’t have a cat then.” She flipped the caps off with a bottle opener and gestured at the futon. “Sorry, no fridge, but they get pretty cold sitting there on the window ledge.”
He took the bottle she offered and she sat down next to him.
Setting her bottle down on the floor she turned sideways so she could observe. He drew her attention in every way, from his hand nursing the bottle, to the strong outline of his thighs through his jeans. Desire thrummed in her groin, her mouth eager for another of his kisses
“It’s not very warm in here. How do manage?” He leaned down and lifted her beer bottle, nudging it back into her hand.