Love, Lattes and Mutants. Sandra Cox

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СКАЧАТЬ Where is he, Piper?”

      “Here.”

      “At your place?”

      “Yes.”

      “How’d he get there? What happened?”

      “I have no idea. He’s asleep so I haven’t been able to find anything out. The only thing I know is Gramps said he found him on the shore.” I cross my fingers with my free hand. I’m such a bad liar.

      “On the shore?”

      “Yeah, pretty wild huh?”

      “I’ll say, but he’s all right?” I can feel anxiety thrumming through the phone.

      “I think so, Holly. To be on the safe side, your parents might want to take him to emergency and have him checked out. Gramps says he’s going to be fine, but it wouldn’t hurt to confirm it.”

      “I’ll pass the suggestion along. We’ll be right there. And, Piper?”

      “Yeah?”

      “Thanks. We owe you.”

      “You don’t owe me a thing.” I end the connection before she can say anything more. Thanks of any sort embarrass me.

      My stomach rumbles, reminding me how hungry I am. When I enter the kitchen, the aroma of fresh brewed coffee wraps around my senses like a lover’s embrace. Gramps stands at the stove stirring a pot. He’s been a busy bee.

      “How do you think he is?” I pull out two plain mugs and pour a cup for each of us, so tired my hand shakes.

      “He’ll be all right. He’s young and strong. Sleep will do wonders for him. Sit down and I’ll bring you some oatmeal.”

      “Thanks.” My chair scrapes against the white oak floorboards as I pull it out and fall into it. I lift my cup then take a sip. Even the rich-flavored caffeine does no more than give me enough energy to eat the huge bowl of oatmeal Gramps thumps down in front of me, followed by a plateful of fluffy yellow eggs and light brown toast.

      It’s a toss-up whether my rumbling stomach or my dragging fatigue will win out. My stomach wins by a hair. I inhale the eggs and toast, scrape the oatmeal bowl clean then stumble to my bed where I throw myself face down on the soft pink coverlet. I should check on Tyler is my last waking thought.

      The screech of a gull wakes me. The room is lighter than when I fell into bed. Maybe the sun has come out. I tumble out of bed, pull back the curtain, and blink. The sky is a contented blue without a cloud and the sun shines bright in the eastern sky. I’ve slept through the day and night.

      Hastily, I throw on my clothes, tuck my hair in a ball cap, push my glasses up onto the bridge of my nose, and trot down the hallway to the little guest room.

      I open the door a slit and peek in. The sparrow chirps and ruffles its good wing. The bed is empty. The gray and white duvet smoothed neatly over it.

      I make a quick trip through the cottage. Tyler is gone and so is Gramps. Though Gramps has at least left a pot of coffee for me. Still feeling slightly fragile, I doctor it with cream and sugar.

      Taking one last look to make sure Tyler isn’t around, I wander back to my bedroom nursing my cream-laden java. Once in my room, I toss off the glasses, let my hair down, comb it with my fingers, and step out of my nerd attire, leaving the offending garments on the floor where they fall.

      From my closet, I pull out a red-ribbed, sleeveless, fitted-tee and white shorts. I grab a bottle of Crimson Sunset nail polish, and carrying my coffee in the other hand, go to the small deck on the back of the house.

      Listening to the happy chirp of birds, and the rhythmic lap of the waves, I paint my toenails, sip my coffee, and fall asleep.

      “Piper. Mr. Dunn. Piper. Mr. Dunn.” I’m dreaming of Tyler. Telling him, even though he’s a great kisser, I can’t get involved with him. Along with the pounding, the voice becomes more insistent. Groggy, I open my eyes then jerk upright. “Oh, my God, it is Tyler.”

      I leap out of the chair, run into the house, and throw on my nerd gear. Out of breath, I race to the door. He’s turning away. The old screen creaks when I open it. “What are you doing here?”

      He turns and gives me a mega-powered smile that leaves my knees weak. “Shouldn’t you be home in bed?” I manage.

      “I’m okay. Can I come in?”

      “Sure.” I step back.

      He stops inside the threshold. His first words take me by surprise. “You paint your toenails.”

      Heat floods my cheeks. “So?”

      “So, you have attractive feet.”

      “Gramps said you nearly drowned. Your brain must still be waterlogged.” I try hard not to squirm.

      “Possibly,” he admits. “But that has no bearing on the fact that you’ve got nice feet. They’re slender and perfectly formed.”

      “Carlisle, do you have a foot fetish?” I narrow my eyes.

      He laughs and seems sincerely amused. “No. It’s just that’s one of the few portions of your anatomy that’s visible.”

      I hate these clothes. “You need to be home resting. You had a harrowing experience. I’m surprised your parents let you out of the house.”

      “I snuck out.”

      “You need to go back home and to bed.” I open the door.

      Instead of walking through it, he leans against the wall, crosses his arms, and looks at me speculatively. “I do feel rather weak. Maybe I should lie down.”

      I glance at him uneasily. These glasses make it difficult to see. But it doesn’t take too much effort to recognize the devils dancing in his eyes. “You certainly aren’t suggesting…”

      “What?” he asks innocently, the devils still dancing “I’m just saying if you’re worried about me I can rest here.”

      I heave a sigh and try to get my racing heart under control. I do my best to act put out. “You better go home.”

      “I can’t help teasing you. You’re so easy to get a rise out of.”

      “I knew that. There’s no way you’d want to go to bed with me.” The bitterness in my voice embarrasses me.

      He takes a step closer. “You’re wrong about that,” he responds, suddenly serious.

      I take a step back.

      “But what I came for is to thank you and your grandfather for saving my life. You especially.” His gaze burns into mine.

      I reach for the doorknob. “Gramps isn’t here. I’ll give him the message. But as far as me, I didn’t do anything.” I hold crossed-fingers behind my back.

      “If СКАЧАТЬ