“Magna! She can send him home,” she whispered in relief.
Pushing the covers aside, she quickly made the bed and grabbed some clothes as she headed for the bathroom attached to her room. She took a quick shower and dressed. Twenty minutes later, she moved the nightstand away from the door so she could open the door.
She was in the process of pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she stepped out of her bedroom when she jerked to a stop. Ashure was exiting the guest bathroom at the same time and he was wearing nothing more than a towel tucked around his hips. She finished pulling her hair through the elastic band and lowered her arms.
“Can you wrap that towel any lower?” she sarcastically asked without thinking.
He moved his hands to the towel, raised his eyebrows at her, and smiled. She was having a hard time keeping her eyes focused on his face.
“I can always remove it if that would make you feel better,” he teased.
Tonya blushed. “Whatever floats your boat. I might have found a way to send you home, but first, I’m going to make some coffee. I can’t deal with your naked body and Max all in the same morning without some serious caffeine,” she stated.
“I’m not technically naked and who is this Max?” Ashure called after her when she passed him and strode toward the kitchen.
“Later. Rule number one: don’t talk to me before coffee if you want a civil—and sane—conversation,” she replied.
“Rules? You do realize that rules are made so they can be broken, don’t you?” he drawled.
Tonya turned around and stared at him in shock. A sense of déjà vu struck her again at his offhanded comment. She thought about asking him to repeat what he had just said before she shook her head and turned back to the coffee pot.
This is crazy. I have more in common with someone who just arrived by a portal than with… pretty much everyone else. Max would get a kick out of knowing I’ve met someone who thinks the same way about rules as I did—once, she thought with a rueful smile as she pressed the power button for the coffee pot.
Ashure silently observed Tonya from the entrance to the kitchen. She was standing next to the table, sipping a steaming mug of coffee and staring out of the window. Her shoulder-length dark brown hair was pulled up, revealing a long, thin scar curving around her slender neck. He had seen enough wounds caused by a sharp blade to recognize one.
“Who attacked you?” he demanded before he could stop himself.
She twisted to face him. “What?” she asked, confused.
“With a blade… your neck,” he said, walking forward as he spoke until he was standing in front of her. He gently traced the scar. She shivered at his touch, and he could feel a slight tingle in his fingertips. It reminded him of the spark of a Thunderbird feather.
“Morris Decker. He apparently didn’t like the article I wrote about his illegal price-fixing scheme. Are you hungry? I can cook some eggs and toast,” she offered as she looked up at him.
He was still staring at her scar and caressing it with the pad of his thumb. If the cut had been an eighth of an inch farther to the right, it would have sliced through a major artery. She was lucky to be alive.
“Is this Morris Decker still alive?” he asked in a deceptively quiet voice.
“Yes. He’s been enjoying the hospitality of the Federal Prison system for the past ten years,” she replied.
“I can think of a much better place for him,” he said, looking up and locking his gaze with hers.
He heard her soft gasp but didn’t look away. She stared back at him, her expression clearly displaying her curiosity and wariness. He knew she could see the shadows—the lost souls. They shied away from her, as if ashamed.
“I could too, for a while, but hatred is a useless emotion. It drains you. I prefer to use my energy doing more important things—like bringing down more bad guys and making the world a better place to live in,” she murmured.
Ashure nodded and continued to caress her neck. “Who is Max?” he asked.
“Max is—Max. I’m glad Mike’s clothes fit you. Now, are you hungry or not? I’m not the best cook in the world, but I can cook eggs—as long as you like them scrambled—and toast without burning it,” she said, stepping away from him.
“I would appreciate some scrambled eggs and toast. Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No, I’m still trying to figure out where everything is, and you’d just be in the way. Why don’t you go—explore or something? I’ll call you when everything is ready,” she said with a wave of her hand.
“Do you not enjoy my company, my Lady?” he curiously inquired.
“Listen, the last thing I need is a distraction in the kitchen. I’m dangerous enough without one, trust me,” she retorted with a hint of panic in her voice.
He reached out and ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “Then I will take my leave until you call for me,” he quietly vowed.
“Don’t go far,” she absently warned him.
“I won’t,” he promised.
He looked at her one last time before he forced himself to walk away. The urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her was overwhelming, but just the tender touch would have to do. No doubt he would have ended up in pain again if he followed through with his desire to kiss her passionately until they were both senseless with desire.
The first thing he did was explore the house. He familiarized himself with the entrances and exits before he opened the door and stepped out onto the front porch. An old mode of transportation, obvious from the faded paint, clouded glass covers over the lights, and a small dent near the back, was parked out front.
He frowned when a vehicle turned onto the driveway. Through the clear glass, he could see a man in a uniform. A minute later, the vehicle came to a stop. The man looked at him with a frown before he reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed something. He tensed as the man pushed open the door and stepped out. Ashure didn’t relax until he saw that the object the man had grabbed was a hat.
“Morning,” the man greeted.
“Good day to you,” Ashure replied.
The man strode forward before he paused at the bottom of the step. “Is Tonya here?” the deputy asked.
“She is preparing our meal,” he replied.
“Oh. Are you friends with her?” the man continued.
“We met last night,” Ashure answered.
“Ashure, breakfast—oh, hi Dan, I didn’t know you were coming over. I—I just finished making breakfast, would you like some?” Tonya politely asked.
“That sounds great,” Dan replied, climbing the steps and walking past Ashure.
Tonya stood back so Dan could enter the house. Ashure raised an eyebrow when she shot him a fierce glare, as if it was his fault the other man had intruded on their early morning meal. She rolled her eyes when he shrugged and followed Dan into the house.
“I hope you like scrambled eggs,” she said.
“Yeah, I do,” Dan responded, holding his hat and rotating the brim between his fingers.
“That is all she knows how to cook without burning it,” Ashure added.
“Really?” Dan said.
With a scowl, Tonya reached out and took Dan’s hat from him. “No, not really,” she snapped in annoyance. “Come on before it gets cold.”