Page 38 of Building Courage
“Yes. Incriminating photos.”
“Not too bright, was he?”
For the first time, she looked at him, and there was a touch of steel in her voice when she said, “No, he wasn’t.”
“Did you get the camera back?”
“Yes. Eventually. But I haven’t used it since. It just felt like…it carried bad karma, so I packed it away in my room at my parent’s house and left it behind when I moved out.”
He could understand that.
“I have to go, Tucker.”
He’d expected it. He was getting too close again. He laid a hand atop hers. “Stay and watch a movie with me.”
Her dark sherry brown eyes moved over his face and some of the tension went out of hers. “Chick Flick, Romantic Comedy, Action Adventure, Horror, Drama, Suspense, or Family?”
He laughed. “Lady’s choice.”
“Chick flicks aren’t my thing. And horror isn’t much on my list either. They’re all gore and not scary most of the time.”
“That leaves Action Adventure, Drama, Suspense, Romantic Comedy, or Family. Let’s go see what’s available on my movie stations.”
They settled on a movie that was both dramatic and suspenseful. Tucker kicked off his shoes and propped his bare feet on the coffee table. When Brynn did the same, he smiled. Her feet were as slender and lean as the rest of her, and her toe nails were painted pale pink, a feminine touch he found a little fascinating.
“Do you always paint your toenails?”
“No. Martin paints my toenails.”
Martin? Who the hell was Martin? A streak of jealousy hit him, and he pushed it back. “I’m up for competition if that’s what Martin is.”
“He’s my next-door neighbor and works for the magazine.”
“Why would Martin paint your toenails?”
Her eyes lit with the amusement reflected in her slight smile. “He finds it relaxing. He’s used to being around women. He was a model when he was younger, and he likes to give me fashion pointers and insists painting my toenails is one of those fashion statements all women should pay attention to.”
“And is Martin gay?” he asked.
She grinned. “Completely.”
He hadn’t realized how tense he was until she murmured that one-word answer. “You’ll have to introduce me to him sometime.”
“Why?”
“Because you two are obviously close, and I want to be close to you, too. Maybe he can give me some pointers.”
Her surprised expression morphed into laughter. “You’re good.”
“You have no idea.”
It had been a while since he’d had an opportunity to flirt. He was thrilled to see color rise in her cheeks.
Try as he might to concentrate on the movie, Tucker found himself watching Brynn instead. Her restless movements when the hero and heroine faced off against the bad guys had him smiling.
As the ending credits ran across the screen, he murmured close to her ear, “That race against time element just does it for me every time.”
“It does it for me, too.” She turned her head to look at him, and their faces were close. “Is it the same when you’re on a mission?”