Page 59 of Beyond the Rules
When I next looked up, Tanner stood by the door, holding the tub of ice cream and two spoons in his hand. He cocked his eyebrows at me. “You wouldn’t shoot an innocent man bearing ice cream,wouldyou?”
“There isn’t such a thing as an innocent man, but chocolate will spare your life.” I jerked my head. “Getoverhere.”
He tucked the tub under his arm and came around the bed, shuffling more heavily than usual. He handed over the tub, set his crutches aside and dropped on the mattress next to me. He looked tired. He winced as he reached down, grabbed his lazy leg and broughtitup.
My irritation evaporated. “Youokay?”
“Fine.” He reached over and scooted me across the bed until I was snug against his side. “Older than yesterday, but stillalive.”
I scrutinized his face, the shadows under his eyes, the worry lines etched deeper into his usually unlined forehead. “Are youinpain?”
“Sat too long in front of the screen today.” It was all he was willing toadmit.
For a guy who made a living out of getting into other people’s heads, he wasn’t very forthcoming about what was going on in his own. I’d have to keep my eye on him. The way he squirmed as he tried to find a comfortable position on the bed told me he was lying. If he was still hurting like this tomorrow, I’d make him go see thedoctor.
He transferred the tub to his lap, popped open the lid and, shoveling a big, creamy chunk, handed me the loaded spoon. “Your weapon,Madame.”
“Murder by caloric intake.” I attacked myspoon.
“Self-defense,” he mumbled through a mouthful and swallowed. “No jury in their right mind wouldconvict.”
How could he be so utterly adorable and so devastatingly sexy at thesametime?
He dropped his spoon in the bucket and licked his fingertips. “So what’sup,Nina?”
I flashed him a chocolate-smeared grin. “My brain is frozen, but you makemehot.”
His lips twitched. “You’d think the temperature difference would evenyouout.”
“Not if you’re around. You’re like global warming to my pussy. So…” I wiggled my eyebrows. “Howaboutit?”
He laughed and the wonderful sound did a lot to easemymood.
“Hang on to the thought, sweetheart. I’m all for combating climate change in your pussy.” He sobered up. “But before we go there, why do I get the feeling you’re using sex as chaff to throw me off yourtrail?”
“What the hell is ‘chaff?’”
“Small strips of metal that fighter pilots shoot out of the plane to confuse radar beams and throw missiles off theirtails.”
I slumped. I couldn’t get anything past Tanner. I surrendered my spoon and let out a long breath. “Why does hehateme?”
He gave me a mildly reproving look. “Zar doesn’thateyou.”
“Ha.” A jolt of anger straightened my backbone. “If he doesn’t hate me, why is he always growlingatme?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you asked him insteadofme?”
“He’s never around,” I mumbled. “He doesn’t talktome.”
“You could tryfixingthat.”
“Or I could put my head between the jaws of a starvingalligator.”
Tanner cocked his brows and studied my face. “Is this behavior a natural aspect of your personality or a newdevelopment?”
“Whatbehavior?”
“Nina, Nina, dramaqueen?”