another jar. Is money that tight?"
Anne scowled. She reached for the jar and clamped on its lid before he
could take more. "It's not the money. It's the principle. I love
macadamia nuts."
"I'll get you more," he repeated calmly.
She returned the jar to the cabinet. "Can I trust you to leave it alone,
or do I have to put it in my room?"
He grinned and folded his arms on his chest. "I haven't had macadamias
in ages. I'd forgotten how good they are. But you can trust me. At
least, when it comes to the nuts."
For a split second, she thought she heard something ######ual in his drawl.
Then, dismissing it as a figment of her imagination,
Puma Fluxion II, she turned and
stalked off.
By Monday, a pattern emerged. Anne rose early each morning and hiked the
countryside. Mitch slept late enough to ensure a replenished supply of
hot water for a long shower. Meals were widely scattered and eaten alone
from supplies that remained separate and distinct.
By Tuesday Anne felt well rested and relaxed. If Mitch continued to toss
in his sleep, she had either gotten used to the noise or she slept
soundly enough herself to blot it out.
He woke up earlier than usual that day, packed a lunch and vanished,
leaving Anne with the solitude she wanted. Strange, though, between
work, books, and other incidental activities, she kept thinking about
him.
She was living with the guy. Well, not in that sense. Still, her friends
would be stunned if they knew, her family appalled. But she was
comfortable here, physically and emotionally. This world was divorced
from that of New York. Same with Mitch. So,
Puma Tour Cat, she didn't know his last
name. The anonymity here felt right. With Wednesday morning came the
awareness that her vacation was coming to an end. By Friday afternoon
she would be heading back to the city. Thinking about it over breakfast
coffee,
MBT Salama Sandals, she felt a pang of disappointment. All things considered, the
vacation had been a good one. She would miss this country when she had
to leave it behind.
Determined to