indifference to her, Bishop,” he added with a smirk.
Instead of challenging him, Bishop fell silent at that, deep in thought.
“Perhaps we were estranged for a time,” Carys offered, winding her arm around Bishop’s, but it didn’t make the furrow on his brow disappear. “Surely it doesn’t change what we have now.”
Bishop’s head came up, his gaze holding hers for long seconds before he spoke. “I don’t know what we have now.”
“Don’t say that, cariad .” Her face crumpled, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, and I felt sorry for her.
“Look, we can go round and round about this, the point is, we only know bits and pieces of what happened and why. Just like we don’t know why we’re strong and heal super fast, and Joe can’t.”
“Perhaps my strength will grow after I eat something?” Joe suggested. “I admit, I am famished.”
“I’ll go see what I can find in the kitchen,” I offered, and Aubrey rose to his feet.
“I’ll come with. I’m feeling a mite peckish myself,” he offered.
There wasn’t much in the refrigerator, which was good, because the walls were warm, making me think it’d been out of power for quite some time. But there were canned goods in the pantry, and after a few tries with the gas stove, I had a pot of chili warming up for Joe in no time.
Aubrey poked around in the kitchen, picking up and discarding several options before he leaned against the counter, watching me stir the chili. “You know, she’s not the only one I recall sharing a bit of comfort with.”
“Oh?” I replied, a nervous butterfly winging its way through my belly. Had he remembered the kiss too? Or something more?
“Yeah, I’ve had a flicker or two of you in my arms. It seemed a rather passionate clinch to me.”
“Like I said, we don’t know the circumstances surrounding it,” I reminded him. “I had the feeling it was a while ago.”
“Then you do remember,” he grinned, stalking closer. “I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. The taste of you...”
“Maybe try some chili then?” I countered, shoving the wooden spoon in his face. “That should kill any lingering cravings.”
“Oh come now, sweets. We both know those cravings can only be satisfied in one way,” he grinned, snatching the spoon out of my hand faster than my eye could track, tossing it in the sink. While I goggled over that feat, he pressed closer, trapping me against the counter. “Come on then, give us a taste.”
“How did you...? Look, whatever might’ve happened between us before, I’m with Rob now,” I said, shoving at his chest, pleased to see I had the strength to hold him back.
“Didn’t seem to bother you much before. He doesn’t have to know about it now, does he?”
“I was with him at the time?” I gasped.
“Getting him back for finding him in bed with another bird, is how I seem to recall it.”
“Rob cheated on me?” I cried out.
Just as Rob stepped in and demanded, “You slept with that tosser?”
My eyes were wide as saucers, not sure which idea was worse. “I... don’t know for sure. I only remember a kiss but... Aubrey, what do you remember?” I turned to him, and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Rob surged forward, but I caught him, surprised to find I not only had the strength to hold him back, but knew how to lock him into a hold he couldn’t break out of. “Get your hands off of me,” he growled.
“No, not until you calm down. We don’t completely know what’s going on here.”
“I know that kiss felt real enough,” Aubrey taunted. “Did you ever find your brassiere?”
“Right, that’s enough out of you.” Rob did some kind of ninja twist that broke free of my hold over him. He lunged for Aubrey, who used his lightning fast moves to dodge out of the way, leaving Rob to crash painfully into the corner of the kitchen island. Recovering quickly,
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley