Mystical Love by Rachel James Page B

Adrian’s breath caught at her words, though she didn’t seem to notice as she continued stroking his right palm, giving a tiny sigh. When she spoke, Adrian heard the resignation in her voice.
    â€œI always knew this day would come, Adrian.”
    Adrian clenched his arms tighter around her waist.
    â€œWhat? Consorting with psychics? Or having to nursemaid my injured thumb?” She broke his embrace, and Adrian let her go, watching as she tucked herself into the corner of the window seat and stared morosely at the darkness outside the window.
    â€œBe serious, Adrian. I’m talking about us. We’re over.”
    â€œWhat! Because of a stupid broken glass? I thought you were made of sterner stuff than that, O’Toole.”
    â€œI am. But suddenly, my hair color is all wrong.”
    Adrian held his breath for a second. Talk about slicing right to the heart of things. No appetizers here, just right to the main course.
    â€œGet to the point, O’Toole. I gather you’re referring to Miss Kelly’s red hair?” he chided outwardly.
    â€œYou were mean and ugly to her on purpose, Adrian.”
    Adrian shifted his legs, flexing the kinks out of his knees and pretending as much indifference as he could muster.
    â€œI’m mean and ugly to everyone, you know that.”
    â€œYes, and you never spare a thought to the havoc you create. You couldn’t care less about anyone’s feelings in the matter. But you did care tonight. You shredded Janice’s self-esteem in front of us all and on purpose. You wanted her to despise you. Why?”
    â€œSurely I wasn’t as bad as all that?” Adrian parried. He knew he had gone out of his way to goad Janice into disliking him. But what else could he do? She had stirred up old longings he had spent more than twenty years burying.
    The window seat creaked and Adrian found himself impaled by Ginger’s piercing gaze. For someone not possessed of second sight, her stare was remarkably penetrating.
    â€œYou saw something when the glass shattered, Adrian. What was it?”
    He hedged with a shrug.
    â€œAn image.”
    â€œOf you and Janice?”
    â€œNo!” The syllable exploded from Adrian’s lips, startling both of them with its vehemence. He felt himself flush at once and cautioned, “Dammit, Ginger, let it lie! I don’t know
what
I saw. I had only a grasp of the image for a moment. The woman could have been anyone.”
    Ginger’s face split into a wide smile and Adrian growled at his own stupidity. She had tricked him into admitting that to her. Her laugh echoed around the solarium wall and through his head. He studied her grinning features, and gave a second thunderous growl.
    â€œWhat’s so funny?”
    â€œI’ve never seen you naked before, Adrian. It’s a truly amazing sight.”
    She had cleverly manipulated him on all fronts. She had sensed, without being told, that the image he saw was an erotic one. She wanted nothing less than the truth from him and she had gotten it.
    Angry with himself for not seeing the guise, Adrian could only stare pointedly out the window. He wished he could see a ripple of lightning crack the night skies apart in the way he had just been cracked apart. He waited but no flash came. Beyond the window, darkness reigned supreme. But for how long?
    Outside, a snow-chilled wind had sprung up and was gathering force. Somewhere nearby, he could hear a tree branch slashing against wood. Above them, the ceiling lights continued to flicker and dip and Ginger stirred. When she started to speak, Adrian lifted his hand.
    â€œShut up, O’Toole. We’re not canceling the dress rehearsal.”
    â€œI know,” she stated, settling back with a sigh. She stroked the back of his right palm affectionately. “I don’t mind if it’s over between us, Adrian, really. I like Janice and you two look good together.”
    â€œShut up, O’Toole.