Mad, Bad and Blonde - Cathie Linz [26]
She wished the same could be said about the things that Caine said. But no, those phrases stuck like Super Glue. What had he called her? Sunshine? It hadn’t sounded like a compliment. It had sounded both condescending and demeaning.
Faith stepped off the curb only to be yanked back by his hand on her arm.
“Careful, Sunshine. You don’t want to throw yourself under a car on my account.”
“I’d rather throw you under a car,” she muttered.
“I’m sure you would.”
“I mean if I were a violent person, which I’m not.”
“You’re just a crack shot.”
“I don’t go around shooting people.”
“Not yet anyway.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Children’s librarian by day, tough PI by night. Not your usual combination of professions.”
“You already know that I’m no longer a librarian.”
“Once a Marine, always a Marine. Once a librarian, always a librarian.”
“How would you know?”
“I’m good at reading people.”
“Right. Is that why you trailed the wrong person that last day in Positano? Because you’re so great at reading people?”
“I said I was good, not great. But hey, if you want to say I’m great, that’s okay with me.”
“You’re neither good nor great at anything.”
“You know, a more sensitive guy might be hurt by those words. Good thing I’m not sensitive.”
“I can’t imagine a less sensitive human being on the entire planet.”
“That’s a little extreme, isn’t it?”
“Go away.” She put her earbuds back in.
He gently removed one of them to tell her, “That’s a good way to get your wallet stolen, holding your purse like that.” He waved her wallet at her.
She grabbed it back from him. “Are they teaching pick-pocketing techniques in the Marine Corps now?”
“Any rookie knows that you always secure your valuables.” He lifted the strap over her head and shifted the bag so it was across her body instead of hanging from one shoulder.
When his hand brushed over her breast, he looked as stunned as she felt. Her body was still humming disloyally from the mere touch of his hand on her arm earlier. Now her hormones were on full alert and sizzling.
What was wrong with her? Did all jilted brides feel like this? Somehow she doubted that. Or if they did, it was because of their fiancé’s touch. Not a stranger’s.
But Caine didn’t feel like a stranger. Had Megan been right when she’d wondered if Faith had fallen in love with Caine at first sight? If that were true, then Faith had better get over it pronto.
You’d think that finding out that Caine had been sent to Italy to seduce her would be enough to make her immune to his sex appeal. But noooo, her rebellious hormones continued to rock ’n’ roll. Jane Austen would be so ashamed. So would Jennifer Garner.
“Leave me alone.” She marched off.
He ambled right along behind her.
She turned and confronted him. “Stop following me.”
“I’m not.”
“You already know I’m headed for work.”
“So am I. We can walk together.”
“No, we can’t. You are not going to harass anyone at West Investigations, including me.”
“I’m just heading for work.” He held out one arm in a sweeping gesture meant to invite her to go ahead of him. “You go ahead.”
“I will.”
She walked two blocks with him behind her. She could feel him eyeing her derriere, which made her self-conscious. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she was also quickly getting a blister from the stilettos. She should have worn the Keds.
He followed her all the way to the building housing West Investigations.
She turned, ready to berate him for his idiotic behavior, when he smiled at her and said, “You do remember that King Investigations is located across the street from West Investigations, right?”
Damn, Faith had forgotten that for the moment. She said nothing but did bestow a look intended to reduce him to meaningless status. Caine’s confident grin told her that he wasn’t impressed.
The man had fooled her once. He wouldn’t get a second chance.
“I can’t believe you quit your job at the library,” Gloria Gibbs said.
Faith eyed her father’s long-time administrative assistant cautiously. “You’re not going to lecture me, are you?”