found himself saying. “Would you like some help picking out furniture?”
“You mean you accept me as your neighbour?” Her eyes lit up.
“I accept that in some way you’re very vulnerable.”
“You’re accustomed to vulnerable people?”
“I’m not a doctor. I’m not a psychiatrist or a rocket scientist either. But I know a lot about people in pain.”
“Then you know too much,” she said quietly.
That contained emotion caused him to make a further offer. “How about lunch?” He, Evan Thompson, the loner! “Then we look at furniture, if you like.”
“You’re being kind, aren’t you?” Kindness was there, behind the brooding front. People mattered to him. As they did to her.
“Kind has nothing to do with it,” he said crisply. “I’m hungry.”
“Okay, that would be very nice.” She walked towards him as he rested his powerful body against the doorjamb. “Why don’t you call me Laura?” She gave him a spontaneous smile that would have had Colin enraged. Her normal smile, or so she thought. Uncomplicated.
Evan found it captivating. “Then you must call me Evan.” He held out his hand. After a slight hesitation she took it, her hand getting lost in the size of his.
It was warm and firm, but never hurting.
“There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked, one eyebrow raised. “You didn’t really think I was going to crack your fingers?” He turned her hand over, examining it. “Delicate, but strong. Are you any good as a pianist?”
The effect of his skin on hers was the most electrifying thing that had ever happened to her. She couldn’t pull away. It was as though she was held by a naked current. “People seemed to think so.”
“Conservatorium trained?”
“Wh-a-t?” It was so hard to concentrate when every nerve seemed to be jumping.
He released her hand. “I asked if you were Conservatorium trained?”
“I graduated. I’d begun studying for my Doctorate of Music.” She managed to speak calmly.
“So what happened?”
“Life.”
“An unhappy love affair?” Something had overwhelmed her.
“Desperately unhappy,” she admitted. “But that’s all you’re getting out of me.”
“There are worse things than unhappy love affairs,” he said.
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