to her suite and spent some time on the internet looking up information about the pirate Claude Morgan.
Finding nothing new, and feeling a touch homesick, she called her mom. Knowing her mother worried about Gwen, especially her lack of interest in the opposite sex after Steven’s cheating, and equally knowing how it would make her mother laugh, Gwen relayed her introduction to Rome.
“Is he single?” Kathleen wanted to know after her chuckling eased.
Gwen closed her eyes. “He’s not married, if that’s what you mean.”
“And is he handsome?”
Pressing her lips together, Gwen hesitated before saying, “Yes. But,” she rushed on to say, “I don’t know if he’s all there. In his head I mean. Seriously, who pounces on a woman like that?”
Something suspiciously like a snort came over the line.
“Honey, every woman likes to be pounced on now and again. It makes us feel terribly wanted.”
“TMI, Mom! Besides, I’m not talking about a husband.
I’m talking about a stranger.”
“Who was with the ATF, you said. That’s a dangerous job. You don’t know what he saw.”
“Which makes him a dangerous man.”
“No. I’d say protective, if he thought you were in danger as he said.” Kathleen argued softly. “Single, handsome and protective. I think you should go for it.”
“I’m not going to get involved with my employer’s son.
No hanky panky where I work. You know how well that turned out.” Gwen complained.
Her mom was silent a moment. “Steven was an ass, baby. Not all men are like that. I worry that his stupidity colored your outlook on the male gender.”
Gwen stared down at her fingers which idly rubbed along the top of the small wood table that function as both a place to lay her food and desk for her laptop. “I know that, Mom. But at the same time I don’t want to make another mistake.”
Kathleen’s mom-dar picked up on what Gwen hadn’t said. “So you like this Rome?”
Gwen squeezed her eyes shut. How did she do that? “I barely know him so I can’t form an opinion.”
“Which means you do like him.”
Exasperated, Gwen huffed out a breath. “I’m going now, Mom. It’s time for dinner.”
Another delighted laugh. “Avoidance. Now I know you like him.”
Gwen shook her head, her lips curved in a rueful smile.
She should know by now that her mom knew everything .
“Love you. I’ll talk with you later.”
“Love you too, baby girl.”
Closing her cell with a soft snap, Gwen padded into the bathroom and debated on makeup. She didn’t normally wear much; moisturizer, sunscreen, protective lip balm.
Anything more generally melted in her profession. When not working she added tinted powder to combat shine, but as she wasn’t sure who might be at the dinner table tonight, she scrutinize her reflection in the mirror over the sink.
With her hair off her face, every blemish was out front and center. She wasn’t vain enough to say she was gorgeous, but she was realistic enough to know she wasn’t butt ugly either.
Her skin wasn’t creamy and flawless, it was oily. Acne had been horrid to her in puberty and still visited every now and then to torment her. On the bright side, her face didn’t have a single wrinkle like so many of her counterparts seemed to collect at an early age, despite the protection they wore and slathered on their faces. Two small, roundish scars, one above her left eyebrow and the other at her right temple, were a result of a bad case of childhood chickenpox.
And was that a pimple forming on her chin?
And why she suddenly cared about her looks was irritating. Blowing out a rude sound, she dabbed concealer over the pimple and called it good. After all, she wasn’t trying to make Rome, or anyone for that matter, interested in her. Work and romance did not mix. Unfortunately for Gwen, the fluttering in her tummy started as soon as she stepped out of her room and headed for the kitchen, making a liar out of her brain.
Dinner at the
Finding nothing new, and feeling a touch homesick, she called her mom. Knowing her mother worried about Gwen, especially her lack of interest in the opposite sex after Steven’s cheating, and equally knowing how it would make her mother laugh, Gwen relayed her introduction to Rome.
“Is he single?” Kathleen wanted to know after her chuckling eased.
Gwen closed her eyes. “He’s not married, if that’s what you mean.”
“And is he handsome?”
Pressing her lips together, Gwen hesitated before saying, “Yes. But,” she rushed on to say, “I don’t know if he’s all there. In his head I mean. Seriously, who pounces on a woman like that?”
Something suspiciously like a snort came over the line.
“Honey, every woman likes to be pounced on now and again. It makes us feel terribly wanted.”
“TMI, Mom! Besides, I’m not talking about a husband.
I’m talking about a stranger.”
“Who was with the ATF, you said. That’s a dangerous job. You don’t know what he saw.”
“Which makes him a dangerous man.”
“No. I’d say protective, if he thought you were in danger as he said.” Kathleen argued softly. “Single, handsome and protective. I think you should go for it.”
“I’m not going to get involved with my employer’s son.
No hanky panky where I work. You know how well that turned out.” Gwen complained.
Her mom was silent a moment. “Steven was an ass, baby. Not all men are like that. I worry that his stupidity colored your outlook on the male gender.”
Gwen stared down at her fingers which idly rubbed along the top of the small wood table that function as both a place to lay her food and desk for her laptop. “I know that, Mom. But at the same time I don’t want to make another mistake.”
Kathleen’s mom-dar picked up on what Gwen hadn’t said. “So you like this Rome?”
Gwen squeezed her eyes shut. How did she do that? “I barely know him so I can’t form an opinion.”
“Which means you do like him.”
Exasperated, Gwen huffed out a breath. “I’m going now, Mom. It’s time for dinner.”
Another delighted laugh. “Avoidance. Now I know you like him.”
Gwen shook her head, her lips curved in a rueful smile.
She should know by now that her mom knew everything .
“Love you. I’ll talk with you later.”
“Love you too, baby girl.”
Closing her cell with a soft snap, Gwen padded into the bathroom and debated on makeup. She didn’t normally wear much; moisturizer, sunscreen, protective lip balm.
Anything more generally melted in her profession. When not working she added tinted powder to combat shine, but as she wasn’t sure who might be at the dinner table tonight, she scrutinize her reflection in the mirror over the sink.
With her hair off her face, every blemish was out front and center. She wasn’t vain enough to say she was gorgeous, but she was realistic enough to know she wasn’t butt ugly either.
Her skin wasn’t creamy and flawless, it was oily. Acne had been horrid to her in puberty and still visited every now and then to torment her. On the bright side, her face didn’t have a single wrinkle like so many of her counterparts seemed to collect at an early age, despite the protection they wore and slathered on their faces. Two small, roundish scars, one above her left eyebrow and the other at her right temple, were a result of a bad case of childhood chickenpox.
And was that a pimple forming on her chin?
And why she suddenly cared about her looks was irritating. Blowing out a rude sound, she dabbed concealer over the pimple and called it good. After all, she wasn’t trying to make Rome, or anyone for that matter, interested in her. Work and romance did not mix. Unfortunately for Gwen, the fluttering in her tummy started as soon as she stepped out of her room and headed for the kitchen, making a liar out of her brain.
Dinner at the
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