Sun & Moon - a contemporary romance (The Minstrel Series #1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

mind,” he said, his eyes moving from her to the mess in the sink.
    “Neither do I.”
    He left without another word, and soon Katja heard the sound of the news broadcasting on the TV.
    She took her time. It wasn’t like she had anything else to do. Micah’s flat was spacious, but it didn’t actually have a lot of rooms. The living room and kitchen were connected, and there was a short hallway with doors that led to the bathroom and Micah’s bedroom. And one other. Perhaps a storage room?
    Once the dishes were washed and put away and the counters and table wiped clean, she stood in the middle of the room with a tea-towel in her hand. She didn’t want to interrupt Micah, but the living room was the only place left for her to go, unless she holed up in the bathroom. She found a broom in a narrow kitchen closet and attacked the wooden floors. With that done, there really wasn’t anything left to do, unless she polished the appliances or washed the windows.
    “Looks great.” Katja jumped at Micah’s voice. “Why don’t you come relax now, too?”
    As usual, Micah’s expression was blank. Katja couldn’t tell if he really wanted her to join him, or if he was just being polite.
    “Are you sure? I can…” She waved a hand at the spotless room.
    “It’s clean enough,” he said, then returned to his place on the sofa.
    Katja wasn’t sure if she’d just been invited or instructed to follow him, but she had no reason not to do as he asked.
    She sat stiffly on the sofa opposite the chair where Micah sat and steered her gaze to the TV. Her fingers rested on her jeans, and she shifted to get comfortable. Her eyes wouldn’t stop veering over to her host. Despite the fact that he rarely smiled, Micah wasn’t hard to look at. His brown eyes were accentuated by dark eyebrows. He had sharp cheekbones and a strong jawline now covered by a late-day bristly shadow. Katja’s artistic eye captured the details with quick glances, getting caught with her final one. He stared back at her.
    She squirmed, feeling stupid that he’d caught her checking him out. His full lips tightened and his shoulders squared, like he refused to be made comfortable, even in his own home. His tie was still tied neatly around his neck. He made her nervous.
    “Why don’t you take that off?” she blurted.
    Micah’s eyes widened with surprise, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “I meant your tie, not your clothes.”
    His hand reached for his throat. “Oh. Yeah. I’m so used to wearing it.” His fingers slid into the knot loosening it.
    “That’s better,” Katja said. “Now I can breathe.” She thought it was funny, but Micah didn’t crack a smile.
    “Are you all right?” she asked.
    Micah lowered the volume and tapped his leg nervously with the remote. “Why would you ask?”
    Katja nodded to his jumpy hands. “You seem apprehensive. If anyone should be nervous here, it’s me, right?” She grinned. “I’m the homeless one.”
    His hands stilled. “You are. You’re taking it rather well.”
    Oh, no. He thought she was taking advantage of his hospitality already and they hadn’t even gotten through the first night. She stiffened. “I’ve learned to make the best of situations I have no control over.”
    How did this conversation get turned around to be about her? She tried another tactic. “How long have you lived in Dresden?”
    “Four months. You?”
    “Two. I arrived the end of January.”
    “Where from?”
    “Berlin.”
    “That’s where your family is?”
    Again, it was about her. She nodded and returned the question. “And your family?”
    “Hamburg. Do you have a last name?”
    Of course she did. Why would he phrase it like that? Why not just ask, what is your last name? “Stoltz. Do you have a last name?”
    “Sturm”
    Sturm . In English, the word meant storm.
    She turned back to the TV, wishing Micah would turn the volume back up. Now he was the one checking her out. She pretended not to notice how his