ICE PRINCESS, page 8
Claudia parted the bedroom curtains with her index finger and discovered she would have gotten a clear shot of the Sinclair bedroom across the street had those drapes been open. Every window was sealed against the day, keeping the world and prying eyes out.
Allison Sinclair was still at her post, meticulously scrubbing her car. In fact, she used a toothbrush to clean around the edges of the windshield. Claudia was all for being neat and clean, but toothbrushing the windshield?
"Won’t people think it odd that a captain and a colonel are living across the street from each other?"
"Not on this base. This is the only officer housing we have." He peeked over her shoulder to the scene across the street, then stepped back. "Well, Mrs. Taylor, for the record…do you love the house and can’t wait to move in?"
"I’m breathless with anticipation." She let the curtain fall back into place. "If we’re going to play this out for a while, there will be some things I’ll need from my apartment."
"Fine. We’ll go up this weekend."
"That won’t be necessary. I’ll see if Phillip will go with me. Everything I need should fit in his van."
"I’m devastated you don’t want my presence."
"I’m sure." Cold, calculated barbs. This was what she was used to with Zach. It was easier to deal with, not the Zach who awakened parts of her better left alone. But Claudia was suddenly weary of this insane game they played. It took too much energy to maintain.
"Once we’re back at your place, I’ll pack up the kitchen and return here while you deal with the movers. It might give me and Allison a chance to bond."
A smile dimpled his cheeks. "From the look of her, I’d say the two of you have a lot in common, Princess."
Another crack, another attempt to bait her into argument. Claudia refused to play. "And I’ve decided you are probably right. We’ll take my car in for repairs this week. It would be more convenient for me in the long run."
"And it is all about you, isn’t it?"
"Stop it," she hissed through clenched teeth. As if of their own will, her hands curled into fists. She forced them and herself to relax. "Look, we made a decision to work together so let’s try to do so amicably, shall we?"
"Whatever you say."
Claudia waited for "Princess" to punctuate the end of his sentence. It hovered in the air waiting to land. Why should he, they, behave any differently simply because they had embarked on a single course? A moment before she was telling herself this was a characteristic she could handle. Yet each snide comment chiseled one more chunk off the wall around her emotions.
Now, trapped at his side, she found she couldn’t deal with the constant feuding any more than she could deal with the man himself. Everything about him made her feel. Anger, lust—one extreme to the other. The best course of action—the only course of action—was to get this business done as soon as possible so they could part company and return to their respective corners.
A car door slammed. They broke eye contact and walked to the window. In the Sinclair driveway, four women got out of a silver Toyota now parked behind Allison’s car. They greeted her with waves and hellos while she peeled the rubber gloves from her tapered fingers. There was a brief conversation. A bit of cajoling. Then the women piled back into their car and drove away. Allison watched until they were out of sight, then returned to her task.
"I suppose those are some of the infamous officers’ wives?" she asked of Zach.
"I’d say that’s a yes."
"Any idea how I’ll be able to infiltrate their club?"
Zach chuckled. "Don’t worry. From what I’ve heard, they’ll be coming to you."
Allison ducked behind the front of her vehicle when they walked out of the house. At least that was the impression Claudia got, although she could just be cleaning microscopic road scum from her headlights with that toothbrush of hers.
"I’ll drop you back at my place, then I have to square things with my landlord," Zach said.
She shook her thoughts away from Allison. "When will the movers get there?"
He glanced at his watch. "Soon. Make sure they don’t leave the doors wide open. I don’t want Miss Kitty to run out into the desert and become a coyote snack."
That was the extent of their conversation during the fifteen-minute drive back to Zach’s house. It was just as well. Claudia was too absorbed with trying to think of a way to cozy up to a woman who obviously had no interest in socializing with others.
Strangers she could understand, but her own friends? The woman hadn’t even cracked a smile when they appeared. And Claudia was supposed to find a way to prove the woman killed Teddy Sunline? She shook her head. How could anyone pierce an exterior as icy as…
Claudia stopped herself short. The comparison hit her in the gut. She glanced at Zach from the corner of her eye to see if he had somehow read her thoughts. His gaze was focused on the road.
She wasn’t like Allison Sinclair, was she? Pristine, cold, remote. No, she decided. Allison was that way with everyone. Claudia was only so with men, and for good reason. There was a difference.
"Here’s the key. I won’t be long."
Claudia blinked. When had they pulled into Zach’s driveway? Still confused, she slipped the key from his fingers. By the time she reached the door, he had pulled away. Miss Kitty greeted her with a lazy mew.
"That’s more of a response than I’ll ever get from Allison Sinclair." Claudia gave the cat a scratch behind the ears and heard its healthy purr.
"Come on, pretty girl. We’ve got some packing to do."
The cat followed her into the kitchen. Claudia smiled.
Opportunist.
Food-wise there wasn’t much to pack. It looked like Zach’s primary source of nutrition was cereal. She spent most of her time making a list of what they needed. As for cookware and dinnerware, they needed enough to get by until the rest was unloaded. Everything fit into ten grocery sacks in the trunk of Claudia’s car.
The rumble of a truck announced the movers’ arrival. Zach was only a step behind them. The door cracked open. Claudia watched Miss Kitty’s ears perk up. She caught her before she could dart for the exit.
"Oh no you don’t, you little sneak. You’re coming with me."
She cradled the cat in her arms and toted her on to the car.
Zach dashed for the front door and slammed it shut in the supervisor’s face. "I told you to be careful. I don’t want my cat to get out."
The man flipped off his baseball cap and scratched at the sparse patch of hair. "Take it easy, chief. Your wife’s got the cat." He pointed to the driveway.
Zach looked around in time to see Claudia drive away, Miss Kitty draped around the back of her neck. The cat got a warmer reception from Claudia than he ever had, but then why didn’t that surprise him?
He was still annoyed over her decree from the night before. They were back in their corners, sniping at each other with a regularity that was beginning to grate on his nerves. At this rate he’d go insane before their undercover work was finished.
"Mind if we get started on packing you up now?"
Zach gave an absentminded nod, and they attacked the house like a swarm of locusts. Still, it would be hours before his possessions made their way to the new house on base.
Claudia greeted their arrival with Miss Kitty cradled in her arms. The cat seemed to be in no hurry to leave. Zach couldn’t blame her.
More time ticked away while the movers unloaded and set up the furniture. Neighbors peeked from their windows. A few came up to introduce themselves. There was nothing from the Sinclair residence. That is, until the colonel himself drove up.
Martin Sinclair made six feet look like seven. He tossed a hearty hello and a wave to Zach and Claudia as his long strides took him into his house.
Zach chanced a look Claudia’s way. Her eyebrow lifted as if to say, "Curious." He nodded.
"All done." The mover shoved a clipboard under Zach’s nose. "Sign here for verification of move and unpacking of shipment."
And then they were alone. Zach shut the door, and wished he could do the same on the awkwardness that immediately sprung up between them.
"Neither of us has eaten all day. I’m starved. How about you?"
"I have dinner planned. It shouldn’t take more than thirty minutes." The cat leaped from her arms, padded toward the kitchen, then looked over her shoulder to see if Claudia was following.
"We can go out if you like."
"As I said…I have something planned. If you want to help, you can put up fresh linen and towels…if you have them."
"If not, I’ll take something outside and squirt the hose over it."
His comment was meant to be sarcastic, but Zach would swear he saw the hint of laughter tugging at Claudia’s full lips. She suppressed it just as quickly, and followed Miss Kitty into the kitchen.
Zach did an about-face and trudged upstairs to put the bedroom and bathroom in shape. They were still short a bed, but he presumed Claudia would remedy that situation with her weekend trip to San Francisco. He couldn’t wait for her to leave and have a little peace and quiet to himself.
As he worked, the scent of dinner wafted to him, rumbling his stomach. At least it smelled like she could cook. That was a plus, since god-only-knew how long they’d be cooped up together.
He opened the window to let the evening breeze drift in. Sounds of the neighborhood reached him. Children shouted at the playground nearby. Dogs barked. A television blared. Two kids argued over a basketball.
"Dinner," Claudia called up.
Zach shoved away from his perch and loped downstairs, mouth watering with each step. Whatever she had fixed, it smelled delicious. He rounded the corner to the dining area and saw spaghetti and salad waiting for him. Without further prompting he piled his plate high, then froze.
"What is this?"
Claudia slid her chair from the table, and slipped gracefully onto her throne. "Jicama salad with vinaigrette dressing."
"No…in the spaghetti."
"Tofu meatballs."
Zach’s stomach turned. "Tofu?"
"It’s high in protein and very good for you. It takes on the taste of the food you’re eating. Try it."
"No meat?"
"I don’t eat red meat."
"But I do," he said.
"But I cooked. The least you could do is try it." Her response was typical Ice Princess.
Resigned to his fate, Zach pierced a minuscule portion with his fork and lifted it hesitantly to his mouth. With eyes closed, he shoved it in.
"Chew," she ordered.
He dared a look. She sat across from him, arms tucked under her bosom. A alight smile lifted one corner of her shapely mouth. He conceded defeat and bit down. Surprise widened his eyes.
"This is good."
"I told you so."
He half-expected her to stick out her tongue. Instead, she devoted attention to her salad. Zach twirled up a mouthful of pasta.
"What’s your opinion of Martin Sinclair?"
Claudia shrugged a shoulder. "I was initially struck with how handsome a man he is. His personality leaps out at you. He has a ready smile. All of which make me wonder why a woman would want someone else."
"Are you saying a man like that does it for you?"
She slammed her fork to the table. "I said nothing of the kind! Stop putting words in my mouth."
He held up his hand. "Sorry. I was out of line."
"Way out of line, Zachary."
She made him feel ten years old and ready to slink off to his bedroom. Avoiding her piercing blue eyes, he devoted his attention to his meal. Two servings later, and after polishing off the salad, he dared to look her way again.
"He may look movie star perfect, but we don’t know what goes on in their marriage. Maybe he is the devoted husband, but she’s the one with the problem. Some people play around no matter how great they have it with their spouse. It’s just in their nature."
"If that’s the case, I feel sorry for her and her husband." She carried her dishes to the sink, then attacked a spot on the faucet with the washcloth.
Zach watched her scrub, look, then scrub again. The words were out before he could stop them. "Well, it isn’t a toothbrush, but I suppose it’s just as effective."
Claudia froze. In wide-eyed shock she stared at the cloth in her hand, then tossed it aside and walked from the room. The slamming of the bedroom door punctuated her exit.
Claudia leaned against the door of the empty bedroom and hugged her knees to her chest. She was like Allison Sinclair, or pretty close to it. It wasn’t a pleasant thing to admit. But how could she change and protect her heart at the same time?
Chapter 7
* * *
Food. Claudia’s stomach rumbled expectantly. Inhaling the scent of breakfast cooking, she stretched herself awake, longing to pull the covers over her head and sleep another couple of hours.
She had spent the night evaluating her life and decisions made along its course. All that had gotten her was a night without sleep. At some point she allowed Zach to convince her to sleep in his bed while he took the couch. Rest still eluded her as did the answers she sought.
"This is no good. I’ve got to go run."
With a groan, Claudia crawled out of bed and tugged on her running gear—a normal routine that now seemed a chore. She dragged herself into the bathroom, but even running a brush over her teeth and splashing cold water on her face did little to perk her up.
At the top of the stairs, she stared down the flight. Normally, she would trot down them—a good warm up. This morning she lacked the energy to do even that.
Claudia sucked in a breath and forced herself to put one foot in front of the other. With each step the breakfast smells grew stronger. Her stomach rumbled once more.
"I’m going for a run," she called out.
"You’d better drink some water before you go," Zach shouted from the kitchen. "The desert will dehydrate you in minutes."
He was right, of course. Claudia was embarrassed she hadn’t thought of that herself.
It was the sense of Claudia behind him rather than the sound of her approach that made Zach turn from the stove. He stopped in mid-action, frying pan poised in his hand. There was only one way to describe her this morning—she looked cute.
The light blue tank top and running shorts were nothing out of the ordinary. Nor were the shoes she wore. It was her hair—all pulled back and up in a ponytail. She looked…casual…relaxed. His reaction was immediate and hard, and he found himself wishing he wore something more substantial than a T-shirt and sweat shorts.
"What have you got there?"
It took Zach a moment to realize she was referring to the contents of the pan. To hide his very obvious predicament, he swiveled his hips back to the counter.
"Omelet, hash browns, bacon. Want some?" He felt her nearness as she ran a glass of tap water, then leaned over his shoulder.
"No…What’s in it?"
"Onion, mushrooms, a touch of salsa, and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese."
"No green peppers?"
He screwed up his face. "I hate green peppers."
Claudia nodded. "Me too."
Zach slid the finished omelet onto a plate, cut off a bite, and pierced it with his fork. "Sure you don’t want a bite?"
With a smile, he waved the tempting morsel in front of her face. She followed the tidbit much as Miss Kitty would an interesting toy.
"Well…maybe just a taste." She slipped her hand over his and guided the fork to her mouth.
It was almost more than Zach could take. Her touch, her nearness, the way those full lips of hers closed over the fork all conspired against him. He wanted her…now!
She tilted her head to one side and nodded. "Not bad. Delicious, in fact."
"Have another bite."
Claudia twirled the fork between her fingers and studied her target. It was perfect, just the right combination of ingredients to make it mouth-watering. Why not? Just one more taste.
Zach watched her slice off one piece after another, each one chewed with thoughtful precision, as if she truly had never eaten anything more delicious. "Would you like me to make you one?"
She shook her head and sampled another piece. "I really can’t. I have to go run."
"Well, you won’t mind if I make myself one, then."
She drew back in surprise, staring at the nearly empty plate. A pink flush drifted over her cheeks. The barrier started to rise up between them. Zach was determined to see that it did not. This Claudia he really liked, and he wanted her to stick around. Even if that meant he had to walk around hard as a rock, ready to peel off those silky jogging shorts of hers and take her there on the kitchen floor.
"There’s no harm in a good breakfast," he said, adding a smile. "Finish the rest of the omelet and I’ll make another for myself. We can work it off at the gym later."
"But my…" She grabbed the plate, shrugged a shoulder, and dove in again. "I’ll run tonight."
With a broad smile, he braced his backside against the counter and leaned closer to her. "I’ll run with you."
Mischief danced in her eyes, setting his libido on overdrive. "You couldn’t keep up with me."
Zach laughed. "We’ll see about that, Princess."
Princess. He had used that name for her again. Yet this time, it didn’t contain his usual sarcasm. In fact, the term held an endearing quality to it that tugged at her heart.
Claudia watched him whip up another omelet while she finished off the remains of the first. The man knew his way around a kitchen. That alone garnered him some level of respect. The fact that he didn’t render any blistering comments over her healthy appetite earned him even more.
"My hands are full," he said. "How about shoving some of those hash browns in my mouth."
It seemed a little personal. Claudia hesitated and would have refused until she caught sight of a water spot dulling the faucet’s chrome surface. The image of Allison and the toothbrush haunted her.
With a fresh fork, she lifted a serving to Zach’s mouth, nearly missing her target. He caught all but a smidgen which landed on his chin.
