Hearts in Darkness Read Free

blame him. She'd be freaking out if she were claustrophobic and thought he had to be strong to sit there so calmly. She wondered if that was why he'd been so quiet earlier and decided to help him through their hopefully temporary confinement.
    "Okay. You go first."
    "Okay.” He was quiet for a moment, then said, “What's a forensic accountant?"
    "An accountant who analyzes accounting and business practices as part of an investigation, like for litigation."
    "Oh, well, that actually does sound interesting. Like detective work."
    She appreciated his effort, but was so used to people developing narcolepsy at the mere mention of being an accountant that she wasn't sure if he was being serious. “Are you making fun of me?"
    "Not at all,” he replied. The speed of his words confirmed his sincerity.
    "Okay, then. My turn?"
    "Fire away."
    Makenna smiled. “Did I see a tattoo on your hand?"
    He didn't answer right away. “Yeah. It's the head of a dragon."
    Makenna didn't have any tattoos—she was too afraid it would hurt to get one—but she'd always been a little fascinated by them. “Is it just the head?"
    "Hey, it's my turn now."
    "That wasn't a new question,” she argued, “that was simply a clarification of my previous question."
    "I thought you were an accountant, not a lawyer.” He chuckled. “Fine. The whole dragon's on my arm and its head's on the back of my hand. Now, is it my turn, counselor?"
    Makenna couldn't help but smile at his sarcasm. Growing up with three brothers had taught her the fine art of banter. “You may proceed."
    He laughed and she liked the ring of it. “How very magnanimous of you."
    "Ooh, pulling out the sat words now, are we?"
    "What? A guy with a tattoo can't use a four-syllable word?"
    Makenna sucked in a breath, then sighed. “I wish I could see your face so I could tell if you're being serious or not.” Then, just in case her indirect reference to the darkness bothered him, she hurried to add, “That's so not what I was saying. Just yanking your chain. It's your turn, already."
    His low chuckle made her smile in relief. “Yeah, yeah. Okay. What made a girl like you become an accountant?"
    A girl like me?
    "A girl like me?” Makenna frowned and awaited his explanation. She couldn't begin to fathom what he meant. Growing up in a houseful of boys turned her into a tomboy from as early as she could remember. Although her college roommates introduced her to girly things like dresses and skirts and lingerie and makeup, she still thought of herself as just one of the guys. Nothing remarkable. Certainly not the kind of girl her brothers drooled over.
    "Just...” Caden sighed and murmured something she couldn't understand. “You're pretty."
    Makenna went from flattered to perturbed and back again. In the end, she couldn't decide which emotion to settle on.
    "Um, shit, that didn't come out right either. I mean, you are pretty, but of course pretty girls can be smart. I mean—shit, I'm just gonna stop talking now."
    Makenna finally settled on amused and burst out laughing. “Yes, now would be a good time to put down that shovel.” Getting more serious, she said, “Well, and this will no doubt up my geek factor to you, but I was always very good at math, and numbers just came easy to me. I didn't really want to go into the theoretical side of it and teach. And then my oldest brother became a cop. He told me about forensic accounting."
    Caden didn't respond, and Makenna was almost certain she'd put him to sleep. Then he said, quietly, “I really like the sound of your voice."
    Makenna's flush ran down into the neck of her silk blouse. Saying she was pretty hadn't gotten to her, but his saying he liked her voice set butterflies loose in her stomach.
    "Me, too. I mean, your voice. I like it, too. Your voice, that is.” Makenna bit her lip to cut off the spectacular stream of nonsense coming out of her mouth, then pretended to thunk herself in the forehead. In that moment, she was glad