Forged in Stone by Alyssa Rose Ivy Read Free Book Online Page B

shirt this time. That was a start. Too bad the collared shirt was fitted and accentuated his muscular chest. Focus, I reminded myself. Focus on the real issue.
    “How long do you expect to be here?”
    “A few days… maybe a week.”
    “Oh, that’s not bad.”
    “Not bad?” He shifted his weight. “You make it sound like you don’t want me here.”
    “I made my feelings clear last night.”
    “Did you?”
    “Yes, when I kicked you out.”
    “You told me not to come back until I had permission to be here. I have permission.”
    “Are you doing this to annoy me?”
    “Do you really believe I would rearrange my life for a girl I just met?”
    “No.” Now I felt stupid. “Sorry. I have to get changed.” I hurried upstairs before I could embarrass myself more.

8
    James
    H er reaction was priceless . It was perfect. She tried to act annoyed I was there, but I noticed the way her cheeks flushed and the way she tilted her head a tiny bit to the side. I understood body language well, although I did not usually study it for purposes of getting to know a girl. Usually it was for battle.
    I had not expected Ainsley to have company, but it did not matter much. The girl made herself scarce quickly. I would have more than enough alone time with Ainsley to get to know her. I really liked that name. I had never met a girl named that before, which made it all the better. I had such a common name, especially in Energo.
    I waited impatiently for her to emerge from her room. I had heard her say something about work to her friend. What kind of job did she work at night? And why was she seeing a guy she clearly was not into when she was done? I planned to find out answers to both questions right away.
    “You’re still here?” She appeared at the bottom of the stairs wearing jeans and a white t-shirt layered over a long sleeved shirt.
    “I will be staying here for a while. Did you forget?”
    “How could I forget?”
    “There are yogurt stores now?” I pointed at her Yogurt Love shirt.
    “It’s frozen yogurt…”
    I vaguely remembered hearing the term before. “Is that the healthy version of ice cream?”
    “Yeah…”
    “Oh, got it.” Things had changed in the years since I had lived here. What happened to plain ice cream stores? “What do you do at this frozen yogurt place?”
    “I serve it to people and take their money. What else would I do?”
    “I have no idea.” I was riling her up, and I did not mind. “You seem rather educated for that sort of job.”
    “Yeah, well a degree in art history doesn’t qualify you for much.”
    “Art history?” Finally some new information about her.
    “Yes.”
    “We have a lot of great art where I live.”
    “And where is that?”
    “Oh, a city a little ways from here.” I was not ready to share too many details yet. I could not risk her running away or believing I was crazy.
    “What’s it called?”
    “You haven’t heard of it.” No one in Charleston had heard of Bellgard.
    “Where did you go to school?”
    “Nowhere beyond high school.” I had never finished high school in the traditional sense, but my education had been superior as a child so I learned it all earlier.
    “Oh, that’s cool. College is overrated.”
    “Where were you before this? You were wearing different clothes?”
    “What is this, twenty questions?” She put a hand on her hip.
    “I am curious what the girl I am going to be living with does with her time.”
    “You will not be living with me. You’ll be living in the same giant house, on a separate floor.”
    “The same house. I will be living under the same roof.”
    “Either way, I have to go. Enjoy fixing things or whatever it is you’re really here for.”
    “Actually, I have a hankering for frozen yogurt. Would you mind if I came along?”
    She laughed dryly. “Yes, I would mind.”
    “Why?”
    “Because I’m going there to work, not hang out.”
    “I will be a paying customer.”
    She shook her head. “I have to