Games (Timeless Series) (19 page)

“I trust
you had a pleasant day,” she said, sitting down next to him.

Simon eyed her with speculation
, then met her smile with a grin of his own. “Yes. It’s been nice so far, thanks to an exhilarating ride I had earlier. And it looks to be an even better evening.”

“That
is nice,” she murmured, not rising to his attempt to rattle her. “You know, Simon, I was just wondering. It seems we really know so little about you. Where do you live when you are not catching criminals?”

He set his fork down and cleared his throat.
“Why would you want to know?”

“
I would like to know more about you.”

“Why?”
He viewed her guardedly, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Because you interest me,” she stated
. “Why can you not tell me where you’re from? Do you have something to hide? Like a wife and family somewhere?”

He laughed
. “No, that I can tell you, I don’t have.”

When he didn’t elaborate, Giselle
prodded. “So, is where you are from a secret, too? I just love a man of mystery.”

~~

Her teasing caused Simon to look closely at her. Her grin was engaging—not flirtatious—as if he genuinely amused her. This Giselle was somewhat different from the one he was used to, and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of the change. Her manner seemed so uncontrived and carefree tonight. He’d barely gotten used to the siren who kissed him so passionately and stormed into the house earlier, and here she showed but another side. “You’re not going to let up until I tell you, are you?”

“
Non.
I can be tenacious when I want to know something. So you might as well tell me.” She looked over at Minnie and Maizie. “You would like to know where he comes from,
n’est-ce pas
?”

“Yes, we are always interested in where our guests come from,” Maizie answered
. “But dear, if he doesn’t want to tell us, we shouldn’t pry.”

Simon
nodded. “See. She’s the perfect hostess. Never pushy. And she doesn’t ask personal questions. You could learn a lot from her.”

Giselle offered an unladylike grunt.
“I do not care to be the perfect hostess, and if I am pushy and ask personal questions, it is because I want to know the answer. ‘Methinks thou doth protest too much,’ Simon. Do not tell me you have no home.”

He couldn’t hold on
to his chuckle. “I have a small estate just over the river from Washington, DC, in Alexandria, Virginia. My parents live farther south in Richmond. I have two sisters and one brother all living in the Richmond area. Anything else you’d like to know?”

“You have family?” Giselle asked enthusiastically
. “I did not know.”

“It’s not something I bandy about
. But yes, like everyone I have a mother and a father.”

“I hear Washington is a nice city
.” Her smile turned wistful.

He hesitated.
“It’s home and I like it.”

“It is
hard to imagine you having a home, like normal people.”

“Giselle, I am normal
. I’m just an average man.”

In a teasing manner, Giselle cocked her
eyebrows an inch and her gaze took a slow journey up and down his body. “
Non,
Simon, I see nothing average about you.”

Amused,
Simon smiled, but continued eating without responding.

“
How is your case going,” Giselle asked awhile later.

A
nother smile tugged at his mouth. “It’s stalled at the moment. I have lots of questions and no definite answers to them. Plus I have several directions in which to go.”

“That i
s too bad.”

“
That’s how it is a lot of the time,” he said with a shrug. “I usually have to pursue many leads before I have a clear-cut trail to follow. It takes skill and a little luck, but I’ll figure it out at some point.”

“
What are you investigating? Or is that another secret?”

Simon broke down and laughed
. “My, we’re nosy tonight.”

Giselle shook her head
. “Not nosy, interested. Are you going to tell me or not?”

“It’s no big secret
. Just some incidents with the new racetrack and a few thoroughbreds’ deaths.”

“Was that why Colin went to Louisville?” Giselle
took a bite, chewed, and swallowed. “Libby said they were having some problems with the track.”

“Yes, it’s all part of the same
.” Simon picked up his water glass. While sipping, he kept his focus on her.

“Sounds intriguing and exciting.”
She met his gaze without blinking. After countless seconds flew by, a hint of pink stole up her cheeks and she cleared her throat, tearing her gaze away to study her water glass intently. She took a deep breath and sighed it out slowly. “How I would love to be part of it all,” she said wistfully.

“What I do is dangerous and
not a game,” he said in a serious tone. “You could get yourself killed in a heartbeat, honey.”

“Men who think they are the only ones who can do anything are usually idiots
.” Her voice portrayed irritation. “Women make great spies.”

“I happen to be a US
marshal, not a spy,” Simon stated firmly.

“You
are close to one,” Giselle challenged.

“How do you figure?”

“How many people know that you are investigating this case?”

“A few.”

“Ha!” She gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “I would venture to say very few. You are here undercover and that makes you a spy. And for your information, women do make good spies. There were several in the Revolutionary War and in the War between the States.”

“You’ve made your point,” Simon conceded
before taking a few bites of food and chewing thoughtfully. “Still doesn’t change the fact that it is a dangerous business,” he added with conviction once he swallowed. “One that women should stay out of.”

“Your pompous
attitude is something I should have expected,” Giselle snapped, spearing her food as if she needed to kill it first.

“Simon make
s sense, dear,” Minnie interjected. “I would just as soon leave the spying to the men. It does sound dangerous.”

“You
are right, of course,” Giselle said, composing herself and smiling good-naturedly at Minnie. Then turning to Simon, she whispered, “Do you want to know why those women made good spies, Simon?”

Looking into her expressive eyes
, he noticed her mischievous glint was back. “I’m sure you’re dying to enlighten me,” he whispered back.

She nodded solemnly
. “Love. All the women were good at making men fall head over heels in love with them. After the men lost their hearts, the women stole their secrets.” Her grin was infectious when she added conspiratorially, “I would make a great spy. I bet I could learn your secrets, Simon.”

He laughed
. “You can certainly try. But first you’d have to steal my heart, and I’ve been told I don’t have one.”

Her
smile vanished and she turned her attention to her food.

“Tell us a little about your work
, Simon,” Minnie said, interrupting the silence before it became awkward. “Giselle’s right. It does sound intriguing and interesting. Surely you can tell us about your previous cases.”

For the next
little while, Simon regaled the ladies with stories about some of his past escapades. When he finished telling one story, both Minnie and Maizie erupted into gales of laughter. Glancing at Giselle, he detected her distraction. She seemed absorbed in thought, not really listening to what was being said at the table.

“You’re awfully quiet, Giselle,” he said.
When she didn’t answer, he prodded gently, “Giselle?”

S
he peered up at him, her soulful brown gaze drawing his focus. “I am sorry. I was not paying attention.”

“I said
, you’re suddenly too quiet. Did I offend you in some way?”

“
Non
, Simon.” She sighed while shaking her head. “I was just thinking.”

Simon grasped her hand and gave a gentle squeeze. He turned her palm up, kissed her wrist
. “I hope you don’t have those thoughts often. You seem very sad all of a sudden and I like you better when you’re baiting me.”

His
admission caused her eyes to tear up. She stood abruptly, pulling her hand away. “Please forgive me. I need to be excused.”

Then she rushed from the room.

Minnie glanced at Maizie, who tsked-tsked. “Oh my,” she said. “What do you suppose is wrong with the dear?”

“I haven’t a clue, sister,” Maizie said
, her expression bemused. “She seemed so happy a few minutes ago. Should I go talk to her?”

“I think she may want to be alone,” Minnie answered
. She looked to Simon. “I can’t imagine what’s gotten into her. She’s not usually like this.”

She then turned to her sister, asking Maizie a question
.

The two conversed for the rest of the meal while Simon
listened with half an ear, wondering at Giselle’s hasty departure. Her mood seemed to change lightning quick, and it seemed as if somehow he’d had a hand in it. But as much as he tried, he couldn’t determine what he’d done or said. The woman was an enigma and he was truly puzzled.

His
attention was brought back to the table when Minnie asked, “Simon. What do you think?”

“About what?”
He looked up, his expression questioning.

“After dinner?”
Minnie smiled warmly and added, “Maybe you could cheer her up by playing another card game with her tonight?”

Simon almost choked on the wine he’d been swallowing
. When he could speak, he said in his most serious demeanor, “I’ll try to cheer her up, but I think I’m the reason she left.”

“Oh my
, no. We can tell she likes you. You’re different from all the others.”

He
groaned at the matchmaking tone he caught in her voice. “You two wouldn’t be trying to throw us together in the hopes of a match, would you?” He glared accusingly, eyeing them through a narrowed gaze.

The blush creeping up both women’s faces as well as their guilty looks told him he’d hit
his target.

“We think you are perfect for her,” Minnie explained tolerantly as if he didn’t see it
. “And we’ve noticed you aren’t immune to her, either.”

Standing, Simon
muttered under his breath, “God save me from matchmaking women.” He flashed his most engaging smile and said a little louder, “You ladies will have to excuse me. I believe you’re right. Giselle does need cheering up. I’m going to try and talk with her.”

He then strode from the room.

~~

“Mark my words, he’s taken with her,” Minnie said, turning to Maizie
. “He simply doesn’t want to admit it. We only need to give the two of them enough rope and they’ll eventually hang themselves. What do you think, sister?”

“
I agree. I also think it’s time we went to bed.”

The first place Simon checked, he found Giselle in the same position
as yesterday, sitting on the same sofa, reading the same book. She didn’t look up when he entered the room.

A
fter closing the door, he strode up to the bar. He turned over two glasses and filled both liberally with bourbon. With drinks in hand, he went over to the sofa, sat down, held out her drink, and waited.

When she relented, eventually taking it, he lounged back against the sofa and brought his glass to his mouth for a long swallow, remaining silent.

“Want to talk about it?” he finally asked.

“There
is nothing to talk about,” she replied in a melancholy voice.

“Oh?
Then why are you so quiet?”

“
Perhaps there is something on my mind, but I surely do not want to tell you what it is.”

“Why? Maybe I can help.”

The sound of forced laughter floated to his ears. “I sincerely doubt that.”

“Try me
. I promise I won’t laugh or make light of it.”

She laughed harder
. “It is nothing really.” She shook her head. A self-deprecating expression slid over her face once her laughter died. “Just a mood.”

“I see,” Simon said, nodding
. “Well then, take a drink.” When she looked at him with raised eyebrows clearly intimating he was a little touched, he nodded again. “Go ahead. It always helps me.”

S
he took one drink and then another. “Fine.” She set the glass on the table next to her and glanced at him expectantly. “Now what?”