Excerpt: Work in Progress

He nodded. "I only come when you call. Haven't you realized that by now?"

"I don't know why I would call you at a time like this," she answered him with a huff, "I'm in the middle of something, if you can't tell."

His eyes flickered over to her computer screen. "What are you working on?"

"A long term project."

One eyebrow shot up in curiosity. "A big project?" He let out a low whistle. "You're not one for big projects."

"I know."

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he pushed away from her desk, his other hand plunging into his pocket. "You need my help."

She didn't answer.

He smiled knowingly, most of his expression obscured by the shadows of the dark. "Annie, Annie, Annie..." he said with a shake of his head, "Your pride is going to be the end of you one of these days." Already, he was snaking his arm around her shoulders, careful to avoid entangling himself in her long, dark red tresses. "You should stop braiding your hair, it makes you look like you're ten."

"Are you going to help or insult me?"

He chuckled, a low sound deep within his throat. "Maybe a bit of both," was his response.