Free Time Crossed: A Time Thief Novella (A Penguin Special from Signet) by MacAlister Katie Page B

Enemy, and I needed to stop thinking of him as a sexy, sexy man. “I don’t like to assume. People’s sexuality is their own business, and I’d hate to presume.”
    “I appreciate such thoughtfulness, but in my case, it’s unnecessary. I assure you that I am as heterosexual as they come. Risqué pun not intended.”
    We reached the far edge of the open park area, and I judged that we were about as distant from my mothers and Mrs. Vanilla as I could get without actually pushing him off the park grounds altogether. I dropped his arm and gave him a bright smile. “Nice to know that! Well, it’s been super fun, but I really have to get moving. I’ve got a plane to catch.”
    “A plane?” He looked moderately interested.
    “Yes. I’m returning home to Colorado.” I didn’t want to have to lie outright to him again—I’d already done so once, and many members of the Watch had very finely tuned mental lie detectors. In addition, my mothers had taught me that every lie was returned threefold, so I didn’t say any more than that I was returning home. That, at least, was true enough. “I’ll let you get back to your girlfriend. Or wife. Or significant whatever. Thanks for the walk!”
    “You’re welcome, but I feel obligated to point out that the fireworks display is still going on, and the only people I’m here with are my cousin and his wife. They are newly married, and probably are enjoying my absence more than they would my presence, so if you’d care to drag me back toward that wall with the stone animals, I’d be happy to oblige.”
    “Ha ha ha ha!” I did the hysterical laughter again, looking around quickly for the nearest means of escape. Damn him for noticing where I had bumped into him! What if he wanted to go back? I ignored the odd look he was giving me, and said quickly, “I
hate
that wall. It gives me the willies every time I’m near it. You couldn’t
pay
me to go back there.”
    “Do you know,” he said slowly in a near drawl, “I get the oddest feeling that you don’t wish for me to see the Animal Wall. Which is a very odd thing, and for which I have very few explanations. And yet, the sensation is there. It leads me inevitably to the question of why you have so carefully hustled me across the width of the park.”
    I stared at him in abject horror for the count of seven, then spurt out, “I have to run!” And I did. I turned on my heel and ran like the hounds of Anwyn were after me, weaving in and out of people, hurdling small children, and dashing past booths and tents to the parking areas beyond the edge of the park. I ran until I had a stitch in my side, whereupon I slowed down to a jog until I spotted my mothers’ car. I stopped next to it, gasping for air, searching the lit streets behind me for signs of pursuit. There were none, thank the gods, but that didn’t mean anything. Hurriedly, I dialed Mom Two’s phone number.
    “Where are you?” I gasped in between panting breaths.
    “At the entrance. I thought you’d be here by now. Mrs. Vanilla has something to show you.”
    “The Watch is there.” I unlocked the car and got in, starting it up as I continued. “He’s blond, about six one, and is wearing a sapphire blue silk shirt and black pants. Fancy shoes. Little cleft in his chin. Golden stubble. Earring. Hair slightly curly in the back, and crinkles around his eyes. If you see him, get the hell away, and call me. I’ll be there in about two minutes, traffic willing.”
    I pulled out into the traffic, my fingers tight around the steering wheel. How on earth could the man see through me so easily? What if he found the moms? How was I to get them off of a kidnapping charge? The people at the L’au-dela had been very specific when they arrested me, believing I was my mother—they’d said one more crime, one more incident of straying from the path of righteousness no matter how small, and they’d toss my mother into the Akasha, where she’d stay for all