Free Impulsive (Reach out to Me) by Christine McGreggor Page A

to hide her surprise. “I wouldn’t have pictured that at all.”
     
                  “I’m an accountant,” he said dryly. “Do you really think I’d pick the more expensive option?”
     
                  “Vegas can get pretty expensive,” Kara argued. “You’ve never done Vegas with me.”
     
                  “That’s true,” he acknowledged. “I bet it’s quite an experience.”
     
                  “Oh, it is,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
     
                  Before Thomas really knew what was happening, dinner was over, his homework was abandoned on the desk in the living room and he and Kara were in bed. It was hard to regret not being buried in numbers when her fingers were buried in his hair and her mouth was sweet on his, but he knew that in the morning he’d be worried again.
     
                  “So,” she said as they cuddled up afterward. “I think it’s time for me to get serious about moving out of Michelle’s place.”
     
                  “Have you talked to her?” Thomas asked.
     
                  “No. I’d rather talk to her when I’ve got a better idea of what I can afford and some leads on apartments.”
     
                  “I’m your man,” Thomas said eagerly.
     
                  “I know you are,” she teased.
     
                  He tickled her and then said, “Seriously. If you do a budget tomorrow on the forms that I’ll email you, I can help you get your finances straightened out well enough to move out on your own. You should also check out some apartment listings, close to work and further away, just in case the budget allows you to fix up your car. Be sure to map your expenditures very carefully on the sheets I send you, otherwise your whole budget can go up in smoke. I—“
     
                  “Thomas!” she cut in.
     
                  “Yes?” he asked in surprise.
     
                  “You’re killing my cuddly mood.”
     
                  “Well, I’m sorry, but this is important,” he said firmly.
     
                  “So is this.  I promise I’ll do it,” she said. “Now, can we get back to being all romantic?”
     
                  He put his arms around her more tightly as he said, “I suppose that would be fine.”
     
                 

Chapter Eleven              
     
                  The next evening at his place, Kara found herself so bored she was nearly falling asleep at the kitchen table as Thomas slowly looked over the papers she’d printed out with apartment listings.
     
                  “There’s an all western movie marathon on right now,” she pointed out. She knew Thomas loved Westerns; maybe she could appeal to his interests to get him to be a little more interesting.
     
                  “That’s nice,” Thomas said distractedly. “But this is serious. Come on; show me the apartments you’re considering. Did you get the estimates like I asked?”
     
                  “Yes sir,” she said sarcastically, stiffening up and offering him a salute. “I did my homework.”
     
                  “You’ve also got your monthly income and expenses mapped?” he asked, impressed.
     
                  “I had some spare time at work today,” Kara said with a shrug. “Don’t look so surprised that I’m amazing.”
     
                  “I’m not surprised that you’re amazing,” Thomas said. “I already knew that. It’s just that I know this isn’t really your favorite thing.”
     
                  She nodded emphatically. “You can say that again. I almost died of sheer boredom. Just like I’m almost dying of sheer boredom right now.”