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The question didn’t surprise him. With only brief interruptions from their jailers for their one measly meal, they’d talked continuously. Cold canned beans and stale bread could take you only so far. Talking had staved off the hunger pangs as well as the loneliness.
During that time, they’d shared more than a few personal stories. Nothing that could be used against them, but he and Cat were beginning to know each other very well. The more he learned, the more he wanted to know. She was fascinating and sweet, wise but still so very innocent. And he’d been wondering about her, too. Was she as pretty as she sounded?
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“I don’t mind. Let’s see. I’m six-foot-three, weigh around two-ten or so. I’ve got brown hair. Brown eyes.”
“Dark brown or light brown hair?”
“Umm. Dark.”
“Short or long?”
“Longish…for a guy.”
“And your eyes? Light brown, dark?”
“Kind of medium dark.”
“Pointed, round, or square jaw?”
“Not pointed or round, so I guess kind of square.”
Each question became more and more specific. He’d never had to describe himself. If anyone asked, he’d probably just say he was average looking. Though a few former girlfriends had told him that he was handsome, it wasn’t something he gave a lot of thought to. He was who he was.
For Cat, though, he did his best to give her an image she could carry in her head. If picturing him helped her deal with what was happening, then he’d give her whatever detail she needed.
Once he finished answering her last question, she was silent for several long seconds. He could imagine her sitting in her own corner, her eyes closed as she created an image in her mind.
When she spoke at last, there was a smile in her voice. “You sound very handsome.”
“I do?”
“Yes.”
“Okay…well, good.” Liam didn’t know why, but he could feel himself blushing. “Now it’s your turn. Describe yourself.”
“Okay. Let’s see… Blond hair—with some gold and light brown tones. Not exactly curly…kind of wavy. It just touches my shoulders. I have slightly high cheekbones, my chin’s a little pointed. I’m about five-five, and if you think I’m going to tell you my weight, think again.”
“Not a problem. My sisters are—” Liam snapped his mouth shut. What the hell was he doing?
As if he hadn’t just revealed a secret, she continued, “I have gray eyes, but they sometimes turn a light blue, depending on what I’m wearing. My skin is kind of pale…I burn easily in the sun.”
As she continued to describe herself, Liam closed his eyes. She was very good at description, and in that moment there was nothing he wanted more than to see her. She sounded as pretty as he’d thought she would be.
“Lion?”
“Yeah?”
“They’ll try to use us against each other, won’t they?”
She was wise beyond her years. These bastards weren’t leaving them alone out of the kindness of their hearts, or because they’d forgotten about them. They were allowing them to create a connection. When their captors felt it was strong enough, they would strike.
“Yeah, they will.”
“I don’t have any secrets to tell them.”
No, but he did.