Almost Always: A Love Unexpected Novel by Alissa Adams

getting overly paranoid about this?"
    "Annalise, I'm going to have Taishi looking out for you. Don't be concerned if you see him hovering around. If you do see him, don’t acknowledge him."
    "Really, Kason, this is ridiculous."
    "It is not ridiculous. Bad men harm innocent people all the time. Bad men take lives simply because they're connected with the real object of their evil. It's called collateral damage and it's part of the game of war." It sounded like he choked. "Sometimes the best way to hurt someone is to target someone they care about. That's the easiest way to get what you want."
    I had the eerie feeling we weren't just talking about my father and me. I hadn't thought about Elsa for nearly a whole day. Until I found out what had happened with her, she was going to be a shadow over us. But, yet again, this wasn't the time.
    "Well, right now, no one is going to see any connections between you and me or me and anyone else. I'm down for the count. I feel like shit."
    "I'm sorry. I didn't want to worry you. Get some rest and we'll talk later."
    "Tell Tom and the guys I'm sorry."
    "They'll understand."
     
    ***
     
    I could hardly lift my head from my pillow for four days. Kason kept up a steady supply of deliveries of provisions and other treats. It was far more than I could consume, but Jenn was very impressed.
    "It sure is a shame you haven't got any appetite. I haven't eaten this well in years," she told me.
    Kason called twice a day, at least. He kept me posted on Artie's slow-moving process of discovery and how the play was progressing.
    After Thursday night's rehearsal he told me that everyone was completely off book and the blocking was starting to move like a ballet. "Tom really is a master choreographer," he said. "There's not a static moment on stage."
    He also told me that Suze had come in that night to 'pinch hit' for me in my absence. That certainly didn't make me feel any better, but it gave me a damn good reason to recover. By Sunday afternoon I felt human again. I decided to take my flu-weakened legs for a walk in the late summer sun.
    I walked a short few blocks before I had to turn around, exhausted. There'd be no marathons for me any time soon. The streets were pretty empty. Taishi was reading his paper on a bench in front of the dry cleaners at the intersection near the duplex. I smiled when I saw him and he completely ignored me. A woman jogged past me toward the park and a couple of cars went by.
    As soon as I got into the duplex, Kason called. "Taishi thinks it's possible you've been marked."
    "Marked?"
    "He's not sure. But he wanted me to tell you to stay alert."
    A very creepy feeling came over me.
    "Don't worry. Taishi's the best. He won't let anyone get near you. But right now, we have to watch and wait."
    "I was hoping we could have dinner tonight. I feel much better and I could really use your company."
    "Out of the question."
    "I had hoped you would be missing me like I'm missing you . . . "
    "If you only knew."
    "Why don't you tell me?"
    "I'll make a deal with you," he said in the throaty way he had when he was about to say something sexy. The purr was music to my ears after all the serious talk. "I'm going to call you at eight. Have dinner, relax in the tub, have a glass of wine or two. When I call, I want you snuggled in bed, waiting for me."
    Eight o'clock seemed to take years to arrive. I followed his instructions and had a nice big glass of wine that I had nearly finished by the time he called.
    "I'm going to tell you some of the things I'm going to do with your heavenly body. While I do, I'm going to imagine you touching yourself and I'm going to do the same."
    "Phone sex?" I giggled.
    "Prepare to be pleasantly surprised just how hot a phone can be . . . ”
    He began talking to me, describing all the naughty things he wanted to do to me.  I was timid to respond at first, but soon we were playing with our words. It was unexpected to connect in this way.  Even miles apart, we came