"Charlaine Harris - Dancers in the Dark" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harris Charlaine)

"Why are the initials different?" he asked. Even his voice sounded dusty, as though it hadn't been
used in years. To her dismay, Rue discovered that she found the slight Irish accent charming.


"What do you mean? Oh, on the shoe bag?" She sounded like an idiot, she thought, and bit her
lip. She'd had the shoe bag for so many years, she simply didn't notice anymore that it was
monogrammed.


"What is your real name?"


She risked a glance upward. The brilliant blue eyes were just blue eyes; they were fixed on her at
the moment, but he wasn't trying to rope her in, or whatever it was they did. "It's a secret," she
said, like a child. She smacked herself on the forehead.


"What is-your true name?" He still sounded calm, but it was clear he was going to insist.
Actually, Rue didn't blame him. She met his eyes. She was his partner. He should know.


"I go by Rue L. May. My name is Layla LaRue LeMay. My parents liked the song? You know
it?" she asked doubtfully.


"Which version? The original one by Cream, or the slower Eric Clapton solo?"


She smiled, though it was an uncertain smile. "Original," she said. "In their wilder years, they
thought it was cool to name their daughter after a song." It was hard to believe, now, that her
parents had ever had years of not being afraid what people would think, that once they'd been
whimsical. She looked down. "Please don't tell anyone my name."


"I won't." She believed him. "Where do your parents live now?" he asked.
"They're dead," she said, and he knew she was lying.


And though he would need to sample her blood to be sure, Sean also suspected that his new
partner was living in fear.


After they warmed up, that first practice session went fairly well. As long as they both
concentrated on the dancing, the conversation was easy. When they touched on anything more
personal, it wasn't.


Sean explained that they were almost never called on to tap dance. "People who hire us want