"Natasha ." Swearing again, he felt like a complete idiot, and inched forward a couple of steps, putting out his hand to her shoulder as he did so. She leapt up from the chair like a cat scalded and sworn furiously. She glared at him, shocked a bit and very angry.

"Don't creep up on me," she reprimanded harshly.

"I didn't," he protested, shocked by the quasi violence of her retort. "I knocked but. . ."

"You knocked?" Her voice was full of sarcasm. "I can't hear, damn it!"

"Well, what was I supposed to do, then?" he shot back defensibly.

"There's a doorbell," she said to him, moderating slightly,...