Текст книги "Heart of Darkness"

Автор книги: Lauren Dane

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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 17 страниц)

Gage tipped his glass in her direction. “Your mother was right to hand this over to you. There will be a time, very soon I think, where working with witches across practice and clan affiliation will be necessary to protect ourselves. You’ve known this for some time now. I respect the job your mother has done. But your vision is what’s needed to lead the next generation.”

She blushed, glad for the darkness in the club. “Thanks. I just hope we’re catching this early enough to combat it.”

Gage’s usually amused expression went hard. “We’ll take this shit out. Period. Listen, we’ve spent two hours talking about this. It’s Friday night and you’re on a date. I see a lovely woman at the bar who really appears to need some company.”

She looked to see who he meant and grinned, shaking her head. “Go on then. Make her night.”

Gage’s mouth tipped up into a sexy grin. “He’s all right. Your Dominic. Gonna be a lot to handle so it’s good he’s your bond-mate. Another woman might get swallowed up by a man like him.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek and she knew without even looking up that Dominic’s attention had been snagged and he’d be making his way back to her.

“Thanks for listening.”

“I told you already, I’m your friend.” He slid out and moved toward the bar, snagging the woman’s awareness immediately.

“Hm. He likes touching you.”

She turned to Dominic and laughed right in his face. “He likes touching me? And the eleven thousand woman who’ve given you an arm or chest full of mammaries as you’ve walked around here being all bossy and stuff? What’s their excuse? Have you known them their entire lives like I have Gage?”

“No. They’re meaningless and also, I never claimed to be rational when the subject is you.”

Disarmed and flattered, she snorted. “You are aware that I’d never let anyone but you get away with this sort of thing, right?”

Grinning, he pulled her close. “Yeah. It gets me hot.” He kissed her long and slow there in the dark, the music around them, the heat of all the bodies, the scent of magick and sex everywhere.

Though she’d never been the make-out-with-a-man-in-a-nightclub type, she sure was just then. Like whoa.

“We should go.”

He was so close, his heat against her face. She so should not. Yes, they had sexual heat. No question they wanted one another. But that wasn’t the issue.

He walked her to the car and once they were both inside he turned to her. “You’re going to make me wait, aren’t you?”

“We’ve known each other a few days. I keep telling you sex will make this need stronger. You’re going to see me tomorrow night anyway.”

He groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands. “We both know this is going to happen.”

“Exactly. So why rush?”

“You’re holding sex hostage.”

She burst out laughing. “Is that what you think? Really? Oh, Dominic.” She shook her head. “I want it as much as you do, silly. This isn’t easy for me either. I’m not holding anything hostage. Such an assertion is insulting. Like I’m some dumb bimbo who has to trick you into sex.”

She straightened her spine and he groaned again. Lethal, this woman. And still he smiled because she totally caught him.

“Fine, fine.” He pulled away and headed back to her place. “And I don’t think that, by the way. The last thing you are is dumb. It’s all the backup of sperm in my system.”

She laughed again, the annoyance gone from her features.

“I have to go to New York on Sunday. I’ll be back Thursday unless something dire comes up. That friend I told you about? He’s opening a new club and we’re going to be talking about some possible joint business ventures. The rest of my group of friends will be there too.” He realized he wanted her to know he’d be back.

“Oh. All right then.”

He pulled up in front of her building. “Have a coffee with me?”

Chapter 10

DOMINIC was fairly sure he’d never wanted to have sex more in his entire life. And that included the year he was fourteen.

He’d picked her up at her place for the opera and she’d come to her door looking like she’d stepped from a magazine ad. Hair in a chic updo. She wore some sort of fancy dress and equally fancy shoes. No one could accuse Meriel Owen of not dressing up enough for an evening out.

She’d been elegant and beautiful on his arm. He’d never been to the opera and found himself totally falling into the story. But never enough not to be totally aware of the way she smelled. Or of the rise and fall of those ridiculously beautiful breasts heaved up at the bodice of her dress.

She’d shared a big part of herself that evening and the one before. She’d shown him some of her magick, had helped him with his. They’d debated politics both witch and human. She was a fierce opponent and their discussions had the sort of heat that only left him craving more.

They stopped by Heart of Darkness for a bit, but all he really wanted was her. All to himself. “My building has a rooftop garden. Would you like to come up and see it?”

She grinned. “Is that like asking if I want to see your etchings?”

“It is a lovely garden, even in the cold and wet. And yes, it would leave us astonishingly close to my place. Where my bed is.”

She watched him, clearly wrestling with herself. He gave himself stern lectures to let her figure it out without any pressure.

“I suppose I like gardens.”

“So glad to hear that,” he said as he pulled her from the booth.

He was pretty sure if he didn’t get inside her soon he might die. She was something else and he wanted more.

“FEELS like you can see my building from here,” she said as she shivered just a little.

Nice opportunity for him to touch her though. He took his suit jacket off and put it around her shoulders and held her to his side.

“My father has a garden. Like an acre and a half of garden. Every year he takes on some new project and my mother just sighs and tells him to get on with it. He loves working in the dirt.”

“Are you a gardener?”

She laughed. “No. I am a disaster with plants. I can’t even keep a houseplant alive. At work my office has fake plants in it. What about you?”

“I haven’t been up here in ages. I like gardens and all, but I’m not usually around during the day.”

And then she turned to him, remaining in his arms. “I’d like to go inside now.”

He tried to remain nonchalant but it was a chore not to drive her down to his place at a harried pace. As it was, it wasn’t until he’d closed the door, locking it as he watched her toe her pretty heels off, that he allowed himself to believe it was going to happen. She turned her head, still slightly bent to get her shoe loose, a sexy smile on her face.

“I swear to you I totally am fine with whatever increased connection we gain after we have sex,” he blurted and she straightened, one hand on her hip, head cocked to the side.

“I don’t know if you are really. But looking at you right now, feeling the way you make me feel … I can’t seem to find any willpower at all to make you wait. Hell, make me wait. I want you, Dominic. The need will grow, but I can’t manage to tell you no anymore. I’m not expecting more than sex from you at this point. Feel what you’re supposed to feel.”

She reached up to the neck of the dress and undid something. The material slid from her body and pooled at her feet.

“Uh …” was all he could think to say as he looked his fill at her.

Her smile lost all its caution and he found that a good reason to get out of his shirt. He missed the buttons a few times because he couldn’t take his gaze from her bare breasts. Just beautiful.

She stepped to him, gently moving his hands from the way and finishing unbuttoning his shirt and the cuffs. “I love it when a man wears French cuffs with cuff links. It’s so deliciously old-school and gentlemanly.”

That’s always what he’d thought too. He’d watched Cary Grant in the old movies as he’d been growing up. It hadn’t been a casual coincidence that he’d ended up with French cuffs and a tray full of cuff links. Each set had been a way of telling himself he’d made it. Built himself into a success.

“Your breasts look even better when you’re so close I can see how tight your nipples are.”

Her skin, so warm and very soft, drew his lips. He took his time, tasting and teasing. Wanting to savor her now that he had her in his bed.

Of course now that he had her here in his bed, he was totally going to keep her.

He paused at the base of her neck, feasting on her frantic pulse and the echo of her soft, sexy moans.

He heard the intake of breath when he pulled away. Liked the way she licked her lips as she looked at him. Hungry. Loved the confident way she slid a palm from the waist of his pants, up the wall of his chest and around the back of his neck. Her nipples brushed against him and they both groaned.

“You’re nearly naked. In my front hallway. It’s like Christmas and my birthday all at once.”

She laughed and he twirled her, drawing her back to his bedroom and his bed. They paused at the doorway where he backed her up against the jamb while he made quick work of the barely there panties she had on.

“Now I’m totally naked.”

He walked her back until she landed on his bed. “You are. My favorite.”

And that wasn’t a lie. She was long and curvy. Her skin was pale and pretty. The only tattoo she appeared to have was the mark at her wrist, but he liked the pierced belly button. He bent to tug it with his teeth.

Everything in him wanted her. Wanted this beautiful, intelligent and strong woman all for his own.

“I’m naked,” she repeated, waving her hand at him, “and you’re not. You’re giving me a bad case of the sads, Dominic. Why do you want that?”

Before he could answer, she sat up on the bed and pulled his belt off, unbuttoning and unzipping his pants and shoving them down his legs. “There. I did most of the work for you. Get to it.”

Laughing, he kicked the clothes off and leapt on the bed to straddle her body. He couldn’t recall the last time he ever laughed this much with a woman, much less one he was having sex with. Probably because he never had.

Those lush lips, glossy and swollen from his kisses, called to him again as he pulled her so she rested on top of him, close enough to touch.

“Finally,” he said before taking a nipple between his teeth, “you’re just where I want you.”

She laughed. “Is that a compliment?”

“God, yes.” He kissed his way to the other nipple, enjoying the way she squirmed.

“Okay then.”

The curve of her hips called to fingertips and mouth, the dip at her waist, the swell of her thighs, velvety soft at the back of her knees. Tickled the backs of her thighs as he rolled her over. Her back was a perfect curve as he kissed up the long line of her spine, pausing to kiss each indentation at the base, right above her perfect ass.

Sweet … her soft shudder when he gave her a gentle edge of his teeth at the back of her neck.

“Hurry,” she whispered, rolling her hips back toward him, inciting his want.

“I’m trying to take this slow. Greedy.”

She turned around and grabbed his cock, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I don’t want slow. Not this time.”

It was his turn to swallow hard. “I don’t want to hurt you. I want you so much.”

“I won’t break. I promise.”

She dragged the head of his cock through her slick folds and he might have blacked out for a minute or two at how good it felt.

His resolve melted away and he leaned over, grabbed a condom and was ready for action.

“Still with me?”

She paused, looking up into his face. “You’re very sweet.” She stretched up to kiss his lips. “It undoes all my defenses.”

He pressed in, counting to fifty to try not to lose it before he even got all the way inside her.

Resolve? Ha! He had none left. She’d torn it to shreds. He wanted inside, wanted to be in her as deeply as he could get and still, he knew without a doubt it wouldn’t be enough.

She stretched beneath him, tightening her muscles and then wrapping herself around him.

Which took him deeper and made him forget how to count.

“So good.” He kissed her lips, across her chin, down to her neck where he nuzzled, breathing her in. Her nails sank into his skin as she held on.

Her body received him and as he seated himself in her fully, he had to pause to appreciate just how amazing it felt.

He breathed deep and began to move.

Hard, she’d said. And he’d agreed. Every cell in his body had agreed as he thrust into that wet, snug heat.

He’d kept his face buried in her neck. Tenderness rushed through her, spicing the arousal. This was so much more than having sex had ever been. She’d thought she’d loved before. Had been close with those men she’d slept with. But this was different.

It was different because he was different. His weight against her was just right. He fit her just right. A silly sort of Goldilocks moment, but it was true nonetheless. Sweat-slicked skin slid together, the friction of it delicious. Leaving her delirious with need. Need she understood only he could fill.

That connection to him shook her. She was glad it came as he was inside her. Glad it came as his lips rested against the throbbing pulse at her throat. Possession swept over her then. She’d never been the jealous type. After all, if a man didn’t want her as much as she him, it was his loss. But Dominic Bright was her man. Hers.

And she had zero intention of giving him back.

He angled himself, adjusting the legs she’d had wrapped around his waist. He pushed her knees up and apart, fitting into her so deeply it stole her breath. The length of him stroked over her clit over and over. The pressure hard enough that she understood he knew exactly what he was doing.

He’d moved his head; this time they were nose to nose and the intimacy of it made her nervous even as it titillated. Being seen by this man, in such a raw way, left her short of breath. Or it could have been the way her orgasm began to hover just at the edge of her vision. Waiting for that right stroke, the perfect amount of pressure for long enough.

He thrust, playing her body like a master. And she wanted more.

“More,” she heard her stuttered whisper and forgot she hadn’t meant to say it out loud.

Harder this time, so that her breasts bounced up each time he slammed into her all the way. He reared back and she was able to take him in better. He had tattoos on his biceps and along his belly. She’d need to investigate that further. Like with her mouth.

“Come on, gorgeous. Come,” he whispered against her lips when he dipped his head down for a kiss.

Nearly there …

Just a little more pressure …

And then he moved his fingers, brushing two of them over her clit with a light but consistent touch and she flew apart with a cry of his name.

He wasn’t far behind and within long, excruciatingly pleasurable moments, they’d ended up collapsed on his bed, breath heaving.

Chapter 11

“WHY are you here?” Nell cruised into Meriel’s office.

“That’s my line.” She got up and moved to embrace her friend. “I’m so glad you’re back. Tell me about the honeymoon.”

“I’m not telling you shit here.” Nell waved and her pretty diamond ring caught the light. “It’s Sunday. You’re at work. This is ridiculous.”

“Says the woman standing in the office on Sunday lecturing me about being here on a Sunday.”

“I’ve been having sex with my absurdly handsome husband multiple times daily for two weeks. I have the rest of my life to catch up on.” Nell laughed. “Girl, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed Fiji. But that’s mainly because I was too busy getting carnal with William.”

“Let’s get some lunch. I have so much to tell you.” She squeezed Nell’s hand.

“Most of it had better have nothing to do with this mage crap. I want to hear all the good stuff first. Then we’ll talk about work.”

“I need a reuben.”

Nell looked at her carefully. “What the hell, Meriel? You only need reubens from Three Girls when you’re eating your feelings.”

Meriel laughed, like truly, deeply laughed because she’d missed Nell so much.

“I met my bond-mate. Guess what he does?”

Nell goggled at her. “You better mean last night. You have to since you haven’t told me anything about it until right now.”

Even though she knew Nell would be mad, she was still giddy over it. Both at having Nell back and being able to talk about Dominic with someone who’d understand.

“You are in such trouble.” Nell looked around and grabbed Meriel’s bag. “Let’s go. We’ll talk elsewhere. You can’t be at work on a Sunday anyway.”

Her friend’s expression told Meriel there was no use arguing with her and she didn’t want to.

They walked down to Pike Place and grabbed the aforementioned sandwiches, along with some cookies and a few lemon bars. One more quick stop for some tea and they headed over to Nell’s place.

“Where’s the mister?” Meriel looked around for William.

“He had to run down to Vegas for a few days to deal with work stuff. Sit down, I’m going to start the water for tea and you’re going to tell me everything. Most notably why you’ve met your bond-mate and haven’t ascended yet.”

“He’s the guy who runs Heart of Darkness,” she said around a mouthful of her sandwich.

“Why, oh, why do we get tested with men who run nightclubs?” Nell shook her head, grinning. Her husband owned a burlesque-themed nightclub in Las Vegas and was in talks to open another locally. Nell had met him nearly two years before while investigating a woman who’d stolen money from some Owen holdings. The woman had been his ex and he and Nell had connected from the start.

“We haven’t done the ascension spell yet because … gah, it’s complicated.”

“Complicated how? Is he married? With someone already?” That happened, they both knew. The bond was perfect if one meant in the way it connected two witches and unlocked magickal potential. But people had lives and life included things like the person you’re a potential bond-mate to being with someone already.

“No, not that, thank goodness. He’s outclan. He didn’t even know he was a council witch until I keyed him into the font and we worked our magick together.”

“Good lord, so what does he think? That we have secret police and arrest people who don’t give us all their worldly goods?” She stood again. “Why do we have no chips out? Falling down on the job, Meriel.”

Back in moments, Nell tossed a bag of Doritos on the table between.

“I’m going to be so sick in like fifteen minutes if I keep inhaling this.” Nell put her sandwich down a few minutes later. “I can’t not tell you this any longer. I have no willpower and I think it might be because I’m pregnant. And, obviously I want to share that with you because it’s so totally cool!” Nell laughed, clapping her hands and Meriel got up to give her friend a hug.

“Damn right it’s cool! How long have you known?”

“Oh, you don’t get to be pouty over me not telling you when you met your bond-mate and didn’t even leave me a voice mail about it.” Nell frowned a moment and then got back to the point when they’d sat down again.

“I was late on our wedding day. But I thought hey, stress of the wedding because as you’re aware, his mother is Satan’s minion on earth.”

Meriel nodded, sipping her tea. This was an accepted truth.

“Anyway, I was late but it’s not the first time so I’m really not thinking it’s a big deal. You on the other hand have no such excuse.”

“I didn’t tell you because I wanted you to have your honeymoon without any intrusions. I couldn’t tell you over the voice mail. I don’t even …” She shook her head, not knowing how to say it and already on the verge of tears as it was.

“We’ll get to that next.” Nell gave her a brief glare. “I’m about six weeks along. We haven’t told anyone but you. My parents would fuss and I’m not ready for that yet. God only knows what his mother will do, but I truly hope it means she’ll stay on the other side of the country. Like forever. He’s telling his brother on this trip to Vegas. It’s”—she paused, smiling at Meriel—”it’s the most wonderful thing I could have imagined. He’s been beautiful about it. He wanted to take a picture of the stick with the two lines. The stick I’d just peed on, for heaven’s sake.” Nell shuddered and made a face. “So of course I vetoed it, but I’m giving him credit for being so mushy about it. And by the way, Meriel, were you aware that many resort sundry shops carry pregnancy tests? All in all, pretty much the best honeymoon a gal could ask for.”

“I’m so happy for you both. This is so cool.”

“It is. And you’re going to be here to help me because you know how hopeless I am at this stuff. What do I know about babies?”

“Puhleeze. You’ll do great. Anyway, don’t look at me, I can’t even keep a houseplant alive.”

“You know everything. And if you don’t, you know where to find the answer. I think William’s more excited about that than I am. He just sold half the club to his brother. Nash will run it.”

Meriel knew what a big deal that would have been. As long as William had the sole responsibility for the club, he’d never be able to live in Seattle full-time. This sale meant he was committed to life here with Nell and their baby. It was a really good day.

“I was just thinking what a good day it was.”

“Yeah. I knew you’d make me feel even more excited. And you did. Now, tell me about Dominic. What’s his deal?”

“He’s everything I thought I didn’t want. Overbearing. Bossy. Likes having his own way. Looks so damned good you know why he mostly gets it.” She grinned. “He’s arrogant. Just oozes testosterone. Has a mysterious past that – come on, let’s face it – you know has to be dark. Wary.”

She bit off the corner of the lemon bar and sighed happily.

“And he’s also protective. Gentle. Sweet at times. Intelligent on several levels. He’s a smart businessman. You can tell when you look at Heart of Darkness. He’s got a great deal of power. He doesn’t even have an idea of how much. He was raised by a foster father. He doesn’t talk much about his parents, just that they’d died when he was a baby.”

“What’s he like in bed? What does he look like? Come on and tell me the juicy stuff.”

“He’s about six and a half feet or so. Big. The kind of body that tells you he works out.” Meriel paused to fan herself. “He boxes. He tried to make it sound like he and his friends just met up and I don’t know, punched each other a lot. And being familiar with men and the kinds of things they consider fun, I believe it. Whatever it is, his upper body is tight and muscular. It’s the flattest belly I’ve ever seen in person.”

“Damn, you scored.”

She nodded. “Totally. Anyway, he’s got brownish-blond hair. Just touches his collar. It’s all thick and soft. He’s even got one of those locks that falls forward and makes him look rakish. He’s a menace. Dark lashes against these eyes. Unbelievable this color. Pale green. Dapper dresser, even his casual clothes.”

She sat back and brushed the crumbs from her hands. “He’s got a tattoo on his back. Giant unfurled wings in black and gray but there’s a tiny bit of color here and there on the feathers. He’s also got a nipple ring and around the other nipple, on his chest above his heart there are protective runes. He’s actually got those in a few places. But they’re not tats. It’s as if they’re worked into his skin and muscle. Someone wanted him protected. Probably a good thing too because he’s had a broken nose on more than one occasion and he’s got some scars on his side and belly that look a lot like knife wounds.”

“Oh, a bad boy with a heart of gold. Those are like unicorns right? Imaginary?”

Meriel laughed. “He does appear to be of the bad-boy-with-a-possible-heart-of-gold variety. He touches me like I’m precious.”

Nell’s smile softened. “Yeah. That’s something else, isn’t it? Especially when they’re all reluctant. I am sorry about that last part. Makes it all the more sweet when he finally accepts it though. I don’t have a bond-mate like you do, but fate brought William to me. He was meant to be with me. I had to believe in that and do my best to make it happen. You’ll do the same.”

“He does admit to the bond. But he’s dubious of it. Untrusting. Even without the bond he and I would have something electric. He’s sexy, successful, gorgeous, funny and really, really inventive in bed.” She fanned herself. “I like him. I like being around him. I want more and I can’t have it because he’s at a different place than I am. He’s got a learning curve and while I know that – while my brain tells me this is totally normal—I want more. But I feel hesitant about asking for it.”

She sighed.

“I’d tell you to be patient, but you already are so that’s of no help at all. When do I get to meet him? And I take it you haven’t told your mother about this.”

“God, no! Can you imagine? She’d send you out to kidnap Dominic and then glare at him until he agreed to do the ascension. I don’t want that. I want it to be his choice, totally. It’s not that I think he hates me. We’re good together. It’s still new, but he’s far more comfortable with what we have now than he was even just on Thursday.”

“She wouldn’t understand. Not because she doesn’t love you in her own way. But because she never had to face what you’re facing right now. Ron grew up knowing what he was. She grew up knowing what she was and what she’d be. She’s never had to face this sort of uncertainty before. I get it. But she’s going to notice. Even she can’t miss that you’re practically humming with magick.” Nell tipped her head. “And love. I like that.”

“I don’t know about love. I love being with him. I love that he’s my bond-mate. But love will come. As for the difference in my magick? I know. That’s why I was at work. I wanted to clear some stuff off my desk so I could work from home and stay out of the office this week. That and well because I spent last night through this morning with Dominic. I don’t want to get so used to him yet. He’s got to go to New York for most of the week. Maybe we can get together, all four of us at the weekend?”

“When’s he going?”

“He’s already on his way.” He’d woken her up at four and kept her up until nearly seven when he had to jump in the shower to get to the airport. “His plane left at nine.”

“Stay here tonight. We’ll get pizza and watch movies.”

“That’s a fine offer, ma’am.”

ACROSS the country, Dominic had a jones for the lovely, redheaded Ms. Owen. Definitely found himself missing the warm weight of her next to him in his bed.

Funny to be used to something after only having it once. But there he was, sitting in a crowded restaurant as his financial advisor and longtime friend Trey told the table a story about a recent trip to Chicago.

All the while he thought of her.

Wondered what she was up to. The morning before he’d tried to let her sleep but failed. Every moment he’d lain there in the predawn darkness, giving himself a lecture about how she needed her rest, had been agony. Until he’d given in and touched her.

She’d come awake quickly, into his arms without hesitation. She’d even offered to drive him to the airport and reminded him to check the warding on his hotel room.

And now he’d be there in New York until Thursday night while she was back in Seattle. His bed would be empty. Damn it.

Simon had cornered him in his office on Saturday night as she’d been at the bar, conning his bartenders to show her new recipes. In a cocktail dress.

“So what’s the story?”

Dominic had looked up from the papers he was signing. “Story?”

“Don’t be coy, dumbass. What’s the status between you and the lovely Ms. Owen?”

“You know the story.”

“So you accept the bond then?”

“You’re like a dog with a bone.” He snorted and Simon flipped him off. “I like her. She likes me. There’s a bond, I admit that too.”

“Are you going to screw this up? Yes, yes, I know you’d rather I just stop bugging you over it. But though I’d deny it if asked, I’ve watched you searching around for something real for years now. Meriel is something real. What you have, no matter how fantastical, is real.”

“I can’t even think with her around. I need some distance and some perspective. I’ll be in New York until Thursday. Maybe I’ll come back clearer.”

“What’s she say about that?”

“I don’t have to check all my business dealings through her. Anyway, she’s got her own job; I can’t imagine why she’d be upset.”

“About your continued hemming and hawing.”

“Look, I don’t like the idea of not being in charge of my own destiny. Okay? I didn’t grow up in an alternate dimension at the right hand of my dad the king or whatever. You and Meriel both had that experience.” He pushed to stand. “She’s not like anyone I’ve ever met before. I want more. That has to be enough right now until I figure out the rest. She’s giving me the space I need. Every time I push her to finally have sex with me, she reminds me about how it’ll only make our mutual attraction deeper.”

Simon had laughed then. And laughed some more, the sound of it echoing all the way down the hall in his wake after he’d left the room.

He’d told Simon that he’d hoped the trip would give him some distance and perspective. And it had, only not in the way he’d imagined.

Yes, she was on his mind. Yes, he wanted to be with her. But he wasn’t debilitated to be so far away. It didn’t affect him physically to be apart from her. He was getting work done.

What he did miss, in addition to all the sexy stuff, was her laugh. The way she indulged him and let him be bossy most of the time but pushed back when he got out of hand.

He missed the way she smelled. Hell, he even missed the way she so effortlessly used her magick. He’d learned a lot from her just by watching.

He’d come to really like her. As he sat there pushing his dinner around on his plate, he found himself making notes to tell her about this or that thing he’d seen during the day.

His pocket buzzed and he looked down at his phone to see who it was.

I think we should go see the Alien/Aliens double feature on Saturday.

Oh, that was me.

Meriel

He laughed and Evan sent him a questioning glance.

“No, no, it’s fine. I just need to handle this.”

Evan shrugged and went back to the conversation.

Charmed, he tried to ignore the warmth in his belly. She’d reached out to him. He knew she was purposely holding back, trying to give him room, which only made him want her more. Her being impulsive and texting meant she missed him just as much as he did her.