Page 17 of Deadly Little Games
He tilted his head. “Should I be?”
“Most men would be.”
He was silent for a time, his untouched plate of pancakes balanced on one knee. I was about to break the silence when he finally spoke. “You know, it’s not just for power, nor for the possibility of realm travel.”
“What’s not?”
He met my eyes solidly. “My interest in you. It’s not just about that.”
“What is it about then?”
One corner of his mouth curled up. “Are we fishing for compliments?”
I smiled. “Absolutely.”
He laughed, setting his pancakes aside. “I will admit, initially I was simply intrigued by a woman of celestial blood who would so easily agree to a bargain. Especially a woman who already had a contract with a devil. I thought you were either stupid, or you knew something that the rest of us didn’t.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And what do you think now?”
“Impulsive, perhaps. But not stupid. And kind. I tricked you into multiple bargains, and you showed me kindness and compassion.”
I lifted my brows, caught off guard by his honesty. “You do realize you showed me the same, right?”
“Perhaps you bring it out in me.”
I set the rest of my pancakes by our feet where Ringo was huddled in my bag. It didn’t take him long to reach his blue paws out for the fluffy gooey mess. I was going to have to throw my bag into a washing machine later.
With my hands free, I scooted a little closer to Mistral. “So you’re saying you like me.”
He laughed. “Yes, Eva. I’m saying I like you.”
“Because I kind of got mixed signals when you told me to kiss your closest friend.”
He smirked. “And that is precisely why I asked you to kiss him. He is my closest friend. I trust him with my life, and yours.” He leaned close and lowered his voice. “And I’d much rather have you kissing him than a devil.”
I watched his face for any hint of discomfort, but it wasn’t like he could lie to me. He meant every word he said. “So you’dbe totally okay with it?” I thought back to my moment with Gabriel the previous night. I wasn’t sure if Gabriel had told Mistral, or if he would.
“As long as you don’t entirely choose him over me,” a half smile softened his words, “I would be quite interested to see how Gabriel might affect your magic.”
He smoothed a finger up my wrist, making the magic flare between us. My whole body went tight, suddenly aching to be touched. My voice was breathy as I asked, “And what do you think would happen if you and I were together again?”
“There’s only one way to find out.” He leaned closer, maintaining his hold on my wrist.
I wanted nothing more than to find out right then and there, but, “I have to meet Crispin this morning.”
He used his other hand to push my hair aside, then grazed my neck with his lips. Goosebumps prickled across my bare arms. “Return to us afterward,” he whispered in my ear.
A lump formed in my throat.Us, nothim. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for anything else, but I nodded. I wouldn’t mind a repeat of my time with Mistral, and after what he had just admitted…
Maybe it could bemore. Maybe it was more. But I would be foolish to think that way. I couldn’t let myself develop feelings for a guy who wanted nothing more than to go home to another realm.
Especially when I planned on being the one to help him do it.
7
I had hopedto see Gabriel during our ride to the gates. I wasn’t sure what I would say to him if I did, but I hated how I had left things the night before. Unfortunately, we saw no sign of him, and even more unfortunately, Sebastian was waiting outside the gates when we arrived.
It was a mostly sunny day, but a single thick cloud cast him in a pool of shade. His crisp white shirt contrasted with a fitted gray suit vest and slacks. He looked bored as we dismounted on the other side of the gates, but I knew it was an act. He probably went to the location of his calling card—my apartment—before moving on to the next place he thought I might be. He wasn’t bored. He was pissed.