Page 40 of Hidden By the Gargoyle

ChapterTen

I climbed to my feet as Dax shut the door, locking it.

Then, he surprised me.

I believed that he wouldn’t bring up the kiss, that he would act like it hadn’t happened at all. And I was wrong.

When he faced me, Dax immediately said, “We need to talk.”

“About?”

His wince was visible, but he answered, “When we kissed.”

My legs trembled beneath me because I wasn’t sure what he was going to say. His expression was still locked down tighter than a vault and his entire body seemed tight.

“I’m guessing you have something you want to say.”

“It can’t happen again.”

Okay, so instead of pretending it hadn’t happened, he wanted to shut it all down.

“Why?” I asked.

His lips tightened. “Because it isn’t right.”

“Why?” I repeated.

Now, his jaw was flexing. My questions were getting under his skin. I studied him, looking closely at his body language. His demeanor screamed that he didn’t want to have this conversation and he wanted to get it over with as fast as possible. Was that for my benefit or his own? I was betting it was for himself.

“Ally…”

“Why isn’t it right, Dax?” I asked, keeping my voice soft and even.

Now that I was watching him, actually looking at him instead of trying to avoid him in an effort to hide my feelings, I could see more of what my aunt saw. What Poppy saw. I affected him.

“Because I’m several centuries older than you and I’ve known you since you were a child,” he answered, a snap in his words.

“Daniel is several centuries older than Cari and she’s less than a handful of years older than me.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Again, I’ve known you since you were a child.”

“Do you still think I’m a child now?” I asked, gesturing to my body.

His eyes moved from my face, down my chest and abdomen to my hips. I saw his fingers flex against his biceps as he looked me over. I could practically hear his teeth grinding before he looked away. Oh, yes. I affected him. The realization gave me courage to keep pushing him.

“No,” he answered.

“Then, I don’t see how either of those things is relevant as to why you can’t kiss me.” I paused. “Or I can’t kiss you.”

The deep blue of his eyes began to swirl and change, becoming lighter. I was beginning to understand what that change meant.

“Your aunt trusts me,” he argued. “She said it before she left. I won’t break that trust by…by…”

I started laughing then, which made him fall silent.

“I don’t see what’s so funny,” he finally said when my laughter didn’t abate.

I swallowed back a giggle before I answered, “While you were gone, my aunt asked me if you’d made a move yet. In fact, she’s been encouraging me to make the first move, rather than waiting around on you.”

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