Page 24 of Quiet Burn

Shit. This dude is racking up points like a fucking Hall of Famer.

“Thanks, big guy. That’s actually really nice.” I bump him back, but I bounce off his big ass arm and he bursts out laughing. My eyes widen, as I’ve seen him chuckle a bit, but this is real laughter—it’s kind of glorious to watch.

When he notices I’m grinning like a fool, his brows furrow. “Why are you staring at me?”

“You don’t usually let loose like that. It’s cool.” Ducking my chin, I tear my gaze away because I can feel the heat rising up my chest to my neck and I don’t want him to notice it. “I enjoyed seeing it; that’s all.”

“Kit, you don’t have to hide every time you say something real. We won’t make fun of you.”

I wrinkle my nose as I look up at him, but his expression is serious. “Old habits, I suppose. The idiot boys I lived with in the last home were… not exactly touchy-feely, and it was probably the best one I ever stayed at. I didn’t have any friends because of moving around a lot. I’m mostly an awkward penguin.”

His lips curve up. “Sharks eat penguins, little demon.”

Annnnnnnnd there goes the stupid color in my face again…

I press my hands to my flaming cheeks, looking anywhere but the big shifter shaking with humor. “Don’t make it weird, man.”

“Wearesupposed to be dating you. I assume we will have to get comfortable with innuendo and such eventually.”

He has a point and I refuse to acknowledge it. “There’s no one around but us!”

“Better for practicing, yes?”

The elevator dings right as he shoots back at me and I groan. The Universe definitely gets its jollies by tormenting me and this is a prime example. “I suppose so, but maybe warn me first so I don’t…”

“Don’t what, Kit Kat?” Salem is standing in front of the elevator, clearly waiting for me to arrive to help him in the kitchen. “Is Slash making you uncomfortable? ‘Cause I’ll?—”

“You’ll donothing, slumber bear.” The shark gives me a nudge and I trudge out of the car with a sigh of irritation. “I don’t owe you an explanation, but I was practicing our banter as Oriel suggested.”

Excuse me, what?!

“What the hell does that mean?” I growl as I whirl around and stalk up to the large demon, pushing up on my toes to try to look him directly in the eyes. It doesn’t work, of course, but I feel a lot more threatening.

“Oriel said it would be easier for you to accept certain aspects of the dating gambit if we practiced them when others were not around,” Slash explains. “It seemed logical.”

I poke him in the chest, giving him a dirty look. “He might be right, but you dipshits need to quit talking about me behind my back. Talk to me instead of about me, or I’m going lose my temper. Got it?”

He looks confused, but he nods. “I do not wish to upset you, little demon. I believe Oriel was trying to ease the transition for you as well.”

“Iknowyour intent was good, which is why no one is getting a nut punch. But it makes me feel like a bug under a microscope, not a person. Does that make sense?”

“Yes, actually.” Slash looks chagrined for a moment and when I turn to look at Salem, he’s making the same sheepish face. “As the royal caliphate, we are often watched like humans do their reality shows. I find it uncomfortable, whereas many of the others do not. I will try not to make you feel that way.”

“Thanks,” I say with a small grin. I lower myself to the ground again and move out of aggressive range. “I appreciate it.”

Salem smirks as he watches us, his head tilted. “You know, somehow you’re getting him to say more words in this hallway than I’ve heard him say inmonths. You must share your secret, Kit Kat.”

“Don’t ask me, Salem. I just live here.”

As if I’m going to spill the big guy’s secrets—yeah, right.

Come Together

Jasper

The shrimp is in their room, cooking with Salem for tonight’s meeting. He did his best to aggravate the fuck out of me during class; it didn’t take a fool to see he might be testing my words from his hospital room, so I stayed just inside the lines. It irked the fuck out of my dragon and went against everything I’ve been raised to do—but he doesn’t need to know that. All he needed to see was that I was serious about my declaration so I can figure out how to keep the annoying little shit alive.

I still haven’t worked out why the hell I care, but who has the time for examining their navel? Not me.

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