Page 31 of Who Owns You?

“Julius, hey,”I say, trying to stop myself from running into him in my haste to get into the kitchen and eat something.

My feet trip over some of the cobblestones in the floor, and the green gargoyle gently rests a hand on my upper arm to steady me.

“Hello to you too, Charlotte. I was actually about to bring this up to you.” He flicks his eyes upward to his other hand, holding a plate that wafts steam toward the beams in the ceiling.

“Really?” My jaw drops a little.

“Of course, what better way to get on the good side of your new roommate than to ply her with breakfast?” he asks with a teasing smile as he lowers the plate in front of my face.

It’s stacked with a pile of fluffy scrambled eggs studded with peppers, a hunk of fresh crusty bread, bacon glistening with grease, and a wedge of melon covered in itty bitty fresh berries.

“This looks incredible.”

“Well, I thought about a full English and decided instead to do a full Irish…well, a full Irish, Julius style.”

“Can I sit in here?”

The formal dining room is huge, meant for an army instead of a lone artist, and has way too much space. The subterranean part of the kitchen is much cozier.

“Of course. Mind if we break our fasts together?” He sets my plate down on the island next to a cup of hot coffee with cream and a bowl of plain yogurt.

“I didn’t know gargoyles needed to eat,” I say as I nod, sliding into the seat.

I’m far too entranced by the breakfast offerings to be overly polite or even embarrassed about the literal drool beading on my bottom lip.

“We don’t need to, but it’s nice. We appreciate food like mortals do but don’t gain anything from it overly so,” Julius says as he slides into the seat beside me.

He pulls another plate in front of himself and dishes large portions of the same foods he served me onto his plate.

“So you just…eat it, and it goes nowhere?” I ask and shove both a strip of bacon and a berry into my mouth at the same time.

A groan slips out of me at how fucking good they taste together. The berry is so tart and sweet, while the bacon adds a richness and a bite of salt.

I chew my bite before I glance at Julius, who is staring at me from behind the rims of those gold glasses. His lips are parted like I’ve caught the very breath from his lungs, and his pupils are blown wide. I flush, licking my lips, trying to tuck in my stomach but failing miserably. He’s probably staring at me because he’s wondering why I’m shoving food into my mouth like I haven’t eaten in months. But he’s been nothing but kind. He’s never looked at me funny before.

I flinch slightly, the sting of my own thoughts no less sharp just because I’m the one judging me. “Sorry, you make good food.”

The apology is what seems to break the spell. He blinks, and his mouth snaps shut.

“No apology necessary. It’s an honor to cook for you.” The wings behind him freeze, flexing before they ruffle themselves. They’re large and bat-like but have gentle movements when they want to. “I mean, it’s really nice to cook for someone who actually needs food to survive. Helps me to…try new things.”

He picks up a small spoon and scoops a bit of the yogurt from his own small dish. Julius brings the spoon to his lips, and instead of taking it into his mouth, his tongue darts out and licks the creamy substance from the spoon. That clever tongue rolls around the silver utensil, making my traitorous nipples tighten.

“Enjoying it?” His lips are moving, the words are coming out, but that movement of his tongue on the spoon keeps replaying in my mind.

“Yes,” I whisper. “I’m enjoying it very much.”

“Good to know.” He shifts his chair closer to mine. “Would it be OK if I ask you a few things? You’ve got me curious.”

“Me? Made you curious?” I say, breathless.

“Insatiably so, if I’m being honest. I’ve stayed up late mulling over all the things I want to ask you.” Angling his head down so he can catch my eyes more easily, he offers a warming smile.

“Fire away then.” I beam in response.

I can deal with a little positive attention from a handsome monster.I am worthy of it.

“What brought you to Ireland? Besides inheriting the deed to the castle? Interested in the countryside?”

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