Page 29 of Made

I said nothing and walked on like I didn’t hear. John David was brilliant with party menus. I had no intention of suggesting what he would serve, even ifthe request was a form of compliment. Half the fun was seeing what the vampire would offer up. If Keir wanted chocolate chutney mini pies, he could get a recipe and make them himself.

As if.

Or he could ask Olivia to do it. Much more likely.

I stepped back into the kitchen. “Keir.”

“Hmmm?”

“Does Kagan have a lot of experience with, um, females?”

It was an innocent question. A logical question, given the topic, but it ignited a firestorm in my brain. Yes. I’d asked a question about Kagan, but all of a sudden I wasn’t thinking about Kagan. Or Esme. Or anything besides the idea of sephalia dating.

Egads.I’d beenmarriedto the most desirable male in the history of biped species for half a year and it had never occurred to me that I wasn’t his first. Regardless of his wicked skills in bed. What was wrong with me that I’d never asked about… others? Clearly, I was in survival denial. That’s denial that protects you from knowing things you suspect but don’t want to know for sure.

The twisted thing was that, once I’d had the thought, I couldn’t let it go. I knew Keir answered my question about Kagan, but I didn’t hear it. I was busy picturing him with people who weren’t me.

“Rita.”

“Hmmm?”

“Are you listening?”

Nothing good could come from answering that. “Keir. What about your own experience? Do you have exes? Or past dalliances?”

Keir turned away from his monitors and focused on me. “Hear me clearly, love. Nothing good can come from pursuing this topic of conversation.”Whoa. Was he in my head?“It’s a subject best left untouched.”

Would it have been better for him to name names, dates, places, and acts? No. It wouldn’t have been better, but it was just as grievous. How could he expect me to leave a vacuous space open where the answer to that question should be deposited? That was impossible. Once asked, I had to have an answer. Would it have been better to have never asked that question? Of course. But unfortunately, I’d stumbled into a quagmire.

I stared into his beautiful, unflinching eyes for a few seconds before saying. “The thing is, it’snota subject left untouched. It’s touched. There’s no going back because now I need to know.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“Because?” He laughed. “That’s beneath you, Magistrate.”

“I hate it when people try to shame you into doing things their way with backhanded compliments. Backhanded compliments are bitch slaps.” He shook his head ever so slightly as a small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. Like most things, confusion looked good on Keir. “Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about, Enforcer.That’sbeneathyou.”

That got me a full-throated laugh. Normally, the sound and sight of that would thrill me. Not this time.

“Just make this easy on yourself and start talking,” I said. “I want details. And remember, I know where your brothers live.”

Of course, that only made him laugh harder. When his laughter subsided, he said, “So now you’re not only threatening me, but Killian and Kagan as well. You are just the cutest, love. But seriously. I’m asking you nicely. Go find something to distract yourself. Please.”

“Ugh! That was the most patronizing thing you’veeversaid to me.”

“If it’s a competition, I’m sure I can top that.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You’ve just made it onto my shit list.AND!This is not over.”

I went straight to the mudroom and was donning my cute red plaid, boiled wool car coat. My plan was to return to Esme’s shop straightaway and hear the result of Keir’s convo with Kagan when the room suddenly became darker. My husband’s upper body was blocking the light that’d been streaming in from the mudroom door window. His typical expression, which was a mix of adoration and teasing, was replaced with hypnotizing intensity.

Uh. Oh.

“Don’t. You. Dare.”

I made my eyes look as wide and innocent as is possible for a fully mature woman. “Dare? What do you mean?” I knew perfectly well what he meant.

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