Page 63 of Misbehaving With Minotaurs
He rises from the barstool and rounds the island to lean against it. Putting a finger under my chin, he pushes up until I’m staring straight into those beautiful, dark eyes. The moments grow into a full minute, maybe two, maybe forty for all I know. I can’t tell anymore because there’s just Manorin’s quiet dominance. After an eternity passes, he glances at the front of the inn, then back to me.
“Cath, there’s something between us, something momentous. I know it. You know it. We admitted as much in Pine Gulch. But you’ve also got walls up around your heart because of my love for the Gulch. I’d never blame you for that, but are you gonna let them down and let me in? Because we both know you haven’t done that, not really, not yet.”
His words hurt, but he’s not wrong.
“I want us to have our cake and eat it too,” I admit.
He snorts and pulls me into his arms, grabbing my ass with both big hands. “I’ve got the cake, Cath, and I love eating it.” He jerks his head toward the front of the house. “Let me take you to bed, pretty girl. Let me do something about that worried wrinkle between your beautiful brows.”
When he puts it that way, I can’t deny him. Calling mypower, I tug at his agency, leeching it from him as his gaze goes hazy.
He rumbles happily. “That’s it, Sunshine. Take what you want…”
I slip from his embrace and grab his hand, pulling him up off the barstool. “As you wish, Mister Longhorn.”
As he throws me over his shoulder and I command him to take me to my room, I realize I didn’t really answer his question. I’m not even sure how to. I don’t want him to feel like he’s settling.
I just don’t know what, exactly, to do about it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
MANORIN
“Gods, this town could be mine likethat.”
Gil Fucking Stoneswallow snaps his fingers as he flops into the seat opposite me at Higher Grounds.
“I will absolutely rule this place,” he muses as he looks around at the busy coffee shop.
I sigh. “I’m waiting for someone, Gil, so that seat’s taken.”
He smiles and uses both forearms to lean onto the table with a wicked grin. “Arkan, I know. I saw him on the way here. He’s gonna tell you about an idea I had, a coach-off, if you will. We’re gonna host a game here in Ever, me against you.”
I refuse to let shock show on my face. Instead, I sit back in my chair, steepling my fingers. “I’m coming to the end of my trial period. If that’s what Arkan and the leadership team want to do with the rest of it, that’s fine by me. We’d already planned an exhibition game, but I suppose we’ll repurpose that?”
“I’ll get Alkazar, of course. I bet he’ll stick around for it.” Gil says with a sneer. “You might coach him now, but it won’t take much for me to get him.”
He doesn’t know shit about Alkazar—that much is clear—because that kid is big and quiet, but he’s also smart as a whip, and he sees right through assholes to the gross, gooey center. Off the skyball pitch, he gets underestimated a lot, but for being such a young, soft-spoken male, but he doesn’t suffer fools.
Higher Grounds’ door opens, and Arkan steps in, looking around until he sees us. His friendly smile becomes forced when he notices Gil sitting at the table. I stand to greet him like a fucking professional, and Gil remains in the seat I told him was taken.
When Arkan joins us, I smile. “Good to see ya this morning, Keeper. Gil was just leaving, as he’s on your bench.”
Gil snorts and stands just as Arkan opens his mouth to say something. Arkan shoots him an irritated look that Gil doesn’t appear to notice.
“See ya, Boss,” is all Gil says before he gives Arkan a mock salute and turns for the door.
I don’t bother to watch him go, but I do level Arkan with a look as he settles down onto the curved centaur bench across from me. “If you hire that asshole instead of me, I’m gonna be offended, kid.”
“He’s worse than I thought,” Arkan muses. “This morning, we had a check-in because he’s asking the players to do practices, which, as you know, isn’t really their thing. And I mentioned the exhibition game, which he somehow turned into a coach-off thing, and now it’s his idea, and he’s already bringing new life to our tired program.” He gives me a displeased look. “His words, not mine.” His expression’s wry as he stares at me.
I pick up my black coffee and take a sip as I look at the young keeper. “You don’t have to hire me, although I hope you will, but please don’t hire him. Keep lookin’. If you end up not wanting me for this role, I can hand you a short list of qualified, excellent coaches. I don’t know if any of them are looking, but…”
Arkan snorts. “It’s not gonna be Gil if I have anything to say about it.” He winks at me. “Plus, Catherine’s got a pretty big say in it.” His smile falls. “She’s seemed a little morose since you returned from Pine Gulch. It’s not my way to meddle super deep in monsters’ business, but do I need to check in on her? Seems to me it might be between you two.”
I suck at my teeth, staring around at the coffee shop. I can’t share what Rip told me; it’s not my secret to tell.
Returning my focus to Arkan, I opt for as much of the truth as I can share. “I’m being courted by another team on the down-low. I told her because I didn’t want to hide it, but as you might imagine, it upset her. She really loves skyball,” I tack on, unsure how much, if anything, she’s shared with Arkan about our arrangement.
