Page 54 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
“I’m afraid I only like tea if it has whiskey in it.”
“Whiskey I don’t have. Would brandy do?”
Nex cocked an eyebrow. “Yes, thanks. What needs moving?”
“Oh, I’ll show you.” Bernice turned toward the hallway. “Katherine dear, you can manage the tea, can’t you?”
“Of course.”
Bernice patted Nex’s arm. “Right this way.”
She led him toward the front entrance but took him through a door on the left into a garage. Inside was a couch that wasn’t new but appeared nice.
“I’m replacing my couch before my family comes in for Thanksgiving. Someone from church was getting rid of theirs, and it’s much nicer than mine.” She crossed the hall to a living room. “I need you to bring in the new one and leave this old one on the curb.” She waved at the couch. “The city’s picking it up in the morning.”
Nex nodded and strode past her to the worn couch that had seen too many years. Faded in color, the couch had threads hanging from seams that were about to burst. He expected Bernice to return to Katherine, but she didn’t.
She tilted her head, staring at him. “There’s something different about you.” Her intense scrutiny unsettled him. She squinted in a way that implied she was figuring something out. “You’re not from around here, are you?” Nex shook his head. “Your name,” she continued, “is interesting. Unique.”
Nex circled the couch to get in position to push it out the door. “My upbringing was unique.”
“Hmm. Back when I was in school, knowing your Latin roots was required.”
After placing his hands on the arms of the couch, Nex hesitated. He met her gaze.How much Latin does she know?
“It’s strange your parents would name you after death. I wonder why they did that.”
“I wouldn’t know. I had no say in it.” He analyzed her scent. She was too tuned into him, but she was completely human.
“I’m glad you were there when that asshole did whatever he did,” Bernice said. “Katherine wouldn’t tell me what, but I know her, and I know it was bad.”
Nex’s eyebrows shot up.
Bernice laughed. “When you get as old as me, you stop caring what people think about the way you talk. I’m happy she has you.” She turned for the door. “I think you’re good for her. She needs a real man. It’s good you’re waiting for her. Just don’t forget,ex nihilo nihil fit.”
She left without waiting for his response, and he was relieved she did.Out of nothing, nothing is produced.A phrase to remember that achieving anything meaningful can only happen with hard work. He stared after her, then decided he needed to move fast and get the fuck out of there. Sometimes humans had another sense, and Bernice definitely noticed he wasn’t all he seemed.
Old couch outside, he returned to the garage for the new one, shaking his head. The fact Katherine had him doing all these things for her grated on his nerves. She had too much control over him.
Indents in the carpet from the last couch gave him a guide for placement of the new one. Once the furniture was in place, he dusted his hands off and headed to the hallway. He could only hope to get Katherine to leave quickly.
Kat came around the doorway with a mug in her hands and nearly ran into him. “Oh, sorry.” She extended the mug. “Bernice told me to bring you this.”
“Oh, look at that!” Bernice clapped and pointed up.
Kat followed her direction. Mistletoe hung in the doorway. Directly above Kat and Nex.
“Uh . . .” Kat went to step aside, but Bernice placed a hand on her back.
“Now, Katherine, don’t be shy.” Bernice swiped the mug from Kat. “Who wouldn’t want to kiss this handsome young man? You don’t want to break tradition, do you?”
Despite the woman making him a little uncomfortable, Nex liked her. “Yeah, kitten. Don’t you respect tradition?”
Kat’s cheeks burned. His attention shifted to her lips, his eyes darkening. He lifted his gaze to hers and stepped closer. Out of the corner of his eye, Bernice backed away, leaving them alone. She wasn’t so bad after all.
“What’s wrong?” Nex set one hand on Kat’s waist; the other, he lifted to her face. “Did you hate kissing me so much the first time?”
“No.” Kat’s gaze drifted to his lips before coming back to his eyes. “I didn’t hate it.”
