Page 80 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
“What guy?” Nex’s head snapped toward Kat.
Kat pursed her lips at Frida, who mouthedSorryand pretended to be interested in the menu. The intensity of Nex’s stare made Kat shrink.
“What guy?”
Kat avoided his gaze. “It’s nothing.”
Every week Gabriel talked to her, and she grew more uncomfortable. He asked too many personal questions and engaged her in theological discussions about right versus wrong, what was sin and what wasn’t. He also brought Nex up in a subtly negative way. She didn’t tell Nex because his protective side could be a little out of control, and while Gabriel bothered her, she didn’t want Nex taking things too far and bringing Lilith back.
“Katherine.” Nex growled low in her ear. “Who is bothering you?”
“He’s not bothering me.” Kat let her hair fall past her shoulders to give them a little more privacy. “He’s lonely and wants a friend because he’s new to town. He’s not socially adept. He knows I’m with you, and I talk about you all the time. Don’t worry about it.” She smoothed her hand over his chest. “I’m with you, Nex.”
“If that’s all it is, why are you venting to Frida while hiding it from me?”
Kat pulled her hand back. “You want me to vent every single annoyance in my day to you?”
“Maybe I do.” He leaned closer and slid his hand under the table, resting it high on her leg. “You are mine, after all.” He rubbed circles in her thigh, and she sucked in a breath. “Who is it?”
“The possibility of you overreacting is the exact reason I didn’t tell you.”
“Tell me.” Nex brushed his lips against hers and gripped her thigh. “Now, kitten. Or you’re going to have a lot to make up to me.”
“Ugh, with the PDA,” Frida said, making Kat hide her face and slouch in her chair. “We have something important to discuss.”
“This isnotover,” Nex warned.
Kat peeked through her fingers. “What?”
Nex frowned as all humor vanished from Frida’s expression, her eyes darting to her dad. David smiled stiffly. “We’re only in town for tonight. Given the holiday season, I can’t stay away from work too long. I wondered if—” His face fell, and Kat sat up straighter, brows furrowed. “I wondered if you’d like to visit your parents’ grave with us tonight. I’d like to go. I thought you might too. Especially since we won’t be here Christmas Eve.”
“Oh.” Kat reached under the table and grabbed Nex’s hand. “Sure. We can do that.”
“Nex, you’re welcome to come,” David said. “But there’s no pressure if you’d rather not.”
While Nex didn’t care for the idea of being around four emotional humans, he also wouldn’t leave Katherine alone. He squeezed her hand, intending to accept the offer, but Kat spoke first.
“Nex can’t.”
Nex frowned.
“He, um . . .” Her eyes darted around before she spoke again. “He has to make an appearance at this party for work.”
Nex tried not to let it show that it bothered him she didn’t want him to come. It shouldn’t. It was her business. Not his. It still did.
“Oh, that’s all right,” David said. “I didn’t want to leave him out.”
Kat’s smile was anything but relaxed. “We appreciate it.” Her shoulders dropped when the server showed up with food, distracting the table and taking the focus off the unpleasant topic.
“You don’t want me there?” Nex asked.
“Of course I want you there.” Kat scooted closer and tightened her hand on his. “I always want you around.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “They’re buried in the cemetery at my church. Doesn’t that count as holy ground?”
Nex’s eyebrows raised. It most likely did count as holy ground. He couldn’t go with her. He couldn’t comfort her if she cried. He couldn’t go with her on Christmas Eve if she wanted to visit them. Worse, he couldn’t do a damn thing to change it.
The reason he couldn’t go to such an important place being because he was a demon was worse than her not wanting him to go. Appetite gone, he scooted the plate of pasta away. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry? It’s okay.” She murmured “Thank you” to the server as food was set in front of her. She squeezed Nex’s hand one last time before letting go to pick up her silverware. “Don’t worry. It’s not a big deal.”
