Page 46 of Witch Unexpected
The alarm bled out of my body, and I lowered the poker. “You two know each other?”
The guy stroked Bramble’s arm. “Almost intimately.”
“Gross!” Bramble released him and shoved him away. “You fecking wish, you arsehole.”
The guy stumbled back with a chuckle and leaned against the railing.
He was tall, with the build of a swimmer. His joggers hung low on his hips, and his black T-shirt molded to his torso, artfully highlighting the muscle beneath.
He crossed his arms, tip of his tongue peeking out to touch the corner of his mouth. “No,youwish, prickles. You want this bod. I see the way you look at me, and this—” He pointed an index finger at the spot in front of him. “This was just an excuse to feel me up.”
Bramble made a choking sound, her eyes bugging, then she launched herself at him.
He caught her wrists easily, holding her at bay as his chuckles rose to warm the night.
He glanced my way with an apologetic look. “See, she can’t get enough of me.”
Bramble yanked herself out of his grip and glared at him. “You’re a wanker, Lauris.”
He made a meh face. “Sometimes, but you know how it is.” He winked at me.
My mouth tugged, wanting to smile, but I staunched the urge. “What the fuckareyou two doing on my balcony?”
Bramble tore her irate attention off the guy. “I came to check on you and found dickface creeping about.”
The guy cocked his head. “Uh-huh, and you came to check on her by scaling the walls?”
It was too dark to be sure, but I could have sworn Bramble was blushing. “Anna was being difficult.”
The guy tensed. “What do you expect? We’re just the ‘help.’”
Bramble’s shoulders unknitted. “Yeah. I just wanted to make sure Cora was okay.” She turned to me. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.” My gaze flicked to the guy. “And you? What are you doing here?”
“Checking to see if you were okay, of course.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t have time for games, silver boy. And I don’t have the patience for strange men on my balcony.”
Bramble snorted. “Lauris isn’t a man. He’s aboy.”
Lauris bristled. “I’m twice your age, prickles.”
“Not in gargoyle years,” she shot back.
Lauris’s jaw tensed. “I’m not a fucking gargoyle.”
Bramble snapped her mouth closed and then nodded. “I’m sorry.”
Lauris’s shoulders slumped. “It’s cool. Look, I usually sneak back into the mansion this way.”
“You went off grounds, again?” Bramble’s voice rose in pitch. She placed her hands on her hips. “Do you want Bador to kick your ass?”
Lauris rolled his eyes. “No. Hence the sneaking in.” He staggered to the side as if someone had shoved him and shot out a hand to grip the balcony and steady himself.
“You’re fecking drunk, aren’t you?” Bramble huffed. “You stupid tosser. Bador’s going to—”
A gust of air blew my hair back, and then a shadow blocked out the moon.
