Page 73 of Demon's Desire
What did him staying mean?
Butterflies swarmed Nico’s insides.
He tamped them down, checked the peephole, and opened the door. “Lucia.” Nico smiled at her and the foil-covered tray she’d brought.
“I figured I’d drop these off before I head out.” Lucia walked in, rounded the entryway corner, and made a beeline for the kitchen, where she set the tray on the counter. “Are you coming to Emilio’s with me tonight?”
“Who’s Emilio?”
Nico whipped around.
Onyx stood in the bedroom doorway, his hair tousled and demon features tucked away. He wore Nico’s clothes—a T-shirt and a pair of shorts—and damn, he looked well fucked. Positively scrumptious. There was no mistaking the ill-fitting outfit for anything other than borrowed.
Insides flaming, Nico became painfully aware that their clothes from earlier were all over the living room. Anyone with eyes would know what they’d been up to.
“Hello!” Lucia’s brows rose, and she clapped her hands in delight. “I’m so sorry for intruding. I guess that’s what I get for walking in like I own the place.” She swatted Nico’s arm. “You should have told me to go away.”
Nico’s face and neck burned. “I’d never send you away. Especially not after you’ve made me dinner.”
Onyx crossed the room and peeked under the foil. “Empanadas? These smell amazing.” He replaced the foil. “I’m Onyx, by the way.”
“Lucia.” She held out her hand, and Onyx shook it. “Since it seems Nico’s not jumping to explain, Emilio is my son. I go to his place for dinner every Sunday. You’re welcome to join us.That might actually get Nico to come along. We’re trying to suck him into the family,” she added in a stage whisper.
Onyx nodded, playing along. “Well, I won’t stop you. Unless… Emilio isn’t single, is he?”
Nico choked.
“Not at all. Married with kids,” Lucia said proudly. “I’m sure you two have a more exciting evening planned than tagging along with me, so I won’t feel bad if you don’t come.” She beamed at Nico. “I’ll get out of your hair.”
All Nico could do was nod and walk her to the door.
“He is stunning,” Lucia whispered, actually keeping her voice down, and squeezed Nico’s hand. “Hope I see him around more.” With that, she left.
Nico shut the door and pressed his forehead to it.
Onyx cackled. “She thinks I’m stunning. What a wonderful woman.”
Eavesdropping must be another demon trick.
Nico stalked back to the kitchen, where Onyx was eating an empanada. “She’s a good friend, but I didn’t need her knowing I spent the day in bed.”
“And on the couch.” Onyx pointed to their clothes.
“Don’t remind me.”
Onyx’s eyes narrowed. “Why does everyone get so embarrassed by the existence of sex around older people? She knows what’s what. And don’t forget, I’m somewhere around three and a half thousand years old. By your logic, you should have been too scandalized to say a quarter of the dirty things you crooned in my ancient ear.”
“Good point. But I don’t generally share details of my sex life with Lucia, or anyone.”
Onyx’s gleeful expression faded, his face closing off. “Did I fuck up? If you wanted me to stay hidden, you shouldhave said.”
“You didn’t fuck up. No, nothing like that.”
How did Nico explain that he didn’t want Lucia knowing because now she’d be asking aboutthe stunning man named Onyxuntil the end of time, or until Nico and Onyx announced something official? Normally, her encouragement didn’t bother Nico, but in this case, he wanted to be Onyx’s partner even more desperately than Lucia wanted to see him in a committed relationship.
It would be so much harder to brush off her questions. So much more heartbreaking to tell her Onyx had moved on.
Unless Nico was Onyx’s mate. Then everything would work out.
